The 'Slip, Slop, Slap' campaign, introduced into Australia about a decade ago, advised us to 'slip on a shirt', 'slop on some sunscreen' and 'slap on a hat' to protect against skin cancer, of which there is a very high incidence in Australia. This campaign seems to have been successful as the incidence of melanoma (malignant skin cancer) has decreased in recent years, but the need to emphasise the importance of protecting the skin from our unforgiving sun is ongoing.

Sunscreen is literally a life saver and those of you who live in sunny countries, like Australia, it is vital if you want your skin to maintain its youthful appearance. My philosophy is this: We are young for such a short time - about 20 years - say from age 15 to 35, followed by 50 or more years of being 'older'.

One way to ensure you have protection, even in winter, is to choose a moisturiser and/or a foundation with an SPF (sun protection factor). These SPF's start at about 6 and go up to 50+ in Australia. An SPF of 50+ means your skin will be protected from burning for 50 times longer than if you did not use a sunscreen. It is UV-B or ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn. Obviously the hotter the weather, the higher SPF sunscreen is required.

In Australian summers, if you intend being out of doors for any length of time, especially between 11 am and 3 pm, an SPF of 30 or above is needed. In the winter time or early or late in the day in summer, an SPF of 15 would be suitable if you don't intend to be outdoors for long periods. At the beach, either sunbathing, swimming or both, use the maximum strength sunscreen and apply 15-30 minutes before exposure and re-apply every 15-30 minutes if you are swimming, rubbing or wiping your skin. Otherwise, re-applying every 1-2 hours should be sufficient.