Reducing UV Exposure
Taking simple precautions can prevent damage from
UV rays, while still making the time spent outdoors enjoyable. The
following strategies can reduce your UV radiation exposure:
- Stay indoors/in the shade between 11am and 3pm
- when the UV radiation level is at its peak.
- Make sure you and your family never burn.
- Wear protective clothing. Wear a broad brimmed
or legionnaire style hat to protect the eyes, face and neck.
- Protect the eyes with sunglasses, preferably the
- Use and reapply broad-spectrum sunscreen of at
least sun protection factor (SPF) 15+ liberally to skin not covered
- Remember if the temperature drops it does not mean
the UV radiation level has decreased.
- Protect young children, with shade, sun-protective
clothing, sun hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. They are unaware
of the dangers.*
- Use pram cover and shade for babies. It is recommended
that babies under the age of one should stay completely out of
the sun. Use protective clothing/pram cover and shade even on
a cloudy day.
- Parents should model behaviour for children.
* We need to be particularly careful with children.
According to the World Health Organisation “frequent sun exposure
and sunburn in childhood appears to set the stage for higher rates
of melanoma (skin cancer) in later life“. The Skin & Cancer Foundation Australia believes that "the deleterious effects of uv radiation exposure are cumulative throughout your life".
Useful information can be found on the Sunsmart
(Cancer Research UK) website: http://cancerresearchuk.org/sunsmart/
- all rights reserved