I’m a doctor – the 10 sun cream mistakes you’re making on your hols… and why getting it right could save your life
MELANOMA is now the UK’s fifth most common cancer and 17,500 people are being diagnosed with the condition each year, according to a new study.
Statistics from Cancer Research UK show almost nine out of ten cases of skin cancer in Britain are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and 86 per cent of them are preventable, so it’s never been more important to look after your skin.
“Sunlight is the number one cause of skin cancer and premature ageing, so using sunscreen is extremely important to prevent both,” explains dermatologist Dr Natalia Spierings.
“However, most people don’t apply it correctly to get adequate protection.
“Doing so could save your life.”
Dr Spierings tells Lynsey Hope the biggest mistakes people make when applying sun protection and reveals how to correct them . . .
APPLYING IT IN A RUSH
CHEMICAL sunscreen works by absorbing UV light and converting it to heat, but it takes time to work — so you should apply before leaving the house.
“It should be put on 20-30 minutes prior to sun exposure as it takes that long for the ingredients to activate and start absorbing UV rays,” Dr Spierings explains.
USING TOO LITTLE
MOST people only apply 25 to 50 per cent of the recommended amount. “You need to use 36ml for the entire body including your face and neck,” she says.
“This is probably around the same size as a golf ball or a standard shot glass.”
LEAVING IT IN THE CAR
IF a bottle of suncream has been left somewhere hot, such as in your car, it won’t work as well as ingredients in sunscreen, such as oxybenzone and avobenzone, can break down and become ineffective when exposed to heat for too long.
“This leads to inadequate protection from harmful UV light and subsequent sunburn,” Dr Spierings says.
GIVING IT A MISS ON CLOUDY DAYS
RESEARCH has found only one in five of us apply sun lotion when it’s cloudy.
“Even when it’s overcast, around 80 per cent of UV light can penetrate clouds and you can still get burnt by the sun,” Dr Spierings says.
“To reduce your risk, apply sunscreen every time you’re outside.”
BELIEVING DARK SKIN WON’T BURN
MELANIN is a skin pigment that serves as a natural sunscreen, but the average SPF provided in people with darker skin ranges from 3 to 13, which is far below the recommended levels of SPF 30.
“You are more protected,” Dr Spierings says. “But darker-skinned people can still burn and still get skin cancer.”
USING OUT-OF-DATE SUNSCREEN
SUNCREAM goes out of date so check the packaging before use. Dr Spierings says: “An out-of-date one may not work.
And if you’re using it properly, one bottle shouldn’t last more than two months.”
MISSING YOUR EYELIDS
RESEARCH from the University of Liverpool found that ten per cent of us don’t apply enough sunscreen to our faces — and most commonly, we miss our eyelids.
This is a worry as 90 per cent of basal cell carcinomas, the most common cancer in the UK, occur in the head or neck and between five and ten per cent of all skin cancers occur on the eyelids specifically.
“It is very important to cover the whole of the face, including the eyelids and lips,” Dr Spierings says.
“This is where sunscreen sticks can be very helpful.”
YOU DON’T REAPPLY ENOUGH
STUDIES have found that only 33 per cent of us reapply often enough.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends doing so every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
“This holds true regardless of a product’s SPF,” Dr Spierings says.
“SPF 50 provides more protection but not longer protection.”
IGNORING UVA PROTECTION
CHOOSE a sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection.
“The SPF only relates to the UVB protection, which are the burning rays,” Dr Spierings says.
“UVA damages cells and DNA.
“Choose a product with at least a four-star protection against UVA.”
USING EXPENSIVE BRANDS
“ALL sunscreens in the UK and EU are regulated so there should not be a difference in the quality of these products, no matter how much you spend”, Dr Spierings adds.
“Products with the same SPF will provide the same protection.”
SKIPPING SUNSCREEN FOR VITAMIN D
AS little as 15 minutes of sun exposure a week is adequate for vitamin D protection.
Dr Spierings explains: “Your body can make vitamin D from the sunlight hitting your skin even if you have SPF on.
Fortified foods and supplements are a far safer way to raise your levels than sun exposure.”
USING SUNSCREEN WIPES
“SUNSCREEN wipes are not as effective as creams and if you use sprays, it is hard to control the volume,” says Dr Spierings.
“Liquid creams are the best, though sticks are great for hard-to-reach places like eyelids.”