Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
Published on: September 7, 2013
How to improve adolescents' sun protection behavior? Age and gender issues
Christine Paul1, Flora Tzelepis, Nicholas Parfitt
1Centre for Health Research & Psycho-oncology (CHeRP), Locked Bag 10, Wallsend NSW 2287, Australia. Chris.Paul@newcastle.edu.au
Objective:
To explore adolescents' self-reported reasons for sun protection, as adolescents as a group continue to have poor sun protection practices.
Methods:
Seventeen age- and gender-segregated focus groups were conducted in Australian high schools.
Results:
Reasons for using sun protection included personal comfort, appearance, policies, fear of skin cancer, expectations of authority figures, peer actions, and habit. Reasons for not using sun protection included desire for a tan, inconvenience, low perceived risk, and fashion. Age and gender effects were found.
Conclusions:
Avenues for intervention with adolescents include authority figures, peer advocacy, the fashion industry, and improved sun protection products.
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Pigmentation
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption

