NEW ZEALAND DRIVERS AT RISK OF SUN DAMAGE WARN SKIN CARE EXPERTS, OASIS BEAUTY

According to Oasis Beauty NZ, one of New Zealand’s up and coming health and beauty companies, car drivers who do not apply sunscreen before getting behind the wheel are in danger of developing wrinkles, melanomas, pigment changes and other conditions associated with sun damage. They are at particular risk of right sided damage over summer when UV levels in this country skyrocket.

The warning comes as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) reminded New Zealanders that UV radiation regularly reached extreme levels at this time of year.

‘People are generally very careful about slathering on the sun cream when they are at the beach but think nothing of driving for miles with the harsh New Zealand sun streaming in through the car windows,’ says Stephanie Kimpton, one of the founders of Oasis Beauty. ‘You are not protected when you are in your car. Even though most car windows will block sunburn-causing UVB rays, the glass will not protect you from UVA rays, which cause premature ageing and melanoma.’

‘All of the research[1] shows that the rate of cancers directly correlates to the areas of the body most often exposed to UV radiation while driving,’ adds Stephanie. ‘Many of these tumours are cancers that develop over time and are linked to cumulative sun exposure rather than intense, intermittent sun exposure.’

Stephanie urges drivers, especially those on the road around 1.30pm when UV radiation levels are at their highest, to drive with the windows up and to wear a sun block of at least SPF30.
‘Pay particular attention to your right arm which is most exposed to the sun through the car’s side window,’ advises Stephanie. ‘It is also a good idea to keep a small, travel sized sunscreen on you at all times so that you can reapply every couple of hours. Just remember not to leave sunscreen in your glove box on a hot day as excessive heat can cause it to deteriorate and it will stop being as effective.’

[1] ‘Association of Asymmetrical Skin Cancer Prevalence with Time Spent in an Automobile’ (Fosko, 2006-08) http://www.health.am/cr/more/driving-an-automobile-may-increase-skin-cancer-risk/

OAMARU MUM WINS LUMINO FIJI HOLIDAY

Oamaru mum, Joanne Prouting has won five nights in Fiji with return airfares for two, staying at the Sofitel Resort and Spa. Joanne, a long standing patient at Lumino The Dentists (Shearer Dental) in Oamaru took part in the company’s initiative to get New Zealanders thinking about their dental care.

‘I thought I was dreaming because I never win anything,’ laughs Joanne. ‘I’ve never been to Fiji before so it’ll be a nice break; I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t think I’ll believe it until I step off the plane though!’

Lumino The Dentists, the country’s only national provider, is concerned that people are storing up trouble by pushing concerns about their oral health to the back of their minds. Andy Tapper, Lumino managing director explains: `We’re trying to get people to come in and see their dentist so that any small problems they may have don’t get worse through neglect. With any consultation or treatment at a Lumino practice we offered the chance to go into a draw to win a fabulous holiday and Joanne is our very lucky winner.’

The Oamaru practice has recently added a second dentist. UK migrant Steven Fletcher is now working three days per week at Oamaru, including two additional late nights.

The latest initiative follows a study of over 18,000 people by the University of Otago in Wellington which showed that 23% of New Zealanders had put off going to the dentist in the last 12 months.

To find out more about Lumino The Dentists, visit http://www.lumino.co.nz/

CAMELSPACE PUTS CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE LINE

Leading event structure and scaffolding company, Camelspace, has constructed a giant washing line for an Oxfam New Zealand event. At Takapuna Beach in Auckland, Pacific Islanders waded out into the sea to hang up 350 T-shirts on the lines. Each shirt had the name of a different island printed on it to signify the insufficient action being taken to combat climate change.

‘It was great to be involved with such a worthwhile cause,’ says Phil McConchie, Commercial Director and co-founder of Camelspace. ‘We constructed the washing line out of specialist scaffolding material and also built submerged platforms for the people hanging out the washing to stand on. We were incredibly pleased with the overall effect. It appeared as if sea levels had risen so much that the Pacific Island residents’ backyards had been flooded.

‘Unfortunately, in some areas, this is already a reality. Hopefully, the 350 event and the resulting video we participated in, will go some way towards bringing attention to the damaging effects of climate change on the Pacific Islands.’

The campaign, ‘350 Islands for Change,’ was organised as part of the ‘350 International Day of Climate Action’, a global call to bring greenhouse gas pollution back down to a safe level.

A video of the event can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_LVtiRyenI