Slip, slop, slap or risk skin cancer

A fair-skinned person caught outside and unprotected in Whangarei today could, in less than 15 minutes, suffer a serious injury that will eventually prove fatal.
As with many summer injuries, it will be due to the outdoor lifestyle Northlanders enjoy - but it's seriousness may be shrugged off as just a touch of sunburn.
Niwa predicted that today's ultra violet (UV) index in Whangarei would be 13, or extreme. Most days in the past week have been over 10.
Without sunblock or shade, a fair-skinned person's skin would start to fry in less than 15 minutes, with a dark-skinned or Polynesian person taking possibly twice as long.
In 20 to 30 years, says Jim Callaghan from Cancer Society Northland, the result of that sunburn could be melanoma. In New Zealand 1800 new cases developed last year, and of the other less deadly forms of skin cancer, there were 45,000 new cases. Over 90 per cent of all skin cancers stem from sun damage.
"And Northland has the highest level of UV radiation in New Zealand," Mr Callaghan said - who, being fair-skinned himself, can get sunburn while hanging out his washing if he doesn't "slip, slop, slap and wrap", to coin a well-worn phrase.
"It's the same-old same-old, but you still can't say it enough, especially in regards to children. Our main message for the summer is never let your child burn."
Mr Callaghan said ``delayed reaction' was another message that needed to be heeded
"It's usually childhood sunburn that causes the cancer that shows up later in life."
People should apply sun block at least 20 minutes before going outside, reapplying it after swimming or exercise - and generally slapping it on every two hours, Mr Callaghan said .
"You never get all-day protection, and check the product's shelf life.
"It might be an expense but having good sunscreen is a necessity of life, particularly for the outdoor Northland lifestyle."
Local pharmacists are seeing many teenagers and young adults looking for relief from sunburn.
"It would seem people are still not getting the message about sun safety," Whangarei pharmacist Chris Porter said. "Either they're not taking the warnings seriously or they're misjudging the burn time."
Mr Porter had also seen overseas visitors who were alarmed at how easily they became sunburnt.
"It's that thing again, where the ferocity of the Northland sun takes people by surprise."
Niwa defines the "alert period" as the period when the clear sky ultra violet index forecast is greater than 3. When the UVI is 3, damage to fair skin can occur in less than 1 hour. When the UVI is 12, damage to fair skin can occur in less than 15 minutes. The UV index gives a more objective measure than the old "burn time" which does not account for skin tone.