Apart from the final of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend, the other main topic of conversation has been the amazing weather UK is currently enjoying. The sunshine saw people stripping off their clothes and more than a few have returned to work this week with  red and sore bodies.

Not me.

The skin specialist advised me not to go out

in the sun, or if I did, to stay covered up.
I must admit it’s a bitter pill to swallow because I love being out in the sunshine and the feeling a nice tan gives me, BUT I’ve had so many things dug out, scraped or frozen off due to sun damage, I’ve decided enough is enough.

Over the years, I’ve spent more hours exposed to the hot sun than I care to remember, but didn’t realise there’s  no such thing as a safe tan.  It seems I’m not alone.

Skin Cancer is on the increase and there are various different theories as to why this is, but strangely enough some people don’t even realise the sun can be a factor.  I was amazed when I listened to the news  today as people declared they only ever used suntan lotion when they went “abroad”, as if the sun in UK didn’t count; or that it was okay not to use lotion because the sun kept going behind  the clouds.

Has no one told them you can get sunburn even on a cloudy day?

UV rays from the sun are very powerful  and can certainly pass through patchy clouds. UVA rays are ageing and have been linked to skin cancer, UVB rays are burning, and UVC rays are non-specific, but sunshine isn’t all bad.  Most of our vitamin D is made in the skin when we absorb sunlight, and this is vital for healthy bones, as well as providing us with that feel good factor.

We are advised to apply  sun screens if we are out in the sun for any length of time and these come in all different SPF factors.Doctors and Cancer Research UK recommend it’s best to use a broad spectrum SPF15 or above with a 4 or 5 star rating. It’s also recommended they be applied at regular intervals and in sufficient quantity to do some good.

If you’re wearing a swimming costume, you need at least 2 tablespoons, and if it’s just your head and neck exposed, you need 2 teaspoons.  I’m willing to bet not many people use that much, and for those who do, I’ll also wager they don’t consistently re-apply it.

I certainly never used to.

Also, I’ll bet people forget about their hands. Most people wash the sunscreen off their hands, don’t they, but according to www.skincancer.org unless you always wear gloves, your hands will receive a tremendous amount of sun exposure over time.

They say about 90 percent of the visible skin changes on the hands which are attributed to aging, like wrinkles, brown spots and leathery skin are caused by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Of course, you can also cover up and stay in the shade as much as possible during the heat of the day, but for those who can’t, or won’t, you should use a higher SPF factor.

There’s a problem with that though, apart from the cost, which increases with the higher SPF level, because if we block the sunlight with high factor sunscreens, our body’s ability to produce our important Vitamin D is reduced.  It’s been suggested some of the higher SPF sunscreens block the absorption by as much as 95%.

However, there’s another, far more sinister problem with many sunscreens available in the market place, and that’s one of potentially harmful chemicals.

You should be aware your skin will absorb 60% of whatever you put on it, and many sunscreens  contain ingredients such as PABA, Oxybenzone, DMDM Hydanatoin, and Triethanolamine to name a few. Look out also for Titanium Dioxide, which some consider a significant candidate for the rise in skin cancer for users who spend  too long in the sun.

I recommend you check out the products you use with the Skin Deep website at www.cosmeticdatabase.com to see exactly what you’re rubbing on your skin.

A lot of older people are getting skin cancer because of accumulative sun damage, and you should be particularly concerned if you have a mole, which changes appearance. You need to look for irregular edges, changing pigmentation between black and brown, itching, crusting, or bleeding, and which you can’t cover with the rubber you find on the end of a pencil.

Of course there are many other sun related skin complaints apart from skin cancer, and anything, which gives you cause for concern should always be, checked out.

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

A friend of mine who has spent several years living in the sun was covered in freckles.  She went to a sauna one day and her daughter noticed one on her mum’s back much darker than the rest.  Fortunately, my friend got it checked out and it  turned out to be cancerous.  The doctor said she owes her life to her daughter’s eagle eye as she’d never have spotted it herself.

Anyway, let’s hope this lovely weather continues and people enjoy the sun sensibly.  Britain’s got talent, but has it got common sense?

I’ll be watching from the shadows!

Take care.

Jean Shaw

http://www.jeansmenopausalmoment.com

Protect your skin from premature aging and prevent damage caused by the elements and don’t forget to grab your FREE Skincare report

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