Staycation? Don’t forget your sunscreen and sunnies!
With British families being encouraged to holiday within the British Isles this summer it’s easy to forget just how strong our sun can be. In the summer months it’s easily possible to get burned here in the UK – damage that can increase the risk of skin cancer and visible signs of aging. It’s not commonly recognised that up to 80% of the visible signs of aging result from UV damage. According to the charity Cancer Research UK, apart from the immediate pain of sun burn it can double your risk of skin cancer. Those with lighter skins and children are more at risk and, overall one in five people will get skin cancer in their life time and that includes cancer of the eyelids.
If you need any more motivation the Sunface App (available for Android & Apple devices) shows users what their faces would look like if they didn’t use protection, in 5-year increments. 90% of people using the App have said it made them much more likely to wear sunscreen at all times when outdoors.
So, our top tips for the summer months:
- Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days. Sunscreen protects the skin from burning – select a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30 and 50 for children and those with lighter skins.
- Always use UV400 rated sunglasses, not just to protect you from damage to your eyes; the eyelid skin is very thin and this puts it at high risk of UV damage.