With 90% of skin cancers caused by over-exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) it’s vital to enjoy the sun safely by taking appropriate steps to protect your skin. By using Skcin’s Five S approach to sun safety, consistently and in combination, you can protect your body’s largest organ and reduce your risk of the world’s most common cancer.
Whilst to varying degrees we are all at risk of developing skin cancer, the good news is that around 90% of cases are preventable and there are simple sun protection measures that you can adopt to reduce your risk. Start by checking the UV Index forecast. When UV levels are 3 or above, use the following Five S rules of sun safety and skin cancer prevention in combination to protect your skin from sun damage.
Clothing is one of the most effective barriers between our skin and the sun and should always be considered the first line of defence against UV radiation. Aim to cover as much skin as possible. Keeping arms and legs covered with long sleeves and trousers is highly advised for outdoor workers or for extended periods of time spent doing outdoor pursuits.
Fabrics with a close weave (that don’t let light through) will provide good protection, but fabrics with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50 will provide maximum protection and are designed to keep you cool and comfortable. UV protective clothing and workwear is readily available online and is worth investing in as it is the most efficient, cost effective and simplest way to stay safe in the sun.
Skcin recommend using sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher to provide a high level of protection against UVB – the sun’s burning rays. It’s important to ensure your sunscreen also provides protection against UVA. Skcin recommend sunscreens with a UVA star rating of 4 or 5 to provide superior protection against UVA damage.
Sunscreen should be applied liberally and evenly to clean, dry, exposed skin, ideally 20 minutes before heading outdoors and re-applied at least every 2 hours – more often if perspiring and always straight after swimming, washing and towelling. For further information to ensure you are getting the maximum out of your sunscreen protection, go to: Sunscreen Top Tips
Whenever possible, wearing a hat will protect the scalp from UV damage. The wider the brim – the better. This will help shade the face, neck, ears, cheeks and eyes – all common places for skin cancer to develop. Baseball caps, whilst better than no hat at all, are not recommended as they do not shade the neck, ears and cheeks.
As with clothing, a closely woven fabric will provide good protection, whilst a UPF 50 fabric will provide optimum protection and are a good investment for outdoor workers or those that spend extended periods of time outdoors for sport, leisure or recreation. If you often wear a hard hat, you should help protect exposed skin with a detachable neck flap, or better still a full sun shade shield, both of which are widely available online.
Your eyes are up to ten times more sensitive to UV damage than your skin. Failing to protect your eyes from UV will put your vision and eye health at risk. UV light is the leading cause of macular degeneration, cataracts and photokeratitis. It is therefore important to wear quality sunglasses on bright days all-year-round.
Sunglasses marked with a UV 400 rating will provide the best protection – filtering up to 99% of both UVA & UVB radiation.
If you are unsure what protection your sunglasses provide – most opticians can run a simple test to determine this for you.
Whilst sun exposure is often unavoidable, seeking shade whenever possible is another way of reducing your daily UV exposure and the risk of skin cancer. Shade can be an effective barrier between our skin and direct sunlight and is particularly important during peak UV hours – between 11am and 3pm in the UK and between 10am and 3pm in hotter climates.
Never rely on shade alone, you should always combine with the above sun protection measures. Children should be shaded as much as possible and babies, kept in the shade at all times. For further information on taking care of children in the sun, go to: Safeguarding Children
In the UK we tend to associate the need for sun protection in the spring and summer months due to the fact that UV radiation is stronger during this time of year. However, whilst this is true of UVB – It’s UVA that we need to be particularly mindful of during winter months. This is because up to 95% of UV radiation that reaches the earth’s surface is UVA – and it remains pretty much consistent during daylight hours, all-year-round. This makes a strong case for using sunscreen on a daily basis throughout the year.
Winter sports enthusiasts heading for the slopes need to take extra care! UV rays can be just as damaging on the ski slopes as they are on a hot, sunny beach! This is because UV radiation increases by approximately 10% with every 1,000m in altitude AND snow reflects up to 80% of UV, thereby significantly increasing its intensity. It’s therefore vital to protect skin using a minimum SPF 30+ sunscreen with a minimum 4 star UVA rating AND to wear UV protective sunglasses at all times.
Remember, when it comes to UV exposure – there is simply no such thing as a safe tan, or healthy glow! Turning any kind of red, pink or brown is a sign of sun damage. For additional preventative information you may also be interested in the following information:
Install the Skcin app on your mobile device to access the UV Index tool which provides the current and daily peak UV Index and 2 day hourly forecast for any location across the globe with handy UV SMS alerts and sunscreen reminders.
The Skcin app is a comprehensive, educational and self-management tool dedicated to the prevention and early detection of skin cancer. The app comprises six key service areas to help you learn more and take charge of your skin health and surveillance.
