Skin Protection Guide
Personal protection routines should comprise use of sunscreens, wearing sun protective clothing, head-wear and eye wear, making optimum use of areas protected by shade or shade cloth and staying out of the sun as much as absolutely possible during its periods of maximum intensity. eg. 11am – 3pm.
Protecting your skin is a vital part of maintaining healthy and non-cancerous skin. In order to help you maintain this, the following guide has been created:
- Choose a sunscreen offering SPF 50+ and broad spectrum protection and water resistant for at least two hours. The product should be photo-stable.
- Apply the sunscreen in sufficient quantity to benefit from the maximum protection level it offers. Apply one dab (teaspoonful) to seven body points – head/neck, both shoulders/arms, back, torso and the top of both legs – prior to spreading. Fully effective coverage demands around 35mls.
- Apply a sunscreen fifteen minutes before sun exposure. Re-apply every two hours and immediately after swimming.
- Wear clothing and swimwear offering UPF 50+ protection. Cover up as much of the body as possible.
- Choose broad-brimmed hats and legionnaire style headwear rather than caps offering UPF 50+ protection.
- Choose wrap-around sunglasses with polarised lenses.
- Stay in the shade or under shade cloth when the sun is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm during daylight saving and between 10am and 2pm during the rest of the year. Remember that whilst cloud blocks out sunlight it does not block UV radiation.
It is vital, especially in Australia, to have a lifelong protection routine which limits your skin’s exposure to the UV radiation in sunlight. The deleterious effects of UV radiation exposure are cumulative throughout your life meaning that the main cause of skin cancer in later life can often date back to childhood, when the skin is most susceptible to UV radiation damage.