Be Sun Smart

Be sun smart!

 

The sun may not be shining at home at the moment but with many of you off on holiday to sunnier climates this month’s it’s important you take time to make sure you being sun smart.

 

Here are some top tips:

 

• Spend time in the shade between 11 and 3. If you work outside try spending breaks in the shade when it’s hot.

• Cover up - When there’s no shade around, protect your skin from the sun with loose clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and good quality sunglasses.

• Avoid sunbeds – they are not a safe alternative to tanning outdoors.

• Use sunscreen with SPF 20 or above - Sunscreens can be useful for protecting our skin from the sun’s rays. However, they will not protect us completely from sun damage on their own. This is why we recommend using sunscreens together with shade and clothing to avoid getting caught out by sunburn. Look out for the star rating on sunscreen too – the higher the better.

• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside so it doesn’t sweat off, and reapply every 1½ hours. If you have been swimming, reapply sunscreen after drying off.

• Remember that no sunscreen, whether its factor 15 or 50, will give the protection it claims unless you apply it properly – around two teaspoons for your head, neck and arms. Or two tablespoons if you’re covering your whole body while wearing a swimming costume.

Remember you can burn in the UK and Ireland  when it’s hot so care in the sun at home as well as abroad.

• If you like the bronzed look of sun-kissed skin, try a cosmetic bronzer that can be applied with a makeup brush. This will give you a more even look than a day in the sun and without the pink nose and peeling skin.

 

Do you know your skin?

 

Spotting skin cancer at an early stage saves lives so it’s important to know the signs.

Keep an eye on your skin and report any changes in the size, shape or colour of a mole or any other change to a mole or normal patch of skin to your doctor without delay. Remember that skin cancer doesn’t only develop on the bits it’s easy to see; it can develop anywhere. In women melanoma is most common on the legs, and in men it most often develops on the chest or back.

 

Important signs of skin cancer:

• New growth or sore that will not heal

• Spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts

• Mole or growth that bleeds, crusts, or scabs

 

The ABCD rule can help you remember the main types of changes to moles (whether they’re new moles or existing ones) to look out for.

 

Asymmetry - the two halves of the mole don’t look the same.

Border -the edges of the mole are irregular, blurred or jagged.

Colour- the colour of the mole is uneven, with more than one shade.

Diameter - the mole is more than 6mm