Don’t be a Rock Lobster – be SunSmart this festival season
Festival fever is about to hit Victoria with dozens of international and national acts lined up to perform here over the next few months.
As young people across Victoria are dusting off their festival hot pants and searching for their sunnies, SunSmart is urging everyone to think about sun protection before heading out to see a gig.
SunSmart Manager, Sue Heward said "UV radiation will reach extreme levels over the next few months and it takes only 11 minutes in the sun to get burnt at this time of year."
"If you're going to a festival, remember sunscreen and apply it 20 minutes before leaving the house. Bring a lightweight jacket with you to cover up, a hat that covers the face, neck and eyes and sunnies to protect your eyes."
"Melanoma is the most common cancer in young people aged 15 - 39 years. Ironically skin cancer is one of Australia's most preventable cancers. With a bit of forward planning, you can significantly reduce your risk of skin and eye damage, signs of ageing and ultimately skin cancer," she said.
Any UV exposure that causes your skin to tan or burn adds to your total lifetime dose of UV and increases your skin cancer risk. Sunburn and tanning are signs that your skin cells are in trauma.
Recent research by Cancer Council Victoria shows that tanning is still popular among young people with 53 percent of 13-34 year olds desiring a tan.
"If you must have a tan, use a fake tanning product rather than sunbaking or using a solarium. In fact, using a solarium just once before the age of 35 increases your risk of melanoma by between 75- 98 percent. If using fake tan, you must also wear sunscreen as fake tan doesn't offer any sun protection," said Ms Heward.
"So as festival season gets into full swing, think ahead and stay safe by following our festival survival top tips!"
SunSmart festival survival tips:
Check the SunSmart UV Alert before heading to the gig to check the time of the day that sun protection is required. When the UV reaches 3 and above remember to:
Slip on a long sleeved, lightweight jacket that covers as much of your skin as possible.
Slop on 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen and reapply every two hours. Don't use sunscreen to extend your time in the sun.
Slap on a wide brimmed hat that provides good protection for your face and neck.
Seek shade indoors, under an umbrella or marquee especially during peak UV times (10am to 3pm).
Slide on sunglasses - they are a great festival fashion accessory and protect your eyes from sun damage. Make sure they meet Australian Standards.
The SunSmart UV Alert is available at sunsmart.com.au, in the weather section of daily newspapers and on the Bureau of Meteorology website bom.gov.au/uv. Live UV levels for Melbourne are at arpansa.gov.au/uvindex
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