It's now possible to personalise sun protection information based on your skin type, weight and height and even by the clothes you're wearing.
The SunSmart application has undergone a major design upgrade in time for summer. The key features include:
- A sunscreen calculator, which users can personalise with the outfit they're wearing, as well as their weight and height. The tool uses this information to work out how much skin will still be exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays and calculates how many teaspoons of sunscreen the user will need to apply for good sun protection.
- A vitamin D tracking function, which helps users work out if they're getting enough sun exposure for vitamin D levels based on their natural skin type, how much time they spent outside, whether they wore sunscreen and how high UV levels were that day.
SunSmart Manager Sue Heward said the new version of the app will help everyone build sun protection into their daily routines.
"It's predicted to be a long, hot summer with UV hitting extreme levels, so it's crucial people know when and how to use sun protection. Many people are still getting burnt or tanned because theyrre forgetting to re-apply sunscreen or haven't applied enough to start with. The sunscreen calculator can help you work out how much sunscreen you'll need to apply for your weight, height and clothing choices, while the app's reminder settings ensures you don't forget to top up your application every two hours. With just a few taps of the screen, you can also find out the weather, temperature, UV level and most importantly, the times of the day you need sun protection at any location across the country."
Skin Cancer in Australia – The Facts
- Overexposure to UV is the main cause of skin and eye damage and skin cancer. The skin can be damaged in as little as 15 minutes on a fine January day.
- You need to check the sun protection times – even when it's overcast – as UV levels can be just as intense on a cool or cloudy day, as a scorching hot one.
- Skin cancer is Australia's most prevalent cancer, but it is also one of the most preventable.
- More than 750,000 basal and squamous cell carcinomas are treated and 11,405 new melanomas are diagnosed in Australia each year.
- In 2012, 1,515 people died from melanoma and 521 people died from basal and squamous cell carcinomas in Australia.
The new SunSmart app is now available to download for free from the App Store, Google Play and Samsung Apps.