Deteriorating Sun Protection Habits: New Survey Highlights Skin Cancer Risks

Mary Argue, Reporter Public health researchers say more than a decade of underinvestment in skin cancer prevention has resulted in a "lost generation" largely unaware of the risks of sunburn, and ignorant of the once-popular slogan 'Slip, slop, slap and wrap'. The 2025 National Skin Cancer Survey - a Cancer Society and University of Otago collaboration - asked 2198 adults aged 18 years and over about their attitudes to sun protection. Its authors said the results, published on Tuesday, revealed high rates of reported sunburn and widespread misconceptions about sun safety, and showed that positive attitudes towards tanning persist. They said renewed investment and action in skin cancer prevention was urgently needed. Te Whatu Ora said it funded the survey, and has invested more than $300,000 in a sun protection campaign through the Cancer Society this financial year. Otago University senior research fellow and lead author Bronwen McNoe said the high levels of reported sunburn were surprising and concerning. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents reported at least one sunburn during the 2024/25 summer, with 26 percent reporting a severe sunburn - pain for two or more days, or blistering. McNoe said such rates had not been seen since 2010. "It's quite high, given that sunburn is an important risk factor for melanoma [skin cancer] development. "Particularly concerning is the rate of sunburn in young people," McNoe said, with the rate among young women "very, very high". The survey found 18-24-year-olds reported the highest rates of sunburn at 82 percent, with 87 percent of females reporting they'd been sunburned at least once last summer. Half of all 18-24-year-olds reported severe sunburn. McNoe said the results could be attributed to a lack of investment in national skin cancer prevention and sun protection campaigns over the past 15 years, in addition to the rise of social media influence. "Not all young people even know what the slogan, 'Slip, slop, slap, wrap' is, which is reflective of that lost generation, if you like. "The other thing that's happened is that we've got global influences influencing that younger population. "The likes of TikTok, we've got a real problem this summer with young people... particularly young women, following that trend with the high UV index [and wanting] to go out and tan, which is really concerning." McNoe said the survey showed myths and misconceptions about sunburn and sun protection also persisted. The report found a third of respondents believed a cap provided adequate sun protection and thought SPF50 didn't need to be re-applied as often as lower ratings. "A quarter of New Zealanders believe a suntan protects you against melanoma, which it certainly doesn't," McNoe said. She said sunburn damaged cellular DNA, which could result in skin cancer down the line. "Tanning is just your body's defence mechanism to protect you from that DNA damage, so it's really just a sign that your skin is damaged." She said there was latency period between sunburn and skin cancer, and if current trends continued, a spike in skin cancer rates could be expected in 20-30 years. According to the report, close to $495 million is spent on skin cancer treatment in New Zealand every year. McNoe said skin cancer was highly preventable, with more than 90 percent of the 100,000 annual diagnoses linked to excessive sun exposure and, therefore, prevention was worth investing in. She said campaigns raising awareness about the harm of sunburn, as well as policies around providing sun protection and shade in workplaces, schools and public spaces, could help turn around New Zealand's skin cancer rates. She said Australia had invested in such campaigns over the past 40 years and, unlike New Zealand, was now seeing a decline in skin cancer rates, particularly in younger populations. Young adults targeted in social media campaign Te Whatu Ora Health NZ did not answer specific questions about changes in funding for national skin cancer prevention campaigns over the past decade and a half. But in a statement to RNZ, its director of health promotion, Kathrine Clarke said the agency had invested more than $300,000 in a SunSmart campaign through the Cancer Society in the 2025/26 financial year, and another $90,000 has been put towards developing online training modules - developed by Skin Cancer NZ - for GPs and health professionals to prevent and detect skin cancers. She said the campaign encouraging sunburn prevention was targeted at 18-24-year-olds. "It is being delivered via social media and will run through to March. If funding remains available, the campaign will be run for the following two years." Clarke said funding provided to the Cancer Society's SunSmart programme in the previous financial year included the 2025 National Skin Cancer Survey. "To protect themselves from skin cancer all Kiwis are encouraged to be sun safe by avoiding exposure to the sun, when the UV index is 3 or above, covering up and wearing a hat and sunglasses and using sunblock of at least SFP 30 on exposed skin," she said. "Fair skinned people should also check their skin every three months and see their GP if concerned about any changes."