Top tips to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun

(29/03/2010)

Sun exposure is a key factor in skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in the UK. Over 8,000 new cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed each year in the UK, with around 1,800 deaths attributed to this disease every year.

Over time, sun damage can build up, which may lead to the development of various types of skin cancer, including malignant melanoma. Therefore it is crucial to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun.

Croda's top 10 tips for Safety in the Sun are:

1. You should be particularly careful in spring when your skin is pale. Tanning is a natural process and your skin creates the brown-coloured pigment called melanin to protect it against harmful UV rays. This means even the lightest suntan is evidence of skin damage. While a tan is your body's way of protecting itself against UV rays, if the damaged skin cells can't repair themselves, they can become cancerous. A tan doesn't help you to avoid skin cancer later on in life.

2. As the song says, “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun” – don’t do it! During sunny summer days, especially when on holiday in hot climates, seek the shade between about 11AM and 3PM.

3. Even if you have the type of skin that tans easily and rarely burns, during the summer months you should protect exposed skin with a product of at least SPF 15. If you burn easily (skin types I or II), then SPF 30 is the minimum.

4. Apply sun lotion 20-30 minutes before you go out.

5. Make sure you apply enough sunscreen. An average adult should apply at least a teaspoon of sunscreen to each arm, leg, front of body and back of body and at least ½ a teaspoon to the face (including the ears and neck). That is, 35 ml of sunscreen for one full body application. Sweating, swimming and towelling can remove sunscreen from the skin – so make sure you reapply often.

6. Be careful during cloudy days as well! Even on a cloudy day 30 to 50 per cent of the sun's UV rays can reach your skin, so it's still possible to burn.

7. On sunny days use a wide-brimmed hat and cover up arms and legs with loose-fitting clothes.

8. To avoid wrinkles and skin damage, the best protection is to stay in the shade.

9. Certain medicines can cause hypersensitivity to the sun's rays and cause severe eczema from sunbathing. Check with your doctor or pharmacist, and ensure that you read the instructions on any medication.

10. Be careful at home as well. Just because the weather is cool doesn’t mean you will not burn. Many people get sunburn in relatively cool conditions and/or when involved in outdoor activities such as gardening or golf, rather than actually sunbathing. In midsummer, ambient UV levels in the UK can be 75-80% of those in the Mediterranean, so it is till easy to burn.

Related categories:  Beauty products for body   Health and well-being   Sun protection and self tanner 

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