Sun habits changing but sunburn still a problem

Thomas Bailey knows the importance of wearing sunscreen.
The Rotorua 15-year-old often enjoys summer days at Tikitapu (Blue Lake) with friends and family.
He knows to put sunscreen on before he goes in the sun and re-applies it after being in the water. "I wear sunscreen so I don't get burnt," he said. "It's so I don't get skin cancer."
Thomas said his friends did the same and mum Vicky Bailey said it was well ingrained in the family's routine before they went to the lake or to the beach.
"It is just part of the process," Mrs Bailey said. "You don't have to tell the kids, they know they need to put their sunscreen on."
She said her family knew it was important to protect their skin.
Rotorua's Kate Oxley has also been enjoying time at Tikitapu with her four children this summer.
She always carries a small bottle of sunscreen in her handbag. "It has just become second nature to us to wear sunscreen. It is so important, especially for children's skin."
The Rotorua families' practice is in line with national statistics showing New Zealanders' sun-exposure habits are changing. The Sun Exposure Survey is done every three years by the Health Sponsorship Council in conjunction with the Cancer Society of New Zealand.
The most recent survey shows attitudes to getting a tan are changing, with just under one in 10 Kiwis saying they intend to go for a bronzed look this summer.
SunSmart's Wayde Beckman said the survey showed that nearly half the people surveyed knew that not using sun protection was a "risk factor" for skin cancer. "While it is encouraging to see that nearly half the population understand the risks associated with not protecting themselves from the sun, we also know that people are still getting sunburnt," he said.
"One in five people who had been outside during the very high-risk sunburn period, between 11am and 4pm, had been sunburnt the previous weekend, a figure that has not changed significantly since the previous survey."
Mr Beckman said the parts of the body most likely to get sunburnt were those less likely to have been covered by clothing - "The face, neck, shoulders and lower arms, which is consistent with previous years."
He said sunburn was a big concern because it increased the risk of developing melanoma skin cancer. Around 300 New Zealanders die from melanoma each year, even though it's largely preventable by being SunSmart.
"Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to sunburn."
Mr Beckman said by following the slip, slop, slap and wrap rules, it was easy to be safe while enjoying the warmer weather.
SUN PROTECTION
- Slip on some sun-protective clothing and slip into shade wherever possible.
- Slop on SPF30+ sunscreen 15 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards.
- Slap on a hat that protects your face, head, neck and ears.
- Wrap on some sunglasses. Choose sunglasses that cover the whole eye area.
- For advice on choosing a sunscreen and sunglasses that will help to protect you from the sun, visit your local pharmacy.