Be Sun Smart

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Australia, with 80% of all cancers diagnosed in Australia being skin cancer.

Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. More than 430,000 Australians are treated a year for skin cancers. Of these, over 10,500 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed. Each year there are around 1600 deaths from melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Sun damage is cumulative and spending a lot of time in the sun increases the risk of getting skin cancer. This is particularly important in Queensland as we experience significant ultraviolet radiation all year round, with extremes in our summer months.

Improved sun protection at any age reduces your risk of skin cancer.

International visitors, who my not be used to our extreme sunshine, are advised to take precautions :

• Slip on a closely-woven, long sleeve shirt.

• Slop on broad-spectrum, SPF 30+ sunscreen that is water-resistant 20 minutes before going outside – and reapply every two hours.

• Slap on a broad brimmed hat that covers the face, neck and ears. The brim should be 6 cm for children and 8-10 cm for adults.

• Slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes. Sunglasses should block out at least 95% of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and meet the Australian Standard AS 1067.

• Seek shade whenever possible – under trees, verandahs or shade cloths.

UVR levels vary throughout the day. They are the highest from 10am to 3pm. UVR is still present at other times of the day, on cool or cloudy days and during winter.