New Zealanders need to protect themselves from the sun

5 April 2013

New Zealanders need to protect themselves from the sun

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) in New Zealand is twice the level of that in Europe and Kiwis need to protect themselves from the sun, says an international expert on skin cancer, New Zealander, Professor John Hawk.

Professor Hawk is Emeritus Professor at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology inLondon, where he has run a specialist unit studying the effects of sunlight on the skin for the last 30 years.

He is in New Zealand, sponsored by the Cancer Society, to address today’s National Melanoma Summit in Wellington, hosted by MelNet with support from the Health Promotion Agency, Cancer Society of New Zealand and the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand.

Professor Hawk says many New Zealanders are “made to get melanoma”, a severe disease that’s on the increase in New Zealand.

“The closer you get to the equator, the stronger the UV radiation. We have low levels of pollution and a mild climate in New Zealand that makes it possible for us to stay outside longer than those in very hot countries.

“We all like to enjoy the outdoors, so we have to adopt relatively easy strategies to be sun safe.”

He says an important strategy is not using sunbeds. “They’ve definitely been shown to cause skin cancer and some countries have banned them for people under 18. You can’t sell alcohol or cigarettes to minors and you shouldn’t be able to sell a sunbed session to a minor either.”

Another important strategy is to use sun protection during daylight saving months. The Health Promotion Agency, MetService and NIWA have developed the Sun Protection Alert, which tells New Zealanders the exact time needed to use sun protection, no matter where they live in the country.

“Around half to two-thirds of the UV comes from the blueness of the sky, so you can easily get burnt. And you’re just as exposed to UV on a cloudy day with a bit of wind as on a bright sunny day.

Professor Hawk says to wear a wide brimmed hat. “It’s good to wear specialist UV protective clothing, but most close-weave, loose fitting clothing will give you good protection. Wraparound sunglasses and staying in the shade are also recommended at peak UV times.”

He says sunscreens work, but most people don’t use them properly and only apply about a third of what’s needed to achieve the right level of protection.

“Use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, apply it liberally before you go outside, making sure you don’t miss spots like ears, and then again about 15 minutes later. Then reapply it at least every two hours.”

Sponsors of the Melanoma Summit are: Roche Products, Cancer Society of New Zealand, Genesis Oncology Trust, Path Lab, Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Molecular and New Zealand Dermatological Society.
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