Three Melanoma Myths You Should Stop Believing Today

Three Melanoma Myths You Should Stop Believing Today.

Myth 1: Sunscreen Is Just for Beach Days - 
Most of the sun damage we accumulate over our lifetimes comes from incidental exposure, i.e. the bits of sun we get popping out for lunch, walking to work and driving to footy practice, not from long days at the beach. So if you’re not yet in the habit of wearing SPF on the regular, there’s no better time to start than right now.
Incorporate an SPF for face and a body sunscreen into your daily routine and you won’t ever have to worry about it. Stash a bottle or two in your handbag or car for reapplication and you’ll never be caught without.

Myth 2: Sunscreen Is Horrible to Use - 
While it’s true that the sunscreens and SPF moisturisers of years past were unpleasant to use, things have come a long way. Now there are incredible formulas on the market that tick all the boxes - high protection, no white cast, non-greasy, won’t dry skin out, don’t pill on top of skincare and do play well with makeup. They say the best sunscreen for your face is one you’ll wear every day so find a favourite and apply it generously.

There are dozens of options available, including sunscreens for dry skin, sunscreens for sensitive skin, sunscreens for oily and acne-prone skin, and even those with added anti-ageing beauty benefits. (Important reminder: You need at least half a teaspoon on your face to achieve the SPF rating stated on the bottle.)

Myth 3: It’s Possible to Tan Safely -                                                                   It baffles me that there are still people out there who believe that their skin has a magical capacity to protect itself against the fiery ball in the sky all alone. Some of these people say that they can ‘tan safely’ by doing it slowly and over time. Let me remind you that there is no such thing as a safe suntan. A suntan is actually proof that sun damage has occurred - it’s what happens when your skin produces more melanin in response to being fried in the sun. It’s quite literally a response to DNA damage. Also? A suntan is only estimated to provide SPF3 or thereabouts, depending on your skin type. That’s not much. Don’t be sun-silly - use SPF.

Rooted in education, dermalogica strives to inform every individual about skin health. This summer, we’re focused on shedding light on the importance of sun protection and why all Australians should wear spf every day. From October 1st- December 31st, we’re donating $1 from every SPF product sold on dermalogica.com.au to life-saving Melanoma research. Join us and help make a difference!