Daylight saving signals Sun Safety time

Daylight saving signals Sun Safety time

“Daylight saving has started which means it’s time to protect our skin and eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation,” says Kath Blair, Manager Skin Cancer Prevention at the Health Promotion Agency (HPA).

“With El Nino conditions some regions may experience cooler and windier days but UV radiation levels are increasing, so even if you’re feeling cold, you need to protect your skin and eyes,” says Kath Blair.

A general rule of thumb is to use sun protection between 10am and 4pm from September to April when out and about outdoors.

Depending on where you are, specific advice is available by checking HPA’s Sun Protection Alert. This tells you the time period in your location when sun protection is recommended. Starting today the Sun Protection Alert will be on MetService.com, MetService phone apps, and in all major daily newspapers.

“In addition to encouraging customers to check the Sun Protection Alert, pharmacists also want to help customers be SunSmart over the daylight saving months,” says Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand’s Chief Executive, Richard Townley.

“We’ve worked with HPA on new SunSmart reminders for New Zealanders to slip, slop, slap & wrap.” Richard reminds us to:

• slip into a collared shirt and the shade
• slop on plenty of broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30
• slap on a broad-brimmed hat
• wrap on a pair of wrap-around sunglasses.

Kath Blair also encourages New Zealanders to regularly check their skin for any changes. Regular skin checks increase the chance of finding melanoma and other skin cancers at an early stage when they are easier to treat. If you’re concerned about a change to a mole or freckle, a persistent sore or bleeding spot, or a growing bump, get it checked by your doctor.

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