Four point checklist for applying suncream – to prevent skin cancer

This Morning: Tips on how to best apply your sun cream

Even short episodes of sun exposure can damage skin layers and lead to changes in moles, which can increase the risk of skin cancer.

Dr Friedmann, consultant dermatologist at Stratum Clinics, advised: “Protecting your skin is, of course, always the best course of action of preventing skin cancer, but if your skin has already been damaged by the sun and presents some changes that you find worrying, make sure you seek professional advice.

“It’s important to remember, if treated early enough, malignant melanoma is curable. So, if in doubt, get yourself checked.

“Any mole changing in size, shape or colour should be reviewed straight away. Early detection of skin cancer, through examination and regular monitoring of moles, saves lives and if caught and treated early enough there is a 100 percent chance of survival.”

A high factor SPF sunscreen is the best form of protection against the sun and skin cancer. You should always look for sunscreen with five stars of UVA protection to give the highest levels of defence.

He also shared a four point checklist when you come to apply sunscreen.

Apply sufficient sunscreen to protect you

Sunscreen is the last step, before applying make-up as it doesn’t penetrate the skin. Instead, it sits on top of the skin forming either a physical or chemical protective layer that soaks up ultraviolet rays and greatly reduces the cellular DNA from being damaged.

In order to achieve the sun protection factor on the label, a fingertip-sized squirt should cover an area of skin the size of a hand. So, a couple of squirts should be sufficient to adequately protect the face and about one tablespoon worth needs to be applied to each body part. This is often a lot more than people think, so it is worth measuring this for a few applications to get a feel for how much is needed.

Applying less will reduce the protection to a higher degree than is proportionate – for example, only applying half the required amount can actually reduce the protection by as much as two thirds.

Apply regularly

Reapply every two hours, and immediately after swimming, perspiring and towel drying or if it has rubbed off. Up to 85 percent of a product can be removed by towel drying, so you should reapply after swimming, sweating, or any other vigorous or abrasive activity.

Sunscreen becomes less effective with time. The protection fades away and by four hours it can have reduced to almost zero. So, by not reapplying sunscreen you are effectively in the sun unprotected from both the risk of skin cancer and sun damage.

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With sun exposure being the leading cause of sun ageing and sun damage, protecting your skin with effective sunscreens are the most valuable way of keeping your skin youthful, plump and line-free.Being unprotected will also increase the likelihood of suffering with sunburn which could also lead to heatstroke as sunburn draws fluid to the skin surface and away from the rest of the body causing dehydration.

Don’t forget to protect your hands

Our hands are also sun exposed, so pick up signs of ageing more quickly such as solar freckling (liver spots or age spots) – a clear indication of overexposure to the sun. Solar lentigines tend to arise in middle age and are most often found on the face and hands and are larger and more defined than freckles. Solar keratoses are also common and are usually rough, scaly patches on sun-exposed areas such as the hands. So, to prevent your hands giving away your age simply protect them from the sun – not forgetting to apply sun cream to the backs of the hands too, as this is commonly forgotten and will contribute to the aging process.

Those with sensitive skin take extra care when selecting sunscreen

Anyone with sensitive skin also needs to consider their sunscreen carefully – whether this is because they have irritant contact dermatitis (generally sensitive skin) or an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the sunscreen – such as a fragrance or chemical.

Chemical sunscreens will on the whole be the main offenders for those with sensitive skin and should therefore be avoided – ingredients such as Oxybenzone and octinoxate. Mineral/natural/physical sunscreens (whatever you want to call them) are the sunscreens you should be using.

Mineral and chemical sunblocks fundamentally work differently – chemical sunscreens are absorbed by the skin and are effective by dispersing the UV rays and mineral sunscreens lay on top of the skin’s surface and reflect the UV rays away from the body. Naturally derived ingredients used in mineral sunscreens are kinder to the skin than chemical ones – when chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin those with sensitive skin may find they cause irritation.

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So people with rosacea or sensitive skin may benefit from mineral sunscreens containing titanium and zinc which sit on the skin, rather than chemical ones which absorb into the surface layers of the skin. However, because mineral sunscreens are not actually absorbed into the skin you will find these harder to rub in and they may leave a slight residue.

Sun avoidance

As well as wearing a high factor SPF, Dr Friedmann also recommends avoiding being in direct sunlight when it is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm.

He said: “Cover the skin with lightweight clothing when exposed to the sun and wear protective items such as a hat and sunglasses when out in the sun. You will not ever spot a dermatologist without a hat! Almost all the signs of ageing are caused by photo damage through prolonged exposure to the sun.

“Ultraviolet damages DNA in keratocytes which gives rise to red scaly blotches or sunspots. Sometimes this can be brown or pigmented. Melanocytes are also affected and they proliferate to give liver spots, age spots and large freckles.

“But perhaps the worst ageing is caused by the sun’s damage to collagen fibres. Ultraviolet light damages the collagen in skin, which causes it to thicken in an abnormal fashion and then gradually fragment over time. This abnormal collagen causes increased wrinkles, frown lines, crows feet and so on. This condition is called solar elastosis and is the main consequence of photoaging that makes people look older than their years. All UV light ages you, but deep penetrating UVA rays probably contribute more to collagen damage than UVB rays.”

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