Words by Dr Craig Layt THE REAL COST OF A TAN Some of you may be old enough to remember the days when a day at the beach meant covering yourself in baby oil and getting as red as a lobster. This would be followed by trying to tear off the biggest sheets of peeling skin and repeating the process over the summer until eventually the tan meant you no longer peeled. This all changed after the release of the iconic 'Slip Slop Slap' health campaign, which became known as one of the most successful in Australia’s history. Underpinned by extensive research and endorsed by the Cancer Council of Australia in 1981, the SunSmart campaign played a key role in the dramatic change in approach and behaviour towards sun protection from that time. However, whilst a cheerful Sid the Seagull dressed in board shorts, t-shirt and hat singing a catchy jingle had a significant influence over past generations, it appears to have lost its edge with the new generation of sun-worshippers. As little as three instances of blistering sun burn as a child in Australian conditions can drastically increase the risk of fatal skin cancers such as melanoma. With two in three Australians being diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70, continuing to instil this decadesold message is as important as ever. A good suntan is a desirable quality according to today’s youth, and the act of sun baking is a regular occurrence. The undesirable effects that such a suntan has on collagen in the skin, skin pigmentation, and the production of skin cancers are often overlooked until the damage is already done. When we are young we are ‘ten feet tall and bullet proof’ and skin cancers and pigmented, wrinkly skin seems a long way off. 24 Pindara Magazine 2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Eight
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