Sun’s out, Buns out! …But make sure you do it the right way. We all love to wear a sexy tan but prolonged exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause skin damage and can lead to various forms of skin cancer, many of which, thankfully, are preventable. Follow these easy 5 steps to have fun in the sun in a safe way 🙂

Slip on protective clothing that:

• Covers as much skin as possible, for example, shirts with long sleeves and high necks/collars.
• Is made from close weave materials such as cotton, polyester/cotton and linen.
• Is dark in colour to absorb UV radiation (white and lighter colours reflect UV radiation onto skin).
• If used for swimming, is made from materials such as lycra, which stays sun protective when wet.

Slop on SPF30 or higher sunscreen that is:

• Broad spectrum and water resistant.
• Applied liberally to clean, dry skin at least 20 minutes before going outside.
• Reapplied every two hours.
• Used with other forms of protection such as hats and shade.

Slap on a hat that is:

• Broad-brimmed and provides good protection for the face, nose, neck and ears, which are common sites for skin cancers (caps and visors do not provide adequate protection).
• Made with closely woven fabric – if you can see through it, UV radiation will get through.
• Worn with sunglasses and sunscreen to increase your level of protection.

Seek shade by:

• Making use of trees or built shade structures, or bring your own pop-up tent or umbrellas.
• Making sure your shade structure casts a dark shadow and using other protection (such as clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen) to avoid reflected UV radiation from nearby surfaces.

Slide on sunglasses:

• That are close-fitting wrap-around style that meet the Australian Standard AS 1067 and provide an Eye Protection Factor (EPF) of 9 or above.
• With a broad-brimmed hat to reduce UV radiation exposure to the eyes by up to 98 per cent.
• To children as well as adults.

Ready for a Sun Safe Summer? If you have further questions drop us a line here or visit the Cancer Council website or find out the answers to some frequently asked sunscreen questions here.

Stay Cool 🙂

Kerri