Sun protection and why it matters
We’ve now been selling Suncheeter range of tops and leggings for over a decade and whilst the people who bought them have been very generous in their praise of how well they work we wanted to show just how Suncheeters really do block out harmful UV rays.
Every rash top and swim dress seller has claims of their product's protection but so many are made from poor quality stretch fabrics. It’s an easy thing to claim but harder to prove.
The purpose of wearing a UV resistant top is to block UV rays so we have worked with our photographer, using UV photography to illustrate how they work.
Firstly here is our subject on the left with a normal camera. Fresh face with a few freckles and what looks like fairly flawless skin
On the right it shows our UV camera fitted with a UV filter showing the skin pigment and more pronounced freckles as well as any sun related damage.
This is where things get interesting. Sunscreen photographed under UV light looks black as it provides a barrier to the UV light. The sun screen provides a real, if temporary, barrier to the sun. Sun screen must be reapplied after swimming and every 2 hours to remain effective. But you have to be impressed with the way it looks!
And here is our Suncheeter also looking black showing how it blocks UV rays, providing complete protection. Our garments are all made with UPF50+ materials that provide 98% protection against the suns harmful UV rays, equivalent to SPF50+ sunscreen. The best combination for a day at the beach is a Suncheeter, hat and sun screen regularly applied.
Why does UV protection matter?
Australia has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer (melanoma) in the world. In 2025, there were an estimated 17,400 new cases of melanoma in Australia.
Men have higher rates of melanoma than women. In 2025, an estimated 10,187 cases will be diagnosed among men, and an estimated 7,256 cases diagnosed for women.
Among women, the highest melanoma incidence rates are for the upper limbs
In 2025, an estimated 32.0% of melanomas are diagnosed on the upper limbs of women with 25.8% on the trunk, 25.2% on the lower limbs and 12.8% on head and neck.
Covering your arms is the one single thing you can do to prevent the most common skin cancer.
This is why Suncheeter sells only long sleeve products as they give the best coverage under the sun.
Melanoma incidence rates increase with age
Most cancers occur predominantly in the older populations. While melanoma of the skin is one of the most common cancer types diagnosed among adolescents and young adults and historically impacts younger people more than most other cancers, the incidence rate of melanoma is much higher among older populations.
To illustrate the impact of age on melanoma incidence, in 2025, the incidence Rates were:
15-19 years olds is 1.8 cases per 100,000 people
35-39 age group is 22 cases per 100,000 people
75-79 age group is 247 cases per 100,000 people
Proximity to the coast seems to be associated with higher incidence of melanoma. In 2017–2021, among the 10 areas with the highest incidence rates across Australia, seven of these included coastal regions.
A map of Australia from the Australian Cancer Atlas, provides a view of the concentration of coastal regions of NSW and Queensland, with higher rates than the national average.
Have fun but take care out there.
Minimising exposure to the sun is a good idea but difficult if you really want to particpate in life such as lie or play on the beach, swim for more than a few minutes or just walk. Wearing a Suncheeter top and leggings is the easiest and most effective way to minimise sun exposure. And whilst you’re being safe you can still look good and feel comfortable and confident.
Statistics and Map of Australia from Australian Government: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Cancer Data in Australia. Published 14.06.2026
