‘KEEP your shirt on’ is the message from the Cancer Council with new figures showing sunburn rates are on the rise, especially on the weekends.
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The latest Cancer Council National Sun Protection Survey found Aussie adults have let their sun-smart behavior slip.
The proportion of adults slipping on clothing to protect themselves from the sun has decreased from 19 per cent to 17 per cent in the last three years.
Weekends proved to be the hottest time for lax behavior in sun with 17 per cent of NSW adults feeling the burn on Saturday and Sunday, equivalent to more than 881,000 adults.
Cancer Council northern NSW spokeswoman Abby Wallace said the findings were concerning.
“We suspect Aussies are slopping on sunscreen while at the same time reducing their use of covering clothing and expecting to be protected all day long,” Ms Wallace said.
“Sunscreen is a great tool to help protect your skin, but it isn’t a suit of armour.
“The motto remains the same - slip, slop, slap, seek shade and slide on sunglasses. Wearing covering clothing is one of the simplest and effective ways to protect your skin.”
National Skin Cancer Action Week
November 19 to 25 is National Skin Cancer Action Week and the Cancer Council is calling an older Aussies to follow the lead of youngsters who have proved to be more sun-smart than their elders.
“Melanoma rates in Australians aged 40 and under are dropping and the children of today are our most sun-smart generation ever,” President of the Australasian College of Dermatologists Andrew Miller said.
“However, it’s a real concern that sun protection behaviours overall don’t seem to be improving and that over 881,000 NSW adults are putting themselves at risk of skin cancer by getting sunburnt on summer weekends.”
Dr Miller said some parents seemed to be more focused on protecting their kids’ skin than using sun protection themselves.
“The theme for this year’s National Skin Cancer Action Week is ‘Join the SunSmart Generation’,” he said.
“We often see Australian parents protecting their children with rashies, hats, sunscreen and shade – while not protecting themselves well.”
Dr Miller also said that it was important for parents to remember that their own sun protection was also vital.
“Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime and it’s never too late to protect their skin from further damage,” he said.
“We want to see more adults setting a good example and joining their children in being SunSmart.”
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
