It’s important to protect your skin – even in the UK

Sun Awareness Week is run by the British Association of Dermatologists and this year is from 1 to 7 May. It aims to raise awareness around the dangers of harmful radiation from the sun, and how to protect your skin from the sun’s rays.

This year, the campaign is focussed on encouraging people to protect their skin at all times and addressing misconceptions that sun protection isn’t needed in the UK.

What damage does the sun cause?

Sun rays have two types of radiation:

• UVA radiation – this radiation is constant throughout the year and is associated with skin aging.
• UVB radiation – this radiation is strongest during the summer months and is associated with skin burning (sunburn).

Some treatments for lymphoma, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, can make your skin more sensitive to the radiation types. It’s important to take extra care when spending time outside, especially in the summer months.

How can I protect myself from the sun?

Both types of radiation are always there wherever you are, even on cloudy days. 

There are a few steps you can take to minimise your risk of being damaged by the sun’s radiation.

• Apply a sunscreen with at least SPF 30. Make sure the sunscreen you use protects you against both UVA and UVB rays. The number of stars on the bottle will tell you how protective it is against UVA rays, and the number on the bottle will tell you how protective it is against UVB rays.
• Wear sunglasses that have a UV light filter to protect your eyes.
• Wear a hat to protect your head and shoulders. If you lost some hair from your head due to lymphoma treatment, take extra care to keep your head out the sun.
• Use clothing to help protect yourself from the effects of the sun. For example, wearing T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and trousers can protect the skin on your body.
• The sun’s radiation will be at its strongest between 11am and 3pm. During this time, get out of the sun and stay in the shade.

Published: 2 May 2023