Skin cancers are a rising concern for Western Australians, particularly young Australians, experts say.

Researchers from the Cancer Council WA have found since 2014, the number of severe sunburn cases needing medical attention more than doubled.

More than 100 people, aged between ten and 19, went to emergency departments in hospital across WA in 2023.

In 2014, just 44 cases were recorded.

Cancer Council SunSmart WA manager Sally Blane says sunburn leads to lasting damage.

“When skin cells are exposed to the sun they become traumatised, causing DNA damage resulting in a visible tan. This is the main reason young adults and teenagers are at higher risk of skin cancer,” she says.

Ms Blane says skin cancer treatments in WA cost $179 million a year to treat.

The Council is calling on the government to invest more money in education and prevention.

She says up to 99 percent of skin cancers are preventable, but they are the most common form of cancer.

Ms Blane says education is key to lowering the case numbers, and designing infrastructure with shade will make it safer outdoors.

“We currently have many TV campaigns for slip, slap, slop, seek, slide, but adapting those campaigns for teenagers to understand can be difficult without funding,” she says.

“We need shade and covers on stadiums, parks and playgrounds.”

She says social media has gained an army of “sun worshippers” who believe the bronzed, tan skin they see on celebrities is a healthy complexion. However, she says this is not true.

More than one thousand melanoma cases are diagnosed in WA each year.

Auspoint Skin Cancer and Health Clinic nurse Marisa Tacconi says Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.

She says sun protection should always be worn when outdoors to prevent skin cancer and other forms of skin damage.

Ms Tacconi says “slip, slop, slap, seek, slide” method endorsed by the Cancer Council is easy to follow and still effective.

“The best way to do this is by putting on long sleeves, a wide brimmed hat and applying sunscreen where skin is not covered,” she says.

However, Ms Tacconi says a wide brim hat provides better protection to the neck and ears, common places skin cancers are found as caps and visors don’t provide enough coverage.

Ms Blane says most Australians become complacent about the damage the sun can do, especially on colder days.

Ms Tacconi says reading the label when purchasing sunglasses is important, as there are many pairs with a fashion only purpose. She says category two is the minimum protection needed in Australia.

“Personally I wouldn’t wear anything less than three,” she says.

Ms Tacconi also advocates for lighter coloured clothing during higher UV times as they absorb less rays than darker coloured clothing.

Both Ms Blane and Ms Tacconi want to remind Western Australians to enjoy the sunny weather ,as long as sun safety is a priority.