Everybody loves a bit of sun. To enjoy it safely it is really important to protect your skin from burning and sun damage. If you have had cancer treatment, this is even more important as your skin may be more sensitive to injury, meaning that you need to be even more careful.
Here are my top tips for staying safe in the sun:
• Try and stay out of strong sunlight during the hottest part of the day (this is usually between 11am and 3pm). If you are outside, try and stay in the shade as much as possible. • Cover up in clothing made of cotton or natural fibres. If you have had radiotherapy treatment, keep the affected area well covered. • Ensure you stay well hydrated. This is an absolute priority and don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink.
• Invest in a good pair of sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection to shield the delicate skin around your eyes and protect against damaging UV rays. • Wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face, neck and ears. • Apply a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF). The NHS recommends using a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 to protect against UVB (the cause of reddening and sunburn) and at least 4-star UVA protection.
• Make sure you put enough sunscreen on. As a guide, the NHS recommends adults should apply around 2 teaspoons of sunscreen if you're just covering your head, arms and neck and 2 tablespoons if you're covering your entire body while wearing a swimming costume (1).
• Reapply sunscreen every few hours and whenever you've been for a swim or rubbed yourself down with a towel.
My clients often ask if I can recommend a natural sunscreen product - here are some of my favourite brands:
Tropic
Green People
https://www.greenpeople.co.uk/collections/sn-natural-organic-sunscreen
Badger
https://www.badgerbalm.com
Jason Natural Care
Ref (1) NHS guidance on sunscreen and sun safety