Health

Winter sun protection 

As the weather starts to get cooler many people start wondering if there is a need to protect themselves from the sun’s damaging rays. The answer is yes. There is still a need to protect ourselves, even in winter. It is important that SunSmart behaviour becomes a consistent lifestyle choice and is not solely associated with summer activities.

You can get burnt on windy, cloudy and cool days.

 Sunburn is caused by UV radiation (ultraviolet radiation), which is not related to temperature – a cooler or windy day in summer will have a similar UV index to a warmer day. If it’s windy and you get a red face, it’s likely to be sunburn. There’s no such thing as ‘windburn’.

You can also get sunburnt on cloudy days, as UV radiation can penetrate some clouds, and may even be more intense due to reflection off the bottom of the clouds.

Check the SunSmart UV Alert every day and protect your skin when UV levels are 3 or above, even when you are in the sun for short periods. 

The SunSmart UV alert is available at www.cancer.org.au or on the free SunSmart app. 

Whenever you’re outdoors don’t forget to Slip on a shirt, Slop on SPF 50+ sunscreen, Slap on a sunsmart hat, Seek shade and Slide on some sunglasses.

Jenny Hill

College Nurse

Reference: Cancer Council WA