Be Sun-Savvy This Summer

We’ve all heard it a million times before. Wear sun cream, re-apply after swimming, and don’t forget the backs of your ears! But actually, there’s a lot more to it. From the science of sunburn to eco-friendly sun cream, we’ve put together a little guide to staying protected this summer.

We all have melanin in our skin, it’s a pigment which not only plays a role in determining the colour of your skin, but also in the protection you have against UVA and UVB rays. Melanin absorbs these rays and acts as a first line of defence, but when there’s too much UV for our melanin to handle, we get sunburnt. A sunburn tells us we’re damaging our skin, while a tan is a result of the injury.

You’ll be fine though, slap a bit of aftersun on and your skin can start repairing - right? Well, not really. Aftersun can soothe the soreness of a burn but it won’t fix the damage done to your DNA by UV rays. Imagine your sunburn as a wound which will never fully heal, and get out of the sun when your skin starts burning.

So, there are two important things to look out for when you’re buying sun cream:

The SPF (Sun Protection Factor)

This is the level of protection against UVB rays, which are the type of UV rays which cause redness and burning. The SPF number tells you how long it’ll take for your skin to redden after application - the higher the number, the longer it is likely to take you to burn, because the less UVB rays are let through the cream barrier.

The Star Rating

This is the level of protection against UVA rays, which are the UV rays that penetrate the skin and eyes more deeply, leading to skin cancers and premature ageing. As expected, the higher the rating, the better the UVA protection, so look for a 4 or 5 star rating on any sun cream you buy.

It’s worth knowing that more expensive sun creams do not necessarily offer better protection. They’re well-regulated, so as long as it has an SPF and star rating, you can trust the product whether it’s £3 or £23. Make sure you pick one you don’t hate so you’re more likely to use it, especially since you should be applying it generously to your whole body.

You might think you only need sun cream on sunny days, but up to 90% of UV rays can penetrate through clouds and fog. It's also important to note that certain medications, like antibiotics and antihistamines, can increase your sensitivity to sunlight. There are also certain eye issues which can develop if your eyes are photosensitive, which is more common in blue, green, or hazel eyes. These conditions include cataracts, cancers of the eyelid, and Surfer’s Eye (pterygium). The solution is: wear sunglasses rated UV400, and don’t forget to put sun cream on the more delicate areas of your face.

A massive 3,500 brands of sun cream contain UV-blocking chemicals like oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), octinoxate, or avobenzone. These ingredients are effective at protecting your skin with no visible residue, but they can wash off into the ocean and cause significant harm to marine life. The chemicals are easily absorbed by smaller, more vulnerable sealife, from coral and mussels to fish and dolphins. And with about 14,000 tons of sun cream washed into the ocean every year, these particular chemicals are thought to disrupt coral’s ability to reproduce and grow, leading to coral bleaching and deformities.

For an environmentally friendly option, choose a mineral or zinc-based sun cream. These sunscreens use particles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to reflect UV rays rather than being absorbed. They might be a bit thicker and aren’t as easy to wash off, but they are much safer for marine life and ocean ecosystems.

Swimming will end up taking off your sun cream, just like sweating or wiping yourself down. The general rule is to reapply it every 2 hours, 40 minutes if you’re in the water, and get yourself in the shade once you feel your skin burning. Yes, that’s even if you have an ‘all-day’ sun cream. Be more careful at the beach, where sand and water can reflect an extra 25% of UV rays, and if in doubt, cover up!

BY HOLLY GARWOOD, 15TH JULY 2024

Sources:
British Skin Foundation
Sun Safety - Fit for Travel
Ask the Expert: Does a High SPF Protect My Skin Better? | The Skin Cancer Foundation
Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun’s UV Light | National Eye Institute
Skin Light Sensitivity (Photosensitivity) | NHS Inform
The Sun and Your Medicine | FDA
Sun Exposure | CDC Yellow Book 2024
Sun Safety | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Sunscreen 101: Protect Your Skin and Coral Reefs | Coral Reef Alliance