Sun Awareness Week: 5 expert tips to protect yourself

Five things experts say you should be doing when it comes to sun protection
Sun Awareness Week 2022 runs from May 2 to May 8Sun Awareness Week 2022 runs from May 2 to May 8
Sun Awareness Week 2022 runs from May 2 to May 8

With Sun Awareness Week underway what better time to think about how you can protect your skin?

The national campaign, which runs from May 2 to 8, is aimed at raising awareness around skin protection and the dangers of sun exposure.

With sun protection queries exceeding 400,000 searches every summer, there's clearly an appetite for learning how to protect ourselves from damaging UV rays.

Around one in three Brits (35 per cent) burn their skin every year in the UK, with a further 46 percent burning whilst abroad, according to one study.

With 80 percent of premature ageing caused by UV damage, West Yorkshire aesthetics clinic, Evolve Medical, shares its knowledge:

Five things you should be doing when it comes to sun protection

1 Nothing less than factor 50 every day

Applying a sun protector should be part of your daily routine. But did you know you should be applying sunblock? The main difference between sun cream and sunblock is the way they protect the skin from UV rays.

Factor 50 and nothing less should be applied to your face each day to protect your skin from sun damage.

2 Protect yourself from UVA and UVB

We’ve all heard of UV rays but did you know you need to be protecting yourself from two different types?

UVB is the more widely thought of type of ray that comes from the sun and causes you to burn.

Less commonly known, we have UVA rays. UVA rays come from artificial light and are around us all the time, coming from your computer screen, TV screens and phone.

“UVA is a much longer ray, it can penetrate down to the layers of your skin where your collagen is being produced, causing premature ageing as well as sun damage," says Rachel Green, nursing director at Evolve Medical .

"Sun protection that contains both UVA and UVB protection is referred to as broad spectrum sun protection and it is vital to wear this all day, every day, all year round.”

3 Choose a sun cream that suits your skin type

When choosing skincare products we select products suited to our skin type, and the same should be done when choosing a sun cream.

It’s just as important as any other product you’re applying to your face to select one based on your particular skin type. Applying a cream that is too heavy can leave you with angry, congested pores.

Rachel suggests using SPF protection that also includes antioxidants if you have problem skin.

“SPF protection that also contains antioxidant protection is even better still as the antioxidants help to defend the skin cells from damage caused by the sun and will also protect our skin cells' DNA,” she said.

4 Your hair needs SPF too

According to recent research, excessive sun exposure is the most damaging factor to the structure of your hair, with UVA rays fading colour and UVB leading to breakage.

The sun acts as bleach on hair which can be extremely damaging, especially if your hair is already colour treated.

So, don’t forget to use a lightweight hair sunscreen to protect it this summer.

5 Give yourself a monthly skin examination

Early detection of skin damage is key to not only reducing aesthetic problems but also spotting abnormalities that could be a sign of something more serious.

All you need is a well lit room, a mirror and some concentration.

Learn the texture of your skin, look out for the pattern of any moles or freckles so you can refer back to these in the following months and if you spot any changes make an appointment to see your GP.

To learn more about Evolve Medical visit: https://www.evolvemedical.co.uk/