It might be time to pay more attention to Sid the Seagull, who’s been telling us for decades about the importance of slip, slop, slap.

A new Cancer Council survey has found fewer Australians are wearing hats to protect themselves from the sun, which means more of us are getting sunburnt on our face, head and ears.

The National Sun Protection Survey reveals just 44 per cent of Australian adults wear a hat when exposed to UV radiation on summer weekends, down from 48 per cent in 2003.

“This latest data shows that over 640,000 Australians have stopped wearing a hat to protect themselves … and in total almost 10.6 million Australians don’t wear a hat when out in the sun on summer weekends,” says CEO of Cancer Council Australia, Professor Sanchia Aranda.

And it’s not just our hat-wearing habits that need attention. The survey also shows we’re going backwards when it comes to wearing sun-protective clothing and seeking shade during peak UV times.

So with summer on its way, and the UV index already high, it’s time to go back to the basics and ask: how do you protect yourself from the scorching Australian sun?

• Slap on a broadbrim hat
• Slip on sun-protective clothing
• Slop on plenty of sunscreen
• Seek shade
• Slide on some sunglasses

Source
ABC News