DEEP DIVE: Can you trust your sunscreen?

It's something drummed into Australians before they can even walk or talk. 

To beat our strong Aussie sun, you've gotta put on sunscreen. 

We all know the jingles and slogans: Slip Slop Slap, There's Nothing Healthy About A Tan. 

But is the sunscreen we've been told is so vital... actually working? 

Consumer group CHOICE tested 20 popular sunscreens this year, and found most of them weren't providing the protection they claimed. 

So is your favourite sunscreen brand among them?

And what should you actually be looking for in SPF protection? 

We chatted to a bunch of you about your sunscreen habits for this summer pod episode, as well as an assistant professor of medicine to get the lowdown on the study and how to protect yourself from UV. 

A version of this episode was first published in June 2025. 

Guests: 

• Dr Jessica Stokes-Parish, educator, registered nurse, assistant professor in medicine at Bond University. 

Get the whole story from Hack:

• Follow us on Instagram
• Subscribe to the hack podcast
• Listen on the triple j app or on your radio live at 5:30pm