Australia’s sun safety guidelines updated to take account of diverse skin types

Australia’s updated sun safety guidelines have been endorsed by health bodies including Cancer Council Australia and the Australasian College of Dermatologists. Photograph: Jason O’Brien/AAP

Growing evidence about the health importance of sun exposure and genetic differences in the population have prompted Australia to adopt new sun safety guidelines.

The research informing the update was published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health on Tuesday, and led by Prof Rachel Neale from the QIMR Berghofer medical research institute in Brisbane.