The short version
- Sun protection is needed whenever the UV index reaches 3, regardless of temperature
- Ballarat reaches UV 3 or higher for most of the day from roughly September to April
- Outdoor workers accumulate significant exposure on cool, overcast days
- A spot that is new, changing, itching or bleeding should be seen promptly
Temperature is the wrong signal
Skin damage is caused by ultraviolet radiation, which you cannot feel. Heat is caused by infrared radiation, which you can. The two do not move together, which is why a cool, breezy October day in Ballarat can deliver more UV than a warm evening in March.
Cloud cover is not reliable protection either. Thin or broken cloud can scatter UV and, in some conditions, briefly increase it at ground level.
What the UV index means
Sun protection is recommended whenever the UV index reaches 3 or above. In this part of Victoria that threshold is crossed for much of the middle of the day from around September through to April, and on many days outside that window.
The free SunSmart app and the Bureau of Meteorology both publish daily UV forecasts with the times protection is required. It takes a few seconds and removes the guesswork.
The five that work
- Clothing that covers as much skin as practical
- Sunscreen SPF 50+, broad spectrum, applied generously about 20 minutes before going out and reapplied every two hours — most people apply well under half what the rating assumes
- A hat that shades the face, ears and neck
- Shade, especially in the middle of the day
- Sunglasses that meet the Australian standard
Outdoor work is the quiet risk
Farm work, construction, landscaping, road work and sport accumulate exposure in a way that a summer holiday does not. It is cumulative exposure that drives most basal cell and squamous cell cancers, and the damage often shows first on the ears, the back of the neck, the forearms and the backs of the hands.
Sun damage also shows up as rough, scaly patches — actinic keratoses. These are not cancer, but a proportion can progress, which is why they are often treated with cryotherapy.
When to get a spot looked at
Do not wait for a scheduled check. Book if a spot is new, changing, growing, itching, bleeding, or refusing to heal, or if it simply looks different from all your others.
Australia has no national skin cancer screening program and routine whole-body checks are not recommended for everyone. Your GP will suggest a checking interval based on your own risk — skin type, family history, number of moles, past sunburn and occupation. See skin cancer checks.
Common questions
If the UV index is 3 or above, yes. UV causes skin damage and is unrelated to temperature. Check the daily forecast rather than judging by how warm it feels.
It depends on your risk. There is no national screening program and routine checks are not recommended for everyone — your GP will suggest an interval for you.
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