Australian health bodies recommend sunscreen every day the UV Index is forecast to reach 3 or above, which in Queensland is every day of the year, even when it's cool or cloudy. Make SPF50+ the last skincare step each morning, use about a teaspoon for your face, neck and ears, and reapply every two hours when you're outdoors.
UV, not heat, is what matters. Cancer Council Queensland says the UV Index reaches 3 or above at some point every day in Queensland, that UV needs thinking about even on cloudy and cool days, and that UV is responsible for up to 99% of skin cancers in Australia [1]. About two in three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before 70 [1].
That's why the advice changed from 'sunscreen for the beach' to 'sunscreen every day'. A summit of 18 Australian and New Zealand health organisations, including Cancer Council Australia and the Australasian College of Dermatologists, recommended applying sunscreen every day the maximum UV is forecast to be 3 or higher [2]. Cancer Council advises SPF50 or 50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen alongside clothing, a hat, shade and sunglasses [3][9].
Daily use also shows on your skin. In the Nambour trial in Queensland, adults who used sunscreen daily showed 24% less skin ageing over four and a half years [4]. UVA drives most of that ageing, and tinted sunscreens with iron oxides add protection from visible light, which matters for pigment [5].
Some skincare makes daily SPF more important. AHAs raise sun sensitivity for about a week after you stop, and retinoids increase sun sensitivity too [7][8].
When to see a doctor
Book a skin check with your GP if you notice a new spot, or a mole or freckle that changes in size, shape or colour, has an uneven border or several colours, itches, bleeds or doesn't heal [6].See your GP if a new mole appears after age 25 [6].When in doubt, speak to your GP; you can also call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 [6].If sunscreens sting or cause a rash, try a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide formula and ask a pharmacist; mineral filters have almost never been reported to cause allergy [10].See a doctor for sunburn that blisters over a large area or comes with fever, chills or feeling unwell.
Yes, on every day the UV Index is forecast to reach 3 or above, which Australian health bodies now recommend [2]. In Queensland that's every day of the year [1]. Check the SunSmart app elsewhere.
General information only, not medical advice.