Talking Point: Whatever the weather, watch the UV

DI MASON: Stay alert because damage doesn’t depend on whether it’s hot or cold. Tassie is in low UV season but take care if travelling

BE ALERT: Heat and UVR are not the same thing, so our need for sun protection doesn’t depend on how warm it is. Picture: ISTOCK

MANY of us like the feel of the sun on our skin: the warmth lifting our mood, increasing the happy hormone serotonin in our brain and, in some cases, providing an addiction that can be just as dangerous as tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

But what we’re feeling on our skin is not what is causing the damage. The damage that results in our most common cancer, skin cancer. We can’t see its cause or feel its cause — ultraviolet radiation (UVR).

On earth we have infrared (warmth), visible (light) and ultraviolet radiation. It’s important to understand the differences to understand what causes skin cancer and how we can protect ourselves from it.

The light spectrum ranges from the colour violet to red, just as we see in a rainbow. Next to the violet colour is ultraviolet (UV). This is the radiation that can cause harm in humans.

Heat and UVR are not the same thing, so our need for sun protection doesn’t depend on how warm it is.

Often cooler days result in the worst sunburn because the UVR level can be high even when the temperature isn’t.

So, how do we know when invisible UVR levels are high enough to damage the skin? UVR levels are determined by:

SUN HEIGHT — maximum levels occur when the sun is at its maximum elevation, at around midday (solar noon) during the summer months, and it varies depending on the season and the time of day.

LATITUDE — the closer to the equator, the higher the UVR levels.

ALTITUDE — the higher the altitude, the thinner the atmosphere so less UVR is filtered before it reaches the earth’s surface.

CLOUD COVER — UVR levels are highest under cloudless skies but it can penetrate thin cloud and reflect off cloud surfaces.

REFLECTIVE SURFACES such as water, glass, concrete, sand and snow (up to 80 per cent).

OZONE — high levels of ozone absorb UVR. The largest depletion of the ozone layer is over Antarctica. Tasmania was instrumental in initiating the banning of CFCs and substances that deplete the ozone layer.

Overexposure to UVR disrupts the DNA in our skin, causing cells to mutate. This is how skin cancer starts.

A 2012 study in Queensland showed that UVR exposure during the first 18 years of a person’s life was the most critical risk factor for skin cancer, skin damage and premature ageing.

Experts estimate that 50 per cent of total UVR exposure up to age 60 occurs before age 20.

Sun protection education in schools is so important — not just in early childhood centres and primary schools, but through secondary and tertiary schools too.

We need to work together to spread the message about the importance of protecting your skin when you are young.

Tasmania has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in Australia and the fourth highest incidence of melanoma, which is the deadliest of skin cancers.

Melanoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 15 to 39-year-olds, and men over the age of 55 are the most likely group to die of melanoma in Tasmania.

We all have the power to prevent skin cancer.

There are many tools out there to make the invisible visible. UVR alerts are posted daily during the months where the UVR level will rise to 3 and above — the level at which skin damage will occur. UVR activated bracelets change colour showing you when UVR is about. We can wear UVR activated stickers on our skin that indicate when it’s time to reapply sunscreen.

A health policy launched in January recommends Australians apply sunscreen as part of our daily routine, not just before planned outdoor activities. There is consistent and compelling evidence that sunscreens are safe, and clinical trials have found that people who use sunscreen daily have the same levels of vitamin D as those who don’t.

In Tassie many have low vitamin D that is not related to sunscreen, and deficiency can be treated with supplements.

We are one of the few states where sunscreen is not recommended between mid-April to mid-September due to lower UV levels.

Remember to check UV levels if you are travelling out of Tasmania.

We have the knowledge and ability to prevent our most common cancer. Check UV levels every day and protect your skin if it is 3 or above. Get your skin checked annually. Don’t get tricked into only wearing sun protection when it’s sunny or warm.

Your family, your community and your health budget will thank you.

Di Mason is the founder of Melanoma Tasmania.