Be Sun Smart

Myth busters 1. You can get sunburnt on a cloudy day. True. You can still get sunburnt on a cloudy day. 2. I can’t get sunburnt through glass. False. Glass reduces the effect of the sun but does not block it. 3. I have dark skin, so don’t have to worry about sunburn. False. All skin types can be damaged by the sun. 4. Using SPF 30 sunscreen means I can stay in the sun longer compared to if I was wearing sunscreen with SPF 15. False. A high number SPF does not mean you can spend more time outside without reapplying sunscreen. Further speaking notes: UV can get through light cloud and damage unprotected skin spending long periods of time in a car or next to a window can cause skin damage. New Zealand can have periods of very high UV radiation which can damage all skin types SPF 30 or over sunscreen should used and reapplied every 2 hours.

Did you know? Over 350 New Zealanders die from skin cancer every year. NZ has one of the highest skin cancer death rates in the world. Most skin cancers are preventable. Melanoma is most likely to occur on people under the age of 20.

Health effects of too much UV radiation Sunburn Eye damage Skin cancer Premature aging Further speaking notes: Sunburn - Skin can be burnt after just 11 minutes. Although sunburn fades, the damage to your body can’t be reversed. Eye damage - UV damage can cause damage to your vision and cause skin cancer around the eye. Premature aging - Up to 80% of fine lines and wrinkles are the result of sun damage.

Checking for skin cancer Use the ABCDE system to check if your moles or spots look cancerous Asymmetry: two halves of the mole are different from one another. Border: the borders of the mole aren’t clear. It is a blurred or irregular shape. Colour: the colour is uneven with shades of black, brown or tan. Further speaking notes: Colour - Melanomas may also be white, grey, red, pink or blue! If you think any of your moles or spots look suspicious, please book in to see your GP and get them checked out. Early detection is important! Different: it differs from other moles, usually in size. Melanomas are often bigger than the end of a pencil (6mm). Evolving: any change in growth? New or elevated?

WHY IS the sun dangerous? UV ratings 3 and above are harmful and sun protection should be used during these periods. Try this: Download the UV2Day app to see daily UV ratings in your location.

GRANT’S STORY RICHARD’S STORY Grant is an employee at Transpower who had a skin cancer scare: “Over 5 years ago, I noticed a mole that was on my forearm had turned blacker. After having the mole checked and a biopsy taken, it was revealed that the mole was melanoma. I now get a check up every 3 months.” RICHARD’S STORY Richard is a also a Transpower employee: “I noticed an itchy patch of skin on my lower back (approx. 1 inch), which looked a bit red (like a rash). After a few months, the skin became quite dry and the redness became more obvious. My GP thought it might be psoriasis. When I thought it had got a bit larger, I went to a different GP. The GP took a biopsy which confirmed it was a basal cell carcinoma.” (Skin cancer) Richard had surgery done by his GP under local anaesthetic. The area has healed. He now has regular check ups from his GP. - Black-blue or brown areas

ALISON’S STORY Alison Blackler is the Grid Works Delivery Manager for Transpower, formerly at Broadspectrum. 12 years ago, Alison went to get her skin checked by her doctor. The doctor found that she had a melanoma on her arm. The melanoma was successfully removed and no further treatment was required.

How to stay sun safe BRAINSTORM: What could we do to stay safe in the sun? Early prevention is the best protection from skin cancer. UV ratings are at their highest between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Drink lots of water Slip on a shirt: long sleeved, dark coloured and tightly woven shirts give the best protection Slip into shade: Slip into the shade of an umbrella or leafy tree. Slop on sunscreen: slop on plenty of broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or above. Reapply every 2 hours. Slap on a hat: wear a hat with a wide brim or a cap with flaps. More people get sunburnt on the neck or face than any other body part Wrap on sunglasses: choose close fitting, wrap around sunglasses with UV protection Host a discussion with your group about what your team could do to slip slop slap and wrap Slip on a shirt Slip into shade Slop on 30+ SPF sunscreen every 2 hours Slap on a wide brimmed hat Wrap on sunglasses with UV protection

For more information… Health Promotion Agency SunSmart advice: http://sunsmart.org.nz/ Cancer Society of New Zealand – sunscreen advice: https://www.sunsmart.org.nz/be-sunsmart/use- sunscreen UVlens – UV report and forecast: https://www.uvlens.com/ or download the app on the Apple Store or Google Play Dermnet New Zealand- what skin cancer may look like: https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/spot-the- difference/