It might be time to pay more attention to Sid the Seagull, who's been telling us for decades about the importance of slip, slop, slap.
A new Cancer Council survey has found fewer Australians are wearing hats to protect themselves from the sun, which means more of us are getting sunburnt on our face, head and ears.
The National Sun Protection Survey reveals just 44 per cent of Australian adults wear a hat when exposed to UV radiation on summer weekends, down from 48 per cent in 2003.
"This latest data shows that over 640,000 Australians have stopped wearing a hat to protect themselves … and in total almost 10.6 million Australians don't wear a hat when out in the sun on summer weekends," says CEO of Cancer Council Australia, Professor Sanchia Aranda.
And it's not just our hat-wearing habits that need attention. The survey also shows we're going backwards when it comes to wearing sun-protective clothing and seeking shade during peak UV times.
"Only one in five adults used three or more sun protection measures during summer, which is a real worry given the prevalence of skin cancer in Australia."
So with summer on its way, and the UV index already high, it's time to go back to the basics and ask: how do you protect yourself from the scorching Australian sun?
Slap on a broadbrim hat
Sun protection starts with a good hat, so a broadbrim, bucket or legionnaire's hat that protects your face, head, neck and ears is essential.
"The face, head, nose and ears are the most common places on the body that Australians get sunburnt, alongside the arms and hands," Professor Aranda says.
"There's no doubt that by neglecting to slap on a broadbrim hat, Aussies are putting themselves at risk of a potentially deadly skin cancer."
When you're shopping for a hat, SunSmart says to look for something that keeps the sun off your face, head, ears and neck, and has good ventilation and comfortability. You also need to pay attention to the material it's made of (see below for some ideas on which ones are best).
If you want to check how much protection your hat offers, take a selfie when the sun is highest and see where the shadow falls.
What isn't going to cut it? Baseball caps. They just don't offer enough protection. The same goes for visors.
Slip on sun-protective clothing
One of the best barriers between your skin and the sun is clothing, so cover up.
When choosing sun-protective clothing, it's important to note that not all clothing fabric is equal. SunSmart recommends looking for swing tags with a high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).
"The UPF rating provides information on how much UV radiation will pass through unstretched, dry material. Any fabric rated above UPF15 provides good protection against UV radiation, but UPF50+ is recommended," it says.
Similar to physical sunscreen, sun protective clothing absorbs and reflects UV radiation that meets the surface of the fabric.
"Most fabrics will however provide some protection from the sun regardless of if they are UPF rated or not."
SunSmart tips for choosing sun-protective clothing:
- Fabric structure: The tighter the fabric structure, the better the sun protection. As the fibres of tightly woven fabrics are closer together, less UV radiation is able to pass through to the skin. Tightly woven, lightweight natural fabrics such as linen, cotton or hemp will also help keep you cooler than synthetic fibre equivalents.
- Tension: If a fabric is stretched, it will be less protective. This is common in knitted or elasticised fabrics. Take care to select the correct size or if wearing extensible fabrics choose fabric structures and colours that provide greater protection to offset the effect of the stretch.
- Layering: Layering of fabrics and garments is an effective way of increasing protection from UV.
- Colour: Many dyes absorb UV radiation. Darker colours (black, navy and dark red) of the same fabric type will absorb more UV radiation than light pastel shades (white, sky blue and light green). Choose darker colours if possible.
- Moisture content: Fabrics offer less protection from UV radiation when wet. To reduce the effect of the moisture, take dry clothes to change into or if dipping in and out of the water, choose a fabric that provides effective protection from UV and that will dry quickly.
Slop on plenty of sunscreen
The Cancer Council recommends using SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen.
You should aim for one teaspoon of sunscreen per limb, one each for the front and back of the torso, and one for the face, neck and ears. So that's about a cupped handful every time you apply.
Sunscreen should be applied during 'daily sun protection times' — when the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaches damaging levels of three and above.
It's important you put on your sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outdoors and re-apply every two hours.
And remember: sunscreen alone isn't enough to protect you and it shouldn't be used to extend the time you spend in the sun.
"Sunscreen isn't a suit of armour. It should be your last line of defence," says Professor Aranda.
Seek shade
Shade is a practical and important form of sun protection – too often overlooked when we're outside in the sun.
Well-designed and positioned shade can significantly reduce UV exposure as well as create cool, comfortable spaces.
SunSmart shade tips:
- The shade moves with the sun, so be prepared to move around a bit and follow the shade.
- If using natural shade from a tree, where possible, look for dense foliage with a dark, even shady patch.
- Taking some portable shade with you ensures you won't be caught out. Consider a beach or market umbrella or shade tent.
- When travelling, use a shade visor or hang a blanket over the side windows in the car. Side and back windows don't offer as much protection as the front windscreen.
But again shade alone isn't going to protect you. Even if you spend long hours out of direct sunlight, you can still receive quite a lot of UV. This is because ultraviolet radiation reaches your skin in two ways:
- directly, as radiation from the sun,
- indirectly, as radiation that's been reflected from the atmosphere above, and/or bounced back from surfaces such as sand, concrete or even grass.
That's why you also need to slip, slop, slap and slide...
Slide on some sunglasses
Our eyes are particularly sensitive to the sun's UV rays, and exposure to UV radiation over long periods of time can lead to serious eye damage.
SunSmart recommends wearing sunglasses any time you are outside to protect your eyes – especially on days when the UV reaches damaging levels of three and above. This goes for kids too.
When shopping for sunglasses, before you look for the price tag, there is another tag you need to focus on: the swing tag, which reveals the sun protection factor.
Look for sunglasses that:
- are close fitting, wrap-around style that cover as much of the eye area as possible
- meet the Australian Standard AS/NZS 1067:2003 (sunglasses and fashion spectacles: sunglasses category 2, 3 or 4)
- have soft elastic to help keep them in place.
Remember to keep an eye on your skin
Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70.
Australasian College of Dermatologists' president, Associate Professor Chris Baker, says that dermatologists regularly treat skin cancers that could have been easily prevented through proper sun protection.
"It's important to remember that skin cancer can be prevented and, if detected early, can often be successfully treated," says Professor Baker.
"If you notice any changes in size, shape or colour of an existing spot, or the development of a new spot, you should get it checked as soon as possible."