Protect your skin

Whenever the UV Index hits 3 or above, cover up and protect your skin.

When you cover up, you create a barrier between yourself and UV.

Protect your skin by wearing a hat, clothing and sunglasses, apply sunscreen to any skin you can still see and enjoy shady areas outdoors.

Remember to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.

Learn more about UV

On this page

• Clothing
• Sunscreen
• Hats
• Shade
• Sunglasses
• Tools to help you be SunSmart
• UV protection at the snow

Clothing

If you can see skin, UV can get in and do damage. Look for clothing that creates a barrier between your skin and UV.

If the fabric doesn’t let much light through, it won’t let much UV through either. The more skin you cover, the more protected you are from the sun’s harmful UV.

• Choose longer skirts and pants and long sleeve shirts, preferably with collars.
• Choose materials that have a close weave for higher UV protection.
• Most fabrics provide some protection from UV. Clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating of UPF50+ provides excellent protection.

Sunscreen

For any skin you can’t cover with clothing, apply SPF50 or 50+ sunscreen.

Sunscreens sold in Australia meet rigorous standards, so you know they are safe to apply and reapply – look for ‘AUST L’ or ‘AS/NZS 2604:98’ on the label

To get the best possible UV protection, follow the sunscreen directions and reapply at least every two hours.

• Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you go outside.
• Apply more sunscreen than you think – most adults need 7 teaspoons for one full body application.
• Most make-up products with SPF do not provide enough protection. Apply an SPF50 or 50+ sunscreen first and then your makeup.
• Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect from both UVA and UVB radiation.
• Water resistant sunscreens are less likely to be washed off by water activities or sweat.
• When sunscreen expires, it may no longer be effective – check the expiry date before applying.

Hat

Protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s harmful UV by wearing a wide brim hat.

Caps and visors leave large parts of your face, neck and ears exposed to UV radiation.

Choose a hat that covers and shades as much of your skin and head as possible like a wide brim hat, legionnaire hat or bucket hat.

• Wide brim hats offer the most protection and should have a brim of at least 7.5cm for adults, 6cm for children over 8 years and 5cm for toddlers.
• Bucket hats have a deep crown and angled brim and should sit low on the head.
• Legionnaire hats have a long flap that overlaps at the side of the front peak and covers the neck and ears.
• Hats made more loosely woven fabrics or materials, like straw, can let UV in. Choose a densely woven fabric to help block UV.

Shade

When you’re enjoying the great outdoors, there are many different shade options you can use to create an extra barrier between you and UV radiation from the sun.

Sitting under a tree, finding an umbrella or shade structure is a great way to protect your skin from UV in addition to covering up with clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

• Trees with dense foliage that provide even shade patches are the best types of natural shade.
• Take a portable shade with you, such as an umbrella or sunshade, to protect yourself from UV exposure.
• UV can also reflect from surfaces around you, like water, sand or concrete. Use a hat, sunglasses, clothing and sunscreen even in the shade to be covered.

Sunglasses

UV protection at the snow

At the snow, UV radiation is more intense as it increases at higher altitudes and reflects off the surface of the snow.

Wear goggles or wrap-around sunglasses with UV protection and apply SPF50 or 50+ lip balm and sunscreen to exposed skin 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours. Regularly apply SPF50 or higher lip balm.

Learn more about reflective UV