How to protect your skin from the sun

Summer means we have greater exposure to the sun and a good sunscreen is crucial to protect your skin¹. Despite melanoma being the 5th most common type of cancer in the UK, most often caused by exposure to UV rays, 23% of Brits do not wear sunscreen during summer or when on holiday²,³. However, you can burn even when it is cloudy and having tan does not protect you from sunburn⁴.

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Why do we need to protect our skin?

Overexposure to the sun increases our risks of ⁵,⁶:

- Sunburn

- Skin cancer - both melanoma and non-melanoma

- Premature ageing of the skin

2 types of sunscreens:

1. Physical sunscreens⁷ contain active minerals. For example, zinc oxide and titanium oxide. These reflect the UV rays from the sun off the skin. A common problem with these is that they can leave a grey/white tint on the skin.

2. Chemical sunscreens⁷ contain organic compounds, such as, avobenzone or salicylates. They work by absorbing the UV-rays.

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Application

recommendations

Apply 2 teaspoons of sunscreen to the head, neck and arms and at least 2 tablespoons for the entire body. It should be reapplied after every 2 hours, as the sun can dry it off. Make sure to reapply sunscreen after going in the water or if sweating in the heat even if it says “water resistant” on the label⁴.

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How to choose a correct SPF

SPF stands for sun protection factor, however, it mainly protects from UVB light (prevents developing a sunburn)⁸. Whereas, UVA protection is measured using a 0-5 star rating with more stars indicating higher protection⁴. UVA rays are important as they can cause sunburn, skin damage and are associated with skin ageing⁹. Therefore, it is important to wear sunscreen which protects against both UVA and UVB rays, and can be labelled as ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreens⁸.

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The British Association of Dermatologists recommends using a sunscreen of at least SPF 30⁸. People with fair skin, many moles, who are on immunosuppressive drugs or who have members of family with skin cancer should take extra care to protect themselves from the sun⁸.


It is a myth that people with darker skin tones do not need SPF. UV-rays can cause damage to every skin type¹⁰. Examples of this include a US-based study that recorded sunburn in 13% of black individuals and 30% of Hispanic individuals¹¹.

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Advice to keep sun safe

- It is recommended to stay in the shade when sunlight is at its peak, which is from 11am-3pm from March–October in the UK⁴.

- Eyes: Wear good quality sunglasses (for example CE mark and British Standard; wrap around sunglasses)¹².

- Head: Wear a hat that covers the face, neck and ears⁴. Even if you have lots of hair, keep your parting and ears protected by wearing a hat.

- Clothing: For an extra layer of protection, cover up with loose clothing with close-weave fabrics to stop sunlight getting through¹³.

- Sunscreen: It is recommended it use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and at least 4-star UVA protection⁴.

- Hydrate: Find out more about hydration here.

Lina BenjellounComment