White Pages® News

White Pages® helps you enjoy a sun smart summer

January 17, 2011

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As you head into the new year trying to stick to the healthy resolutions you have set yourself, do not forget to look after your body’s biggest organ, the skin.

Many of us have been hearing the slip, slop, slap and wrap message for years, but do you still find yourself getting burnt because you’ve forgotten sun protection?

While it is good for your health and wellbeing to get a regular dose of vitamin D, too much exposure to UV radiation can be harmful. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, so it pays to take a healthy approach to catching some rays. Adopt some simple strategies to avoid wrinkles, freckles, spots and moles with a little help from the White Pages®.

Being sun smart is easy! While we all need exposure to the sun to help maintain vitamin D levels, we also need to be aware of the risk of skin cancer, so as you’re out and about enjoying the outdoors, make applying sunscreen a step in your daily routine.  To avoid the burn, find your local pharmacy in the White Pages® and invest in an SPF 30+ broad-spectrum water resistant sunscreen, as recommended by the Cancer Council. Apply this at least 20 minutes before going outside and every two hours thereafter.

While you shouldn’t forget a shirt, shade, sunnies and hat, sensible sun protection is also being aware about the changes of your skin. So if you see any unusual coloured or shaped moles you should seek further advice from a professional.

The Cancer Council recommends you check your skin regularly and one way to do this is to visit a skin clinic for a more extensive skin examination. To find the contact details for your local clinic, jump on www.whitepages.com.au, and type in ‘Cancer Council’ together with your state. Your search will bring up a contact number and address for you to enquire about appointments.

Prevention is always the best cure, so don’t let “I can’t be bothered” or “I’ve always had that mole” be a reason to not get your skin checked. Finding the nearest skin clinic is easy, so use the White Pages® to be sun smart this summer.

Sensis, who produces the White Pages®, proudly support the Cancer Council through our matched payroll giving and fundraising support program.