Sun protection and skin cancer prevention — formative SAQs

SAQ 1 (10 marks)

Parents of a fair 8-year-old plan an all-day beach sports carnival. They say SPF 50 sunscreen applied once in the morning “should cover it.” ^[1]

1. List the layered photoprotection measures you will recommend beyond a single sunscreen application. (4) ^{[1] [4]}
2. Explain two technique errors that make sunscreen fail in real life. (3) ^[4]
3. How will you answer their plan to “get a base tan” on a tanning bed the week before? (3) ^{[3] [9]}

Model answer

Layered plan: shade structures/umbrellas; timing of intense exposure away from peak UV when feasible; clothing (rash vest, dense weave) and hat covering ears/neck; sunglasses; broad-spectrum sunscreen on remaining exposed skin with reapplication after water/towelling/prolonged exposure. ^{[1] [4]}

Technique failures: too little product; missed sites (ears, neck, feet); no reapplication after swimming; relying on SPF number alone without broad-spectrum coverage or clothing. ^[4]

Indoor tanning: no safe paediatric use; associated with higher melanoma odds; a base tan does not prevent DNA damage — advise against salons and offer non-UV alternatives if appearance is the driver. ^{[3] [9]}