Safety in the sun
In the United Kingdom cases of skin cancer have doubled over the last 20 years. Each year thousands of new cases of skin cancer are reported, however due to the fact that people are recognising the disease early 'five year' survival rates are increasing. In order to be safe in the sun we should have both an understanding of the prevention of skin cancer as well as knowledge of the early recognition of skin cancer.Protection through sun cream
Recent media reports have questioned our faithful trust in our high factor sun creams. The results of studies have suggested that sun cream alone will not prevent skin cancer and reports suggest that increased rates of skin cancer could possibly be, directly or indirectly, related to our use of sun cream.Sun cream is often applied too thinly - to cover the whole body about an eggcup amount is needed every 2-3hrs. It should also be applied at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun. Insect repellents should be applied top of sun cream where needed. You should never stay in the sun for excessive periods of time in the belief that your sun cream will offer unlimited protection.
The higher the SPF factor on your cream, the greater the protection against UVB rays which cause burning. When used regularly and in proper proportions - you should not need more than a factor 15 - even in a tropical climate. A high SPF factor will only help prevent burning - it will not always protect against UVA rays, which are not taken into account when calculating the SPF. UVA protection is usually rated separately between 2 and 4.
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