Bank Holiday forecast looking good - here's how to keep safe in the sun
With forecasters predicting a rare sunny Bank Holiday weekend, it should be the perfect opportunity to relax and soak up some rays, or spend time outdoors working in the garden.
But while the last thing we’d wish to do is put a dampener on anyone’s fun, it is really important not to overdo it and to protect ourselves against the dangers of over-exposure to the sun.
You may be surprised to know that just one case of blistering sunburn as a child, for example, can dramatically increase your risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
But it’s a common misconception that if you don’t burn, you’re not doing any damage to your skin. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. It’s the UV radiation from the sun that causes damage and also speeds up the process of aging for skin and increases the risk of developing skin cancer.
This is why over-exposure to bright sunshine even in winter can be just as dangerous as during the height of the summer.
Skin cancer cases are currently on the rise and represent one of the biggest types of cancer being treated by health boards like Swansea Bay.
However, this really doesn’t need to be the case and if you take some simple precautions, there’s no reason why you can’t still enjoy the sunshine.
Hannah Davies, pictured, a Macmillan skin cancer clinical nurse specialist with Swansea Bay, is an expert in the field of staying safe in the sun and has the following advice on how to look after yourself while also enjoying the summer months.
She said: “Solar ultraviolet radiation is known to be carcinogenic (to cause cancer) to humans and can pass through clouds, glass, and clothing.
“There are many misconceptions about sun exposure. For example, there is a belief that people with darker skin tones don’t need to wear sun cream and you can’t burn through glass. Neither of these are correct, which is why giving people the facts about exposure to the sun as we enter the summer is really important.
“But the last thing I’d want to do is stop anyone enjoying themselves and making the most of the nice weather. It’s just about being aware of how to protect yourself whilst you're enjoying it.
“So my tips are to apply sunscreen around 20 minutes before going out in the sun to make sure you've got that really important protection on board.
“Regularly reapply sunscreen if you are in the water or sweating a lot, and aim to avoid the sun at the peak times - between 11am and 3pm when the UV rays are at their highest.
“Try to seek shade when you can, don’t forget to wear protective clothing, hats and sunglasses, and apply a minimum of factor 30 broad-spectrum sunscreen.
“My message is simple. Enjoy the sunshine but do it in a responsible way that isn’t likely to cause you lasting and significant harm. The bottom line is, 86 per cent of melanoma skin cancers, for example, are preventable. So we owe it to ourselves to avoid overexposure to the sun.”
Hannah’s sharing SKCIN’s top tips for staying safe in the sun over the coming months, which are:
1. SLIP on a t-shirt
2. SLOP on SPF 30+ broad spectrum UVA sunscreen
3. SLAP on a broad brimmed hat
4. SLIDE on quality sunglasses
5. SHADE from the sun whenever possible.
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