Whether you are heading on holiday soon or hoping to soak up some sun in Scotland this summer, it is important to know how to protect yourself from harmful UV rays.
With the Met Office predicting this summer will be hotter than last year, Scots will likely enjoy much more of the warm weather in the coming weeks and months.
But despite the heat being hugely enjoyable for most, providing the ideal conditions for a BBQ, beach day or just a chill outside with loved ones, the sun also brings with it some dangers. It means it is crucial to apply suncream and understand what the SPF on the products actually means.
With this in mind, experts at Benenden Health have issued a warning to those wearing SPF as they suggest many make a common mistake that could actually lead to lasting skin damage.
The experts urge everyone to take time to understand what SFP (sun protection factor) actually means and therefore how much UV radiation protection it provides compared to unprotected skin.
For example, applying SPF 50 means it should take 50 times longer for you to burn in the sun compared to using no protection at all, with the sun cream allowing just 2 per cent of UVB rays through.
However, there is a common error being made by many who are left less protected.
Cheryl Lythgoe, Society Matron at Benenden Health explains: “Even in overcast conditions, sunlight remains extremely strong, penetrating clouds and even glass. If the skin is not protected, UV rays can gradually damage the skin, causing wrinkles and increasing the chance of developing skin cancer.
“A common mistake that people make is not realising that sun creams do, in fact, have an expiry date.
“To find out this vital detail, all you need to do is look for the symbol that looks like an open jar on the sunscreen bottle. This has a number inside that tells you how long the product should be used after it has been opened.
“For example, if you see “12M” in the open jar, then the sun cream should be used within 12 months of opening. After that time, the sun cream becomes ineffective – no matter how high the sun protection factor is. So, we recommend writing the date of when you first opened the sun cream on the bottle for future reference."
The expert also urges people to make sure they are applying suncream correctly to ensure they are providing as much protection as possible to their skin.
“What’s more, for sun cream to provide the proper protection, you must apply it correctly. This means applying around seven teaspoons (35ml) to cover your entire body and then re-applying every two hours or so, if you’re spending all day in the sun", she added.
"Even when you are using a high SPF, we always recommend you keep topping up throughout the day. If people are in and out of water, they will need to increase application.”
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