New data shows one in four 25 – 44 year olds still getting sunburnt on weekends.
We ecourage parents of young children to be SunSmart this summer with new data showing that 25-44 year olds have worrying sun protection habits with one in four (25%) getting sunburnt on summer weekends.
Released to mark the start of National Skin Cancer Action Week (15 – 21 November), results of the 2019 Summer Sun Protection Survey (Life in AustraliaTM) showed that in 2019, 25 – 44 year olds also had a desire for a suntan, with more than four in 10 (43%) saying they like to get a tan, a sign of harmful UV damage.
Our SunSmart Manager, Mark Strickland said it’s important that adults remember to look after themselves, but also to be good role models for their children. “We know parents are pretty good at covering their young kids these days, but often forget to wear their own hats or sun protective gear. That effectively tells the kids that adults don’t need to bother about sun protection – which is the wrong message in Australia’s harsh UV,” Mr Strickland said
“No matter where you are, what age you are, or what you’re doing, when exposed to UV levels of 3 or above, your skin is being damaged, even if you don’t get burnt. This damage is not reversible and it builds up over time and increases your risk of skin cancer.
“The stronger the UV radiation, the faster the damage is occurring, and that can happen in as little as 10 minutes on a summer day in WA.
“We are all role models to someone. We know that kids look to parents and older adults and will copy what they see. Role modelling is the easiest way to get kids and the younger generations to use sun protection, so remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide when the UV is 3 or above.”
