People in the UK have been warned to avoid using suncream between now and Friday as the mercury is set to rise and people are set to bask in stifling conditions
Those reaching for the sun cream as Britain basks in temperatures soaring to 32C have been hit with a stark warning – slathering on lotion could actually hike your risk of skin cancer due to a perilous myth.
Health chiefs have spoken out to debunk this dangerous fallacy, urging vigilant sun safety as the UK swelters. NHS skin specialist Dr Jonathan Kentley, who practices at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and acts as an MRA ambassador, has pinned down where Brits are going amiss with simple slip-ups leading to increased danger.
He pinpoints common errors saying: “We know melanoma skin cancer particularly is strongly related to sunburn in childhood. If you had a couple of sunburns as a child, that really increases your risk of melanoma later in life.” Brace yourselves for searing heat, as conditions across the UK are predicted to reach stifling levels.
Dr Kentley recommends protective clothing as the go-to precaution, advocating for “long sleeves, long trousers or bodysuits, especially if they’re going to be swimming.” He adds a crucial tip about sunscreen shelf life, reports Birmingham Live – noting that “most sunscreens can be left open for six to 12 months but this varies.”
The UK anticipates scorching highs of 32C during the heatwave, says the Met Office. The doctor underscores the importance of tracking sunscreen use: “It can be helpful to write the date you open it on the bottle. Chuck the sunscreen after it has expired or been left open too long as the filters will start to break down and not provide enough protection.”
Further explaining the significance of SPF, Dr Kentley says: “SPF measures the ability of a sunscreen to protect the skin against sunburn. This means that, if using SPF 50, the skin can be exposed to 50 times the dose of UVB without burning. So, for example, if your skin would normally burn after ten minutes, an SPF of 50 would mean the skin would burn after 500 minutes. But SPF is measured in lab experiments. To get that amount of protection you’d have to use 2mg per 1cm of skin.
“No one can realistically wear that much, they’d be slipping everywhere, and studies show people only apply around 20 to 50 per cent of the recommended amount, meaning that if they are applying SPF 50, it is only providing around SPF 15-25.”
