There’s nothing glam about a tan

WE LIVE in a country where just 11 minutes out in the sun could burn our skin. Sure, a tan looks great but at what cost? Every year more than 1830 people die from skin cancer, which is a tragedy given it is Australia’s most preventable cancer.

Cancer Council Victoria SunSmart manager Sue Heward told SuperLiving both sunburn and tanning were the skin’s reaction to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation, not to heat.

“You can see sunlight and feel the heat [infrared radiation] but you can’t see or feel UV radiation,” Heward said.

“Your skin remembers and records all the UV exposure you have ever received, all the sunburns, tans, solarium visits or just simple day-to-day time spent outdoors when you have not used sun protection."

"It all adds up and increases your long-term risk of skin cancer.”

We need to understand there is no such thing as a safe tan, whether it is from a solarium or the sun.

“Tanning, along with sunburn, is a sign of your skin cells in trauma and the more your skin is over-exposed to UV radiation, the greater your risk of skin cancer,” she warned.

“Many people think it’s not possible to get sunburnt on windy, cool or cloudy days. However, sunburn, as mentioned earlier, is caused by UV radiation not heat,” she said. “A cooler or windy day in summer will be a similar UV index to a warmer day.”

If it is windy and you get a red face, it is likely to be sunburn. “There is no such thing as windburn,” she said.

We can also get sunburnt on cloudy and overcast days. “UV radiation can penetrate clouds and may be more intense due to reflections of the bottom of the clouds.”

Heward said it was important we check the SunSmart UV alert every day and protect our skin during the hours of the day when sun protection is required, even if it is just for a short period of time.

“If you think that skin cancer is something that you can just cut out, think again. A melanoma only has to be 1 millimetre deep to be dangerous,” she said. “Even if a melanoma is cut out, it can reappear later on other parts of our body. Melanoma only needs to be small to get into your blood stream and spread to other parts of your body.”

Other types of skin cancer include basel cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These two types are more common than melanoma, however, melanoma is a more aggressive and serious form.

The best way to protect ourselves is to apply sunscreen and wear the appropriate protective clothing when outdoors. It sounds so simple, yet so many of us fail to do so. Heward said when choosing a sunscreen, it was important to make sure it had an SPF of 30+ and is broad spectrum and water resistant.

“Everyone’s skin is different, so different sunscreens will suit different people better,” she said. “The best idea is to try out different types until you find one that works best for you [and] use a generous amount of sunscreen.”

According to the Cancer Council, an average-sized adult should apply more than half a teaspoon of sunscreen, which is equivalent to 3ml to each arm and the face and neck, not forgetting the ears. “Apply more than one teaspoon or about 6ml to each leg, front of body and back of body. That is 35ml of sunscreen for one full body application.”

In addition, Heward said we needed to apply sunscreen before heading outdoors and reapply it every two hours. If we plan on going for a swim or are sweating excessively, sunscreen needs to be reapplied more frequently. 

“Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and more than 95% of skin cancers are treatable if detected early,” Heward said.

“It is important to carefully inspect all your skin, look for spots that are new or have changed colour, size or shape,” she added. “See a doctor if a mole looks different or if a mole changed colour [as you got older]. If you notice a change, make an appointment with a doctor.”

“Your doctor will examine you first and may refer you to a specialist if cancer is suspected.”