Wrinkles and skin ageing in NZ

[aboylikedave]

There was a post a while back of a news article about how kiwis look 10 years older than their Northern European counterparts.

And I have to say it seems to be true!

Is this because everyone has been repeatedly sunburnt when young? Or even if you keep out the sun will just normal exposure degrade your skin over the years as it is so strong??

Another thing I have noticed is that Aussie have noticeable less sun damage - how does that work?

Should I stop comparing things to the UK where I am from?

Thoughts appreciated! I have to confess I am worried for my little baby!!

[dharder]

I noticed that too when moving here. I never guessed the ages of people right! Still have problems with that.

I tend to bring that up in our house when I get a list of why life here is healthier than in Europe...

Daniela

[Sam B]

I have aged quicker since I moved here. The sun is strong all year round, and can damage in winter, when I am too lazy to put on sunscreen. Also I spend way more time outside, which is a good thing ... but. I guess maybe the outdoors is less hospitable in Australia on the whole, being too hot in many places?

[ralf-nz]

Another thing I have noticed is that Aussie have noticeable less sun damage - how does that work?

In most of Australia the heat reminds the people to protect their skin. Here it seems not be necessary.

[Mamee & Co]

We made friends with a GP from the US who had great difficulty at first when dealing with children as he couldn't work out why so many kids were brought in by grandma!!!

The sun does a lot of damage. I am now applying moisturiser with SPF15 in winter and use fill factor 60 sunscreen most of the summer....yet I still find that I go red.

[JandM]

I think Ralf is right. You need to have sunscreen, coverups, hats, looking for shade, etc., as a constant part of the daily routine to safeguard yourselves and the children. Our grandchildren's school is brilliant for this - the children take all those things for granted as just what you do. I hear the official line has been around for decades, gradually getting more and more accepted. I notice that in our Kiwi family, there are some people who never took much notice of the precautions, and look like old leather, but the ones who took it on board sooner are okay.

About Australians, they're not all undamaged. We had some relatives visit from there some years back, and I always remember one lady walking her fingers up 12 or 15 scars on her arm, saying. 'That was my melanoma in 1975, and that one was six months later, then this one was 1977, and...' Others in the family had had them, too. It made my hair stand on end to hear how she just accepted this as ordinary.

[benandclare]

On visit in UK and yes there is a marked difference between the look of seniors in the two countries.

We both whack on sunscreen first thing and alas have to report a very good friend of ours passed away last week in Auckland from Skin cancer, ex pat been here 20 years .

[kiwihusker]

I think it is a good reminder for us all to put on the sunscreen and wear floppy sun hats. My kiwi husband is part Maori, so he hasn't aged at all. But my two boys have quite fair skin from me. Poor kids. And even here in SF we are constantly putting hats on them and making sure they wear sunscreen. It is imperative and something we should all remember.

[Moritz]

Hmmm, actually I am under the impression that a lot of the kiwi girls in their 30s look so much younger and healthier than what I am used to...
But considering that they basically have spent 1/4 of their life time sleeping in a refrigerator that is not so surprising at all
The impact of the sun does however get quiet obvious in some of those above 45.

[Wendels]

I work as a district nurse in Auckland and have been told it is the skin cancer capital of the world!! The amount of melanomas I see here compared to Ireland is very very worrying!!! The sun here is deadly!