During the mid eighties, an Australian campaign dramatically shifted and re-invented a global awareness towards an universal epidemic, Melanoma, through a catchy but yet effective slogan “Slip, Slap, Slop”. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 2 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed each year, while more than 68,000 people develop melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/MoreWaysACSHelpsYouStayWell/acs-skin-cancer-prevention-activities
The phrase reminds people of the 3 key ways the general public could protect themselves from UV radiation: Slip on a shirt, Slap on a hat, and Slop on sunscreen. The Society promotes this message through media and education activities, as well as through membership in the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, a collaborative group of more than 45 organizations dedicated to skin cancer prevention in the United States. This collaboration supports the Society’s nationwide objective of improving behaviors that can prevent skin cancer, and being a trusted, unbiased source of cancer information.
http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/MoreWaysACSHelpsYouStayWell/acs-skin-cancer-prevention-activities
The behavior and attitudes of the general public towards skin cancer have considerably improved in the past two decades thanks to the use of this mild and indirect approach. Along with the principles of sun safety, profit and non-profit organizations have invested a great amount of time and effort into educating people and offering other important tips such as:
-Certain medications increase your photosensitivity, or sensitivity to the effects of the sun. Check with your prescribing physician to see if your medication(s) are in this group. A partial list is provided under Medications that Increase Photosensitivity.
-Herbal remedies such as St. John's Wort also cause photosensitivity. Always check the labels of complementary and alternative remedies and medications for possible side effects.
-Pregnancy can increase your sensitivity to the effects of the sun.
-Reflective surfaces such as snow, water, sand, and concrete increase your exposure to UV radiation.
http://www.melanomacenter.org/prevention/slipslopslapwrap.html
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