As we move through summer, you may be wanting to get outside and enjoy some of the rare warmer days in the UK, or even abroad. However, wherever you are, with hotter weather comes the risks associated with sun exposure. Within our previous blog post, we showed you how to stay safe in the sun generally; we have compiled this guide to show you why daily SPF is essential, even when it’s cloudy. We offer advice and products in store to keep you safe all year round!
Why is SPF necessary?
SPF is used to protect against the harmful effects of the UV rays from the sun upon exposed areas of your body. Extensive sun exposure often causes sunburn which, according to the NHS, increases your risk of developing skin cancer.
SPF stands for sun protection factor; the number represents how long it would take UVB rays to redden your skin, compared to when no product is applied. An example of this is as follows: using an SPF 30 sunscreen correctly would mean that it would take you 30x longer to burn than when you do not use any product at all.
Is SPF just for summer?
Essentially, the answer to this is no. This is because despite common misconceptions, getting burnt is possible even when the weather is cloudy, and you are in the UK. As a result, we recommend that you include facial SPF, at the very least, into your daily routine.
Ideally, Skin Cancer UK recommends that you should be applying sunscreen all over your body on a daily basis. This should be done before you get dressed, as well as 30 minutes before you will be exposed to the sun. Waiting 30 minutes allow the product to bind to your skin; it also makes sure that your skin is protected if your layers move, or are removed throughout the day.
How do I know which SPF I need?
SPF ratings
SPF ratings are ranked using a scale of 2-50+. This relates to the level of protection they offer, with 50+ representing the highest. Therefore, we advise choosing a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, for the best protection against sun damage. Similarly, if you are worried that you are applying too little of a lower SPF sunscreen, we would recommend swapping it out for a higher one.
UVA ratings
The UVA rating of a sunscreen represents the level of protection against ultraviolet A rays. The best possible rating is 5 stars. Therefore, when buying a sunscreen, you should look for a UVA rating of at least 4 stars. A product’s UVA rating can also be found in a circle on the label, suggesting that it meets the EU standard for Sun Protection Factor.
Don’t forget to stock up on SPF
As we are quite far into warmer part of the year, we recommend visiting us in Birmingham to stock up on SPF as soon as you can. We stock a range of sunscreens, as well as aftersun to soothe your skin after sun exposure. If you visit us in store, we are able to offer comprehensive product recommendations and advice. Our main priority is that you go away with the best possible outcome to suit your needs.
This blog post was written on behalf of Saydon Pharmacy by Carla Moore from Pharmacy Mentor.