The sun is a thing of beauty. There’s a reason whenever the sun comes out, the people of UK and Ireland jump for joy and head to the nearest pub garden to soak it up. The sun has so many benefits for humans and it’s something many of us lap up. However, we also need to exercise caution when it comes to enjoying the sun.
Dr Beibei Du-Harpur, dermatologist and The Skin Diary’s scientific engagement lead has shared her intel on enjoying the sun safely and the steps we can take to best protect ourselves.
What is sun safety?
Sun safety is all about our behaviour and actions that protect us from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It’s about acknowledging that while the sun is lovely, we do need to protect our skin from it appropriately. This is particularly true if you’re keen to prevent premature ageing.
What are the most important ways we can protect ourselves from the sun?
The first is being aware of the UV index. You can find this on most good weather apps on your phone. Dr. Du-Harpur notes that you should tailor your sun protection based on this. “A higher UV index means higher risk of burning, and you won’t be able to rely on sunscreen alone,” she notes. “You need to avoid very intense exposure e.g. in middle of the day, particularly if you have a lighter skin tone, seek shade and wear sun protective clothing if you are out and about.”
In addition to this, you need to reapply your sunscreen throughout the day. This is particularly true if you’re active and sweating or coming in and out of water.
You also need to ensure you’re applying enough sunscreen. A quick spritz of aerosol sunscreen may not give you enough coverage. If you’re a little bit slap-dash with your application and find you often miss areas, try a cream-based formula to get even protection.
Oh, and don’t forget to apply an SPF lip balm as your lips can get burnt, too.
How much sunscreen should I apply?
Although the act of applying sunscreen is fantastic, what’s just as important is making sure enough is applied to achieve the sun protection factor. “In order for sunscreen to work effectively, the filters need to form a film over the surface of the skin. Therefore, if you don’t apply enough for this film to form, your skin will be exposed,” Dr. Du-Harpur explains. “Make sure to apply enough until you can see a fine sheen of sunscreen on the surface of the skin. It should hopefully dry down over a few minutes, as the film forms, and become less visible.” Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to find a sunscreen formula that you love and works well with your skin type. It’s well worth the effort because the best sunscreen to use is one that you enjoy applying.
