From sports to park hangs and hanging out at the beach, there’s plenty of stuff we love doing out in the sun. While it’s great to get some fresh air and stay active, it’s super important to protect our skin while doing so!
Australia has some of the harshest and most dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation (UV) in the world, so everyone needs to get in the habit of taking good care of their skin.
UV radiation is something we can’t see or feel. It can be harmful on warm, sunny days as well as cool, cloudy days, so don’t let your guard down just because it’s cloudy! If your skin starts to change colour (what people call ‘tanned’), that’s a sign that it’s getting damaged.
You’ve probably heard the slogan ‘slip, slop, slap, seek, slide’, but we’re here to remind you just how important it is to practise it. Okay, don’t roll your eyes at us… we’re just out here to look out for one another! Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, so we really need to start protecting our skin from a young age.
And it isn’t just your skin at risk – UV rays can cause cataracts and cancer in your eyes, and heat stroke if you are in the sun for too long. So taking care of your skin is taking care of your body and mind.
Learn more about UV radiation in this World Health Organisation video.
How to protect your skin:
Clothing
It might seem counterintuitive to wear a long-sleeved shirt on a boiling hot Summer’s day, but this is actually one of the best ways to protect our skin from that pesky UV. The more you cover up your skin with clothing, the harder it is for harmful UV radiation to get in. Wearing a light, breezy long sleeve shirt actually feels nicer on a hot day than you might think. Try it out!
If you want to be ultra-safe, get yourself some clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating above 30. UPF ratings are there to tell you how much UV radiation can get through the fabric and reach your skin.
Sunscreen
You know the drill — look for a high SPF sunscreen (SPF50+ is best) and reapply regularly, on any part of your body that’s not already covered by clothing. It’s usually best to reapply every 2 hours. Reapplying is not just important because sunscreen fades throughout the day – it is also because you are bound to miss places when you apply! We should also prepare ourselves before heading out the door, as it’s best to sunscreen-up 20 minutes before you go outside.
Hat
Wide-brim hats are best as they provide the most shade, so get that My Fair Lady vibe going! Caps and visors help cover parts of your face and neck too, though they offer less protection. This doesn’t mean you have to wear an ugly hat like the mandatory ones in primary school – there are plenty of
Shade
While we can cover up all we want, finding shade is really the best way to escape UV radiation. Cool down and take shelter under a tree, a beach umbrella, or other shady patches you can find.
This can also mean picking what time of day is best to go outside – maybe a sunset walk along the beach is better than sunbaking in the middle of the day.
Sunglasses
Did you know UV radiation is harmful to your skin as well as your eyes? This is why a lot of sunglasses are labelled with UV protection. Get yourself a pair of funky sunglasses with UV protection — they’re a great accessory too!For more details on protecting your skin, check out the SunSmart website.
