Ageing contributed to sun exposure

The decisions we make now can affect us for the rest of our lives – and this message couldn’t be more important this summer.

According to a recent Cancer Council Australia survey which looked at the sun habits of 6,500 Australians, we spend, on average, about 112 minutes outside on a Saturday or Sunday in peak UV times – which is more than enough, Dr Phillip Artemi of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, claims.

While a bronzed glow is often the ideal look for many young Australians, Dr Artemi claims 75% to 80% of the signs of ageing are due to excessive sun exposure and more of us need to “cover up, apply sunscreen and head for shade at peak UV times”.

“Sun damage accrues over time and you may not see the effects for 20 or 30 years,” Dr Artemi tells AdelaideNow. “But when you look in the mirror and start to see coarseness in your skin, irregular pigmentation, broken capillaries and deep wrinkles – that’s all due to sun exposure,” he adds.

With Australia holding the highest skin cancer rate in the world, it is expected about two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70 years.

Dr Artemi recommends people ‘slip, slop and slap’ this summer and use 30 plus broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply every two hours. Seeking shade during the middle of the day when UV radiation is most intense is also advised, as well as ‘getting to know you skin’ by visiting a doctor regularly as 95% of skin cancers can be treated if found early.

If you use a solarium just once before the age of 35, you will increase your risk of developing melanoma by 75%.