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Victorian men urged to slip, slop, slap

Benita KolovosAAP
A Victorian campaign is urging men to use sun protection, to avoid developing melanomas.
Camera IconA Victorian campaign is urging men to use sun protection, to avoid developing melanomas.

A new SunSmart campaign in Victoria is targeting men, who are twice as likely to die from skin cancer than women but are far more complacent.

Results of a survey by the Cancer Council in 2019 found less than half of men made sun protection a part of their daily routine, while only one in three use sunscreen and stay in the shade on summer weekends.

This is despite 80 per cent of those surveyed agreeing that if they regularly protect themselves from the sun, they can avoid skin cancer.

Data from the Victorian Cancer Registry shows of the 2841 melanomas diagnosed in 2019, 57 per cent were in men.

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Men were twice as likely to die from the disease than women in the same year.

The alarming results have prompted the launch of a new SunSmart campaign targeting men, launched on Thursday and funded by the Victorian government.

Dubbed "Same goes for you", the commercial shows a dad protecting his car, deck and barbeque from harmful UV rays.

His young son then points out the irony that he's forgotten to protect his own skin.

Craig Sinclair from Cancer Council Victoria said the campaign is designed to be relatable for men. He particularly hopes the message that it's never too late to protect your skin stands out.

"Many men may not realise that sun protection is critical at any age, even if you think the damage was done early on in life," Mr Sinlair said.

"The risk of skin cancer being realised can be significantly reduced by protecting your skin at any age."

Health Minister Martin Foley said while skin cancer is highly prevalent and very harmful, it's also largely preventable.

"Given most skin cancers can be avoided by using good sun protection, it's critical the public are reminded of how to reduce their risk, particularly as more people are socialising outdoors to help prevent the spread of COVID-19," he said in a statement.

Premier Daniel Andrews' wife Catherine, who is a SunSmart ambassador, said it was important to make sun protection the "new normal".

"I'm the one at picnics and catch-ups constantly asking family and friends when they last applied sunscreen, looking for the shade and fetching hats and sunglasses," she said.

"I must be pretty annoying, but it's worth it to protect the men I love."

The SunSmart "Same goes for you" campaign will run from Sunday through to the start of March.

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