Women more likely than men to slap on sunscreen, study finds.
Only a quarter of New Zealanders use sunscreen every day during summer, a figure a sunscreen industry executive calls a “worrying statistic”.
Andre de Beer, Business Director for Edgewell New Zealand, producers of the Banana Boat range of sunscreens, says the number is significantly low given the harshness of the New Zealand summer sun: “It’s a worrying statistic which concerns us greatly - because those not using it may be at greater risk of being exposed to skin damage from the sun.”
de Beer’s comments come following research commissioned in September 2022 by Cosmetics New Zealand which revealed that just over a quarter (26 per cent) of Kiwis use sunscreen as part of their daily routine in summer – a number which drops to around 10 per cent outside of the summer months.
Women are more likely than men to use it regularly. In the 18-44 age group, 43 per cent of females use it daily during summer compared to 25 per cent of males. Outside of summer, 27 per cent of women and 11 per cent of men from this age group are more likely to use it every day.
Use by those aged 65 and over is considerably less than among younger people. In summer 21 per cent of females and 7 per cent of males in this age group apply sunscreen every day, while outside of summer the numbers drop markedly with just 8 per cent of females and 1 per cent of males using sunscreen every day.
The research, which surveyed over 1000 Kiwis, also shows concern over the efficacy of sunscreens in New Zealand may be easing – with 90 per cent of those surveyed saying they feel more positive towards sunscreen products now that they must meet new testing standards.
The Sunscreen Act, which came into effect last September, makes it mandatory for sunscreen products with a greater rating of SPF15 (and insect repellents with SPF4 or more) to meet standard tests for efficacy and safety. Failing to comply can result in fines of up to $600,000.
Almost a third of respondents (32 per cent) said the testing standard makes them feel they can trust label claims, 28 per cent are confident sunscreen products are safe to use and 27 per cent felt they are now being tested properly.
These findings follow years of controversy over the use and effectiveness of sunscreens. A March 2022 report by Consumer, for example, found 13 of 21 sunscreens didn’t meet their SPF label claims while a 2021 study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health found New Zealanders underestimate the risk of sunburn.
Consumer NZ has said it wants sunscreens regulated as a therapeutic product (not a cosmetic as at present), which would bring New Zealand in line with Australia. It says the safety standard AS/NZ 2604:2012 is not enough to protect consumers because sunscreens need to be tested more regularly (which the standard does not require) to ensure different batches of sunscreens provide the claimed protection.
However, de Beer says the survey results are encouraging: “Yes, there has been a long history of suspicion [over the efficacy of sunscreens] in New Zealand because they weren’t regulated, but now the new act is giving people greater trust in the products and enhancing their knowledge around how to choose and use sunscreen safely.”
He believes if the new testing standard means more people will use sunscreen, it can only be of benefit to all Kiwis – because of risk of exposure to New Zealand’s high rate of ultraviolet radiation (UV). The Ministry of Health says New Zealand has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world while Melanoma New Zealand says 6000 melanomas are diagnosed every year with over 300 Kiwis dying of the disease annually.
However, sunscreen is only part of protection from the New Zealand sun – finding shade, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and covering your skin with clothing are also part of an effective sun-safe strategy.
de Beer recommends people use sunscreen whenever they are outside for more than 10 minutes – summer or winter: “In winter it’s cooler and we think we won’t be impacted by the sun, but even then, UV can still penetrate below the skin. It also needs to be applied correctly - a golf ball-size for each limb is a good idea, reapplied at regular intervals because, while people should always aim for a higher SPF, that does not mean you can apply less often.
“Many levels of SPF are available - and some people burn less quickly than others - but everyone should be wearing SPF30-plus at minimum and preferably SPF50-plus to ensure they are as protected as possible.”
Although the new legislation is now in force, the legislation exempts sunscreen products manufactured or imported into New Zealand prior to March 2022. This applies until September 2023.
For more information go to: www.bananaboat.co.nz/facts-and-myths/