What's Up!

Slip Slop Slap Banner

Hey dudes,

Winter is on its way so it's a great time to safely enjoy the sunshine, but it's still really important to remember to be SunSmart.

Make sure you always Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap whenever you're at the snow or by the water, or when the UVI is above 3.

The sun is much stronger when it's reflected off water or snow.
So if you're out on a boat or at the mountain you still need to...

SLIP
SLOP
SLAP and
WRAP

... even if it's cloudy or windy!

Don't forget to wear wrap-around sunglasses to keep your eyes safe.

Did you know...

The sun

  • The sun is a star in space and it is about 150 million kilometers from earth
  • What does the sun provide us with? Warmth and light
  • The sun also gives us vitamin D. Vitamin D helps us have healthy bones and a good immune system
  • The sun gives off lots of little explosions. These explosions are called radiation
  • Radiation is made up of 3 rays UVA UVB and UVC

Hats
The best hats to wear are the broad brimmed (7.5cm) or bucket hats with a 6cm brim. Caps are not SunSmart as they do not protect the back of the neck and the ears - skin cancer is prevalent in these areas.

Cloudy
Can you get sunburnt on a cloudy day?
Yes. The rays of the sun that burn your skin are not hot. Clouds create reflection and the radiation from the sun is still strong.

Water
Can you get sunburnt while in water?
Yes. The reflections from water can make the rays of the sun stronger.

The rays
If the temperature is not hot can I still get burnt?
Yes. Sunburn is caused by UV radiation - it does not feel hot. Temperature and sunburn are not related.

Dark skin
If you have dark skin you still can burn so sun protection is important for you too!

Shade
If you do not have a hat on your head it is important that you play in the shade especially between 11am and 4pm in the summer. When you are at the beach remember to take a beach umbrella to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun. The reflection of the sand and the water at the beach makes the sun's rays extra strong.

Clothing
A SunSmart shirt is a shirt with a high back and sleeves to protect your shoulders and the top part of your neck from the sun.

Sunscreen
Use an SPF30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen. Wipe it on thickly at least 15 minutes before going outdoors. Reapply: do this 15 minutes after the first application to ensure complete coverage, and also after physical activity, swimming or towel drying.

Vitamin D

  • The sun helps you produce vitamin D
  • Vitamin D is good for your bones
  • To have enough vitamin D absorbed in a day 7-10 minutes of light sun in early morning and late afternoon is all you need

New Zealand
In New Zealand we are more at risk to the sun’s radiation than in other parts of the world. Why do you think this is kids?

  • We have a thinner layer of ozone to screen out the UV rays compared to many other countries
  • Our air is less polluted so the sun's rays are not as blocked out
  • The tilt of the earth makes New Zealand closer to the sun.

What is cancer?
It’s a disease of the cells in the body that cause the body to be very sick.

Which type of cancer do you think is the most common type of cancer in New Zealand?
Skin cancer.

Can anyone tell me the worst type of skin cancer you can get?
Melonoma.

What does melanoma look like?
It is an unusual freckle or mole that changes shape, colour and grows larger.

Our Skin:

  • Skin is the largest and one of the hardest working organs in the body
  • Skin covers an average area of about 1.8m
  • Skin continually renews itself. Old skin cells are gradually shed and replaced by new ones every 28 days
  • Skin grows and replace itself faster than any other organ
  • You have 19 million skin cells every square inch of your body
  • Your skin's biggest job is protection. It is a tough, elastic, flexible and waterproof covering and maintains the body's correct temperature
  • 80% of all damage done to the skin is done by the sun
  • A tan is what happens when the skin is damaged
  • Once your skin is burnt it never forgets that burn, so the more burns you have the more at risk you are of getting skin cancer
  • Type 1 is the fairest and most likely type of skin to burn, and type 6 is the darkest and least likely type of skin to burn.