Does My Sunburn Look Good In This? Protect and Nurture Your Skin This Spring Carnival

Strong competition is sure to be had during the Spring Carnival Horse Racing year, as well as amongst the women and men who are looking to impress and tick all the right fashion boxes.

Dresses and stylish suits, head pieces, yummy morsels and French champagne; all labelled as the essential items by hundreds of media outlets and magazines to create an unforgettable and fun filled horse racing season.

But there are a few essential items that many carnival enthusiasts leave the house without, and they easily can be stowed in your brand new sparkling clutches or suit pockets.

Spotscreen are urging people to keep sun protection in mind if you are going to be spending a majority of your time celebrating out in the sun. If you are unsure whether you will be in sun exposed areas, it may be best to bring along protection just in case.

To prepare, pack a small tube of 50+ SPF sunscreen to reapply every two hours during the day, a 50+ SPF lip balm and a pair of tinted sunglasses into your hand bag or pocket.

For women, you can apply 50+ SPF moisturiser onto your face and neck before applying your choice of foundation. We would also recommend using 15+ or 30+ SPF foundations for reliable protection.

The UV ratings across Australia at this time of year are usually at 3 or above. This is why Spotscreen highly recommend protecting yourself with the ‘essentials’ to avoid over exposure of ultraviolet radiation. And yes it is true – you can be over exposed to UVR despite whether the day brings rain, hail or shine!

Skin Cancer expert and author of the International Best Seller ‘The Number 1 Guide to Preventing Skin Cancer’ Karen Ong, says being overly exposed to ultra-violet radiation on a regular basis can increase your chances of developing skin cancer and other negative effects.

“There are several detrimental health effects related to UVR levels and exposure which include cold sores, eye damage, cataracts, enlarged blood vessels, rashes, hair loss and premature skin aging,” she said.

And heaven forbid, if you decide you want to bring your tan with you, we strongly encourage you to avoid solariums and deck chair tanning by all means. Spray on tan or fake tanning products are definitely the safest option out of all three, and it certainly comes at a low cost (to your bank account and your life!)

If your workplace is hosting a Spring Carnival luncheon in a sun exposed area this year, it is ideal to make sure your employer provides suitable shaded areas. Popping up awnings or outdoor gazebos with shade cloths will help prevent your co-workers from getting sun burnt and looking like a bunch of shiny roma tomatoes the following day. It also is a must for event organisers to supply plenty of sunscreen and water to keep everyone hydrated.

So ladies and gents, if you really are wanting to fulfill the number rule during this racing season (which is to have plenty of fun!) it would come without consequence to use sun protection to reduce your chances of sun exposure and potentially decrease your risk of developing skin cancer.