We don’t love scare tactics, so here are the facts, straight.
In a 2023 Southern Cross University study, surfers had about 120 times the odds of melanoma of the general Australian population (Miller et al. 2023, PeerJ). It was a small study of people who signed up for skin checks, but it lines up with what we see in the water. Only about 1 in 3 of the surfers in that study wore a hat. Melanoma is the most common cancer in Australians aged 20 to 39 (Melanoma Institute Australia), and two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70 (Cancer Council Australia). Frankly, we find those numbers terrifying.
So, is there any good news amongst the bleak stats? Absolutely. Skin cancer is almost entirely preventable.
Skin cancer is almost entirely preventable.
Prevent & protect
Covering up makes a difference. A US study found people who often covered up with a hat, long sleeves or shade had about 40% lower odds of melanoma than people who rarely did (Lazovich et al. 2011).
We’ll keep this short and sweet. Every time you surf, SUP or kayak:
-
Cover up what you can with clothing
When it’s too hot for a wetsuit, rock a rashie or long-sleeve sun shirt -
Cover up the rest of you with suncream
Quality, minimum SPF 30 suncream. And yes, you do need to come back in every 2 hours to re-apply -
Don’t forget your head (and eyes)
Whether you have luscious long locks or are as bald as a baby's bottom, you need to put something on your head. Hair will give some coverage but it will not protect you properly and it will do nothing to protect your eyes. Plus, hair burns too. A hat is the only right choice.
We know what you’re thinking, 1 & 2 = can do, 3 = not for me. It was our first thought too, which is why we started Plow. These are surf hats (we hope) you will actually want to wear. They’re designed specifically for surfing and watersports so they stay put and look epic. No more squinting at the sun either!
Still not sold? Check out some of our reviews and testimonials. If World Champion surfers are wearing them without being hindered, surely they’re worth a shot?
Prevention is undoubtedly the best line of defence but early warning comes next. Regular skin checks - both self-checks and professional checks - will help you detect anything funny going on. If in doubt, check it out.
References:
[1] https://www.cancer.org.au/end-the-trend/sams-story
[2] Melanoma Institute Australia, Melanoma facts
[3] Cancer Council Australia, Save your skin
[4] Miller IJ et al. 2023, PeerJ 11:e15737
[5] Lazovich D et al. 2011, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 20(12):2583-93
[6] Cancer Council Australia, media release 2021
