Did you know that on average, 245 people end up in Victorian emergency departments because of sunburn each summer.

That's based on figures collated by the Department of Health over the past 20 years.

The Victorian Cancer Council is calling on everyone to get SunSmart this summer or risk sunburn, which increases your lifetime risk of skin cancer.

At a glance, the data from VEMD (Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset on 2023/24 sunburn presentations shows:

• 289 Victorians presented to emergency departments in Victorian public hospitals last year with sunburn, with nearly half (47 per cent) of these presentations occurring in January 2024
• Adolescents aged 15 – 19 years are most likely (19 per cent) to present to emergency departments with sunburn than any other age group, closely followed by young adults aged 20-24 (18 per cent)
• Since 2004/05, men are slightly more likely to present at emergency departments with sunburn than women, 53 per cent male and 47 per cent female
• Victorians are 11.5 times more likely to present with sunburn to emergency departments in the peak season (November - February) than off season (March-October)

Head of SunSmart, Emma Glassenbury said the data served as a reminder for just how serious sunburn can be.

“No one should wind up in hospital emergency departments purely from enjoying time outdoors – particularly when sunburn is easily preventable. We want to encourage all Victorians to consider their access to shade, remember to regularly reapply sunscreen, keep their sunnies on, slip on covering clothes and don a wide brim hat this summer to keep themselves safe,” Ms Glassenbury said.

“It’s wonderful to be outdoors, enjoying our beautiful state and climate. However, time outdoors also means exposure to extreme levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that in the peak of summer can cause the first signs of sunburn in as little as 11 minutes without sun protection.”

Director of the Victorian Melanoma Service at the Alfred Hospital, Professor Victoria Mar, said she hoped the numbers of Victorians experiencing extreme sunburn would start to fall in coming years.

“Year on year, too many young Victorians continue to risk their skin when enjoying time outdoors over summer. Severe sunburn requires medical attention, and while we will always be available to treat symptoms like blistering, headache and nausea, we cannot undo the patient’s UV damage. UV damage during childhood and adolescence significantly increases a person’s lifetime risk of skin cancer,” said Professor Mar.

Be SunSmart

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.

Download the SunSmart Global UV app and get alerts so you know when to protect your skin from damage.

Details: www.sunsmart.com.au/protect-your-skin