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September 21, 2015AMA (NSW) President, Dr Saxon Smith, says research has shown Australians are using less sunscreen than Europeans each year.
“Everyone in Australia is familiar with the sun safe messages of slip, slop, slap, seek and slide but there’s evidence people aren’t acting on this information.
“Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria and Norway all reported a greater annual per capita usage of sunscreen than Australia.
“The really worrying thing is that this same research showed Australians used an average of 60ml of sunscreen in 2012.
“For whole body protection, that’s about enough for two days’ worth of protection and not nearly enough for a whole year,” Dr Smith said.
“Australians face greater dangers from sun exposure than people in most other countries.
“We have the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, even though 95 per cent of skin cancers are preventable through sun safe behaviour.
“I encourage everyone to wear protective clothing, wear adequate amounts of sunscreen every day, wear hats and sunglasses, and to avoid going outside at peak UV times,” Dr Smith.
“As a dermatologist, every day, I treat people who are suffering from various different kinds of skin cancer.
“Ranging from the eminently treatable up to and including highly aggressive and terminal melanoma.
“You know the right things to do to avoid needing to see a dermatologist in the future.
“Be sun safe this summer (and every day of the year) and you will be significantly less likely to need to see someone like me later in life,” Dr Smith said.
Media contact: Lachlan Jones (02) 9902 8113 / 0419 402 955