While we don’t love using scare tactics, we’re glad we’ve caught your attention. We promise it will be worth it. In fact, it might just save your life.
Surfers are 120x more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma. And no, that is not 120 times some tiny percentage that will make you believe it will never happen to you. 2 in 3 Australians will receive a skin cancer diagnosis in their lifetime and Melanoma has been found to be the most common cancer in Australians aged 20 to 39. 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
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 UPF50 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 undoubtebly 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] https://melanoma.org.au/about-melanoma/melanoma-facts/
[3] https://www.cancer.org.au/get-involved/campaign-hub/save-your-skin
