Ireland and sunshine may have something of a complicated relationship but that doesn’t mean we can forget the sunscreen. However, that can also be complicated – not all SPFs (sun protection factor) are created equal and in this cloudy climate, it can be difficult to know exactly when and how often to use them.
And while it’s rare occasion that the sun splits the stones here, the HSE classifies most Irish people as having fairer skin types, meaning we have a greater susceptibility to UV damage and skin cancers.
According to specialist dermatology nurse Selene Daly, whatever the weather, Irish people should be wearing sunscreen from March to September. That’s because the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are most active during this period – and they can still penetrate cloud cover and cause damage to our skin.
“Over 80 per cent of the rays come through cloud cover so even on a day that’s cloudy and rainy, you can still burn,” she says.
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Daly, who is based at Sligo University Hospital, points out that no sunscreen will block the sun’s rays 100 per cent, but they get pretty close – an SPF of 30 blocks about 97 per cent of the sun’s rays, while an SPF of 50 blocks about 98 per cent.
The first thing to look for when shopping for SPF for all the family, she says, is a “broadband” sunscreen – this is, one that offers protection against both UVA, the ultra violet light responsible for ageing, and UVB, the rays that cause our skin to burn.
“You want to look for the highest number you can, so a 30 or a 50 – definitely nothing below a 30; you want to look out for the UVA symbol, which is UVA with a circle around it and that means it has the equivalent UVA protection to UVB protection,” she explains.
Certain products will suit some people better than others; for example, someone with sensitive skin should avoid anything too heavily fragranced, with a lot of preservatives, lest it cause a skin reaction, says Daly.
Sunscreen has come a long way, and is now available in creams, gels, roll-ons, sprays and aerosols. Daly advises that aerosol products not be used “on the go”.
“The research shows that actually the wind can take a lot of the sunscreen with it,” she says. “You’ll also find that you go through quite a bit of them to get the coverage that you need. Find a sunscreen with a texture that you like as you will be more likely to use it.”
When it’s applied is also key – sunscreen takes at least 20 minutes to activate, Daly notes. “I see people doing this: they load themselves and the kids into the car, they drive down to the beach – the UV light is coming through the windows. Then they arrive at the beach, they put out the blanket and then put the sunscreen on the kids, and then they put it on themselves. They’re actually exposed to about an hour to an hour and a half of UV rays at this stage.”
It’s also worth noting that sunscreen has an expiry date – so be careful if there’s a half-full bottle left over from last year.
“People ask me if I can use my sunscreen if I’ve had it from last year, and the smart answer could be, well you shouldn’t have any sunscreen at all, because you should be using it every single day,” says Daly. “But what I would say is that if you have opened the product, typically it will last 12 months. If you use it after that and you feel it has a gritty texture or it has separated, then that means it has gone off, so it has to be binned.”
And while many sun-protection products are advertised as being waterproof, Daly points out that towelling off after a swim can remove sunscreen; therefore, regular reapplication is necessary.
“You must reapply every two hours when you’re in direct sunlight,” she says, noting that this also applies to “once-a-day” formulas. “It might say on it that it’s a once-daily application but there’s nothing on the market that protects your skin against UVA all day. It can protect against UVB but it won’t protect all day against UVA so while you won’t burn, you’re going to actually absorb the UVA rays after two hours and UVA rays causes ageing and can also cause cancer.”
Sunscreen is also only one part of the solution – the advice is to wear a hat and sunglasses and stay in the shade between 11am and 2pm to be truly sunsafe.
Parents reading may grimace as they recall daily sunscreen battles with their children, but Daly simply suggests leading by example so that good sunscreen habits are learned for life.
“We forget that with children sometimes, they’re watching what we’re doing, so it’s very important that we put sunscreen on them, and their sunglasses and their hat. But it’s important that they see us doing that for ourselves as well. And then it’s more likely that they as adults will repeat that kind of behaviour too.”
For those who think it’s all too much bother, the research shows that people with very fair skin types can burn in just five minutes. It’s worth remembering sunscreen does not fail, Daly says; rather, “people fail sunscreen”.
“We don’t use enough, we don’t put it on early enough, we don’t put it on frequently enough and we over rely on it.”
