Kiwi men are being targeted in a warning over sun exposure.
Canstar New Zealand national manager Derek Bonnar says death rates from melanoma in New Zealand are higher among men and appear to be increasing.
"Twenty-six percent of females have said that they wear sunscreen every day, not just in the summer," he told RadioLIVE.
"But only 8 percent of males do that, so it appears that females are more conscious about skin protection throughout the year, not just in summer."
The Melanoma Foundation says sun protection is vital from September to April.
"We're just too blasé in New Zealand," says Melanoma Foundation interim CEO Kylie Williams.
"We're just not made for this sun, we're not made for this lack of ozone layer," she said.
Two-thirds of New Zealanders haven't been checked by a skin specialist in the past five years either.
"Men just have this 'she'll be right' attitude and think they won't get burned and if they do, it won't matter," Ms Williams told the New Zealand Herald.
People in their 20s were more likely to not worry about their skin than any other age group.
"I think younger Kiwis may have forgotten or just don't realise how dangerous exposure to UV rays can be and the damage they can inflict," Mr Bonnar told the Herald.
3 News / RadioLIVE
source: newshub archive
