With temperatures expected to soar to the high 30s in some parts of England this week, Brits are being warned to take extra measures to protect their skin.
As people plan to enjoy the sizzling conditions outdoors, it is important to wear sun lotion to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Sun protection not only reduces the risk of skin cancer and sunburn, it also minimises the ageing effect of the sun.
Dr Stephanie Ooi, a GP at MyHealthcare Clinic in London, claims most people are unaware of the proper precautions that should be taken to protect your skin from sun damage.
This includes not applying enough sun lotion and failing to use SPF 50.
The expert has revealed the five common mistakes we make when it comes to protecting our skin from the sun.
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Putting lotion on too late
Many of us wait till we have hit the beach or pulled out the deck chair in the garden before applying sun lotion.
Dr Ooi warns that this approach is too late.
She said: “Sunscreen needs to be applied at least 30 minutes before going outside. On top of this, most will need to be reapplied every two hours.
“If you are swimming or sweating you will need to reapply protection even more frequently.”
Expired sun lotion
Brits often dip into the cupboard for last year’s sun lotion stock - but did you know most sun protection products have a 12 month shelf life.
Using out-of-date sun lotion is less effective to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, and the consequences could be fatal.
Experts at King Edward VII's Hospital in London have found that many people use lotions that are more than 10 years old.
Dr Ooi said: “You can check by looking at the back of the bottle - there will be a jar symbol with a number. This corresponds to the number of months it can be open before being discarded.”
Always use factor 50
Dr Ooi advises to always use SPF 50, come rain or shine.
She added: “Choose the highest SPF possible to give yourself the best protection.
“Some people choose lower SPFs because they think this will boost their body’s levels of vitamin D, but studies have shown vitamin D levels aren’t affected by a higher SPF sunscreen.”
The body creates vitamin D from sunlight on the skin - this helps to keep bones and muscles healthy.
“If you are worried you can always take a daily vitamin D supplement. The NHS recommends taking 10mcg (or 400 units) daily during the winter months.”
Keep applying more
Consistently applying lotion is essential for protecting your skin from sun damage.
The GP said: “Most of us don’t put on enough sunscreen.
"To properly protect your face you should apply two finger lengths of sun cream and for your body it’s a whole shot glass.
“If you use a spray bottle or roll-on you should be applying several passes or spritzes in each area to provide adequate protection.
“Clothes will provide some protection but don’t forget to go under clothing edges to ensure you have good coverage across the entire body.”
Dr Ooi said there aren’t specific rules for children “but you should apply sunscreen liberally - more is more.”
It is important that children under six months are kept out of the sun entirely.
You’re never fully protected
You are never fully protected as sun lotion works as a filter, not a block - this means your skin can still be damaged.
Dr Ooi explained: “The best protection is to stay out of the sun completely, especially during the hours when the sun is at its strongest, which is between 11am and 3pm.
“It’s not always possible to stay out of the sun so be sure to seek shade, wear a wide-brimmed hat and cover up with loose, breathable clothing. Remember, there is no such thing as a healthy tan.”
A tan is what your skin does in order to protect your cells from harmful rays, creating pigment as a block.
