What’s Really Under Your skin?

Look out for a new campaign this summer that’s going to get right under your skin. As part of the ‘Don’t let the sun get under your skin’ campaign, special ultraviolet (UV) cameras will be at popular holiday spots around the country to show the skin damage that can’t be seen by the naked eye.

And you’ll see just how easy it is to protect your skin this summer. To find out more, join www.facebook.com/underyourskinNZ – and be in to win!

Everyone knows sunburn isn’t cool. It’s painful, ugly, stops you doing the things you like, damages your skin and can lead to skin cancer. Getting a tan is risky too. It’s a sign of damaged skin and speeds up the ageing process, making you look older, sooner. Who wants that?

It’s easy to make sure the sun doesn’t get under your skin this summer, but don’t just rely on sunscreen.

Pop on a hat, SPF30+ sunscreen, sunnies and a long-sleeved shirt when you head out. That way you’ll be prepared – whether you end up at the beach, playing sport, or round the pool.

And watch out for cool and cloudy days too, because it’s not the sun’s heat that burns, but UV radiation – and you can’t see that.

Everyone burns no matter what your skin type, so look after your mates and remind them to be safe in the sun too. That way everyone gets to enjoy summer while still looking good.
 

UNDER YOUR SKIN - MYTH BUSTERS

Getting sunburnt is part of a Kiwi summer.
False.  Sunburn isn’t cool. It’s painful, ugly, stops you doing the things you like, damages your skin and can lead to skin cancer. Burning and peeling are signs your skin is already damaged - even if it turns into a tan.

Suntans are healthy.
False. There is no such thing as a ‘healthy tan’. If your skin turns brown, it’s a sign that there’s already skin damage - even if there is no redness or peeling. Tanning can speed up the ageing process making you look older, sooner.

A tan means I won’t get sunburnt.
False. A tan won’t protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UV). If you have a tan, it means your skin has already been damaged.

I don’t need to protect my skin on cloudy days.
False. Even on cloudy days, the UV from the sun is fierce enough to cause sunburn. In fact, UV levels can be higher on cloudy days, due to reflection from clouds.

I don’t need to protect my skin on cooler days.
False. You can still get sunburnt on cooler days. Wind can lower the air temperature, making it easy to forget the sun is still strong.

I use sunscreen, so I won’t get skin damage.
False. It takes more than sunscreen to protect your skin for life. For the best protection, also put on a hat, sunnies and a long-sleeved shirt and hang out in the shade whenever you can. Make sure you use plenty of SPF30+ sunscreen and reapply it every two hours.

As long as I use sunscreen, I can stay in the sun all day.
False. Sunscreen shouldn’t be used as a means of staying out in the sun longer. Get into the shade and put on a hat, sunnies and a long-sleeved shirt as well.  And remember to reapply more sunscreen every two hours.

I’ve got dark/olive skin, so I can’t get sunburnt.
False. Even dark skin can get skin damaged and sunburnt. You need to protect your skin just like your lighter skinned mates.

My skin looks great, so obviously there’s no damage.
False.  You can’t see all the damage the sun does to your skin because most of the damage is under the surface of your skin. UV light shows the damage you can’t see – so protect your skin for life. Check it out on www.facebook.com/underyourskinNZ

I can’t get sunburnt through glass.
False. Glass reduces but doesn’t block out all UV light. So protect your skin from sun damage when you’re cruising on your road trips this summer.