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New Zealanders will only be protected for half the time they are in the sun this summer.
NIVEA SUN research shows that Kiwis are at risk of day-to-day sun exposure
New research from NIVEA SUN has revealed that New Zealanders will spend 419.9 million hours over summer unprotected, which is half of all their time spent in the sun.
Years of sun education has made New Zealanders aware of the dangers of sun exposure, with the findings showing that people are fairly good at protecting themselves for big sun occasions like going to the beach or pool. But there is still room for improvement with many dangerous sun occasions overlooked.
Day-to-day life is where New Zealanders are leaving themselves most at risk. Summer weekdays account for half (50 per cent) of the time unprotected, when people are traveling to and from work or exercising outdoors. In addition to this, people are also unprotected during weekend activities such as attending backyard BBQs, where only 1 in 10 Kiwis use sunscreen.
Alarmingly, the research revealed that younger New Zealanders aged 18 – 24 spend the most time unprotected in the sun over summer, a staggering 150-hours per person, with 8 in 10 Kiwi millennials forgetting to reapply sunscreen.
Consultant Dermatologist Dr Victoria Scott-Lang: “These statistics are staggering, particularly in relation to our young people. While New Zealanders have come a long way in our awareness of harmful UV rays, there is more to be done in ensuring we are protecting ourselves all the time, in every situation and building sun care into our daily routine. It is vitally important for every New Zealander to understand that anytime you are outside, you are at potential risk of sun damage.”
Fortunately, 92 per cent of Kiwis believe sunscreen is a vital part of skincare but three quarters of us (73 per cent) simply forget to reapply sunscreen. Close to half of New Zealanders (45 per cent) have sun damage they wish they had done more to prevent.
“Protection is the key to prevention. Dry, unprotected skin is more susceptible to sun damage, premature skin ageing and possible further health concerns down the track,” said Dr Scott-Lang. “This research shows just 3 per cent of New Zealanders wear sunscreen in any sun exposed situation, and I would love to see this number increase through greater awareness and education.”
NIVEA SUN, the world’s number one global sun protection brand1 is urging all New Zealanders to take care in the sun this summer and is encouraging them to follow their Summer Safe Tips to ensure every person is fully protected.
NIVEA SUN Summer Safe Tips
1. Apply one teaspoon of sunscreen per body part (at least seven teaspoons)
2. Apply sunscreen at least 20-minutes before going out into the sun
3. Combine sunscreen with sun-protective clothing, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat that protects the face, head, neck and ears.
4. Avoid the midday sun and find shade, especially between 10am-2pm
5. Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours to maintain the sun protection level, especially after swimming and towelling, during which the protection period is shortened as the sunscreen film can be partially removed.
Moisturise and protect with NIVEA SUN
NIVEA SUN cares for your skin in more ways than one. NIVEA SUN sunscreen contains broad spectrum UVA and UVB filters that protect and shield the skin from sun damage. Whilst also containing moisturising ingredients, Panthenol and Vitamin E providing 24 hour moisturisation.
Always read the label. Use only as directed.
About Dr Victoria Scott-Lang (MB ChB, MRCP, MRCGP, FNZDS)
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Victoria Scott-Lang is a consultant dermatologist based in Christchurch and is on the executive committee of the New Zealand Dermatological Society. She is highly experienced in all aspects of medical dermatology, skin cancer diagnosis and management, and in dermatological surgery. She is passionate about primary prevention of skin cancer, and early detection of melanoma to improve outcomes.
About NIVEA SUN Research:
The research was commissioned by Forward Agency and conducted by Lonergan Research in accordance with the ISO 20252 standard. Lonergan Research surveyed 1061 Australians and 512 New Zealanders aged 18+. Surveys were distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand including both capital city and non-capital city areas. The survey was conducted online amongst members of a permission-based panel, from Wednesday 12th September and was completed on Monday 17th September 2018. After interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Stats NZ.
About NIVEA:
NIVEA understands and cares for your skin. As one of the world’s most loved and trusted skincare brands, NIVEA offers women and men effective skincare solutions and has been doing so for more than 100 years. Its products cleanse, nourish and protect skin, while giving it exactly what it needs – gentle yet effective care that keeps skin smooth, supple and radiantly beautiful. NIVEA is a skin care expert with a heritage of innovation backed by world-leading research and development, manufacturing standards, and most importantly, care in everything we do.
1 Euromonitor International Limited; NIVEA in the category Sun Care, incl. Sun Protection, Aftersun and Self-Tanning; in retail value terms, 2017
Information in this article was provided by NIVEA SUN.
*Source: Euromonitor International Limited; NIVEA in the category Sun Care,incl. Sun Protection, Aftersun & Self Tanning; in retail value terms, 2017. Always read the label. Use only as directed.
Read more on Kidspot:
- Don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Protecting your face from the summer sun
- The importance of moisturising skin in summer
After my dad recently had two melanomas surgically removed, I have been reminded how important it is to remember to slip, slop, slap and wrap myself and my children.
I have to admit like so many others have commented that I too forget about when I am outside gardening. I always apply before we go to the beach or the pool but forget when we are just hanging about at home. I always seem to do the children though but forget about myself. I must do better, I know how important it is.
I never realised that only 1 out of 10 kiwis use sunscreen. This is not a good statistic to have. Why are we taking the sun for granted? We have to take care of the largest organ of our body which is our skin! When the young ones get older…they will feel the pain of not taking care of their skin as young as possible.
Wow this was a great read. Wowee 1 of 10 kiwis attend bbqs in summer without sunscreen. No good. I always try to protect myself and my family but there are times we also get caught out with no sunscreen in sight.
It is easier to remember the sunscreen when you are at the beach or the pool but hard to remember if you are just going outside in the garden at home. We try and do more outside activities in the morning or late afternoon / evening when it is hot weather.
Great to have that measurement. I never would have thought it would be that much sunscreen! Makes sense though and I will be able to better measure what is sufficient in future.
I don’t spend a lot of time in the sun but I often forget to put sunblock on myself when I do. I really need to make a better effort to protect myself from the sun!
There is a lot of information out there about maintaining safety for our skin in the sun. With our summer expected to be a hot one, this has come at a good time. Hopefully more people start to take it a bit more seriously to prevent any further cancer related deaths 🙁
Sun protective clothing is key and definitely something i need to improve on for sure…i forget and take for granted but need to get on that!
I do quite a lot of gardening around our house and I probably need to be more conscious to apply before going outside especially with more people getting skin cancers. Also remembering to wear a hat as well for protection.
I do not go out in the sun often – I use fake tan instead. I do get some sun as you do need it, however later in the day when it’s not so harmful. I also have old burn scarring on my face which I got from a fire when I was a baby and was always told by specialists not to go in the sun, so followed their advice and always wear sunscreen and keep out of the sun where possible 🙂