When I was 16,

back in 19-cough- splutter-8, my friends and I dreamed of having the deepest tans possible. But these days we know about the dangers of too much sun, so sporting lobster arms simply looks foolish and puts you at risk of future health problems. According to Cancer Research UK, skin cancer is now one of the most common cancers in the UK—and most cases are caused by over-exposure to UV light.

Number Crunching.

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures a

product’s ability to shield against the short UVB rays

(known as “tanning rays”) that can trigger cancers. The higher the factor on the label, the greater the protection. However, an SPF

30 doesn’t offer double the protection of an SPF 15. In fact,

F Fearactor

Summer’s undercover story, by Jan Masters

it only screens out 2–3 per cent more UV. So while higher factors offer better protection than low factors, don’t use them as an excuse to spend longer in the sun. It’s crucial to apply sunscreens generously and often. Cancer Research UK says

that many people put on only a quarter as much as they should—so an SPF 80 might only be providing an actual SPF of 3!

Seeing Stars. UVA rays are longer and are implicated in ageing (they can also contribute to skin cancer). In the UK we measure UVA protection using a star system, with 5 stars as the highest. This isn’t absolute, but rather a ratio of a product’s UVA protection in relation to its UVB protection—so an SPF 25 with 3 stars could, in theory, screen out more UVA overall than an SPF 10 with 4 stars. However, if a product with a high SPF

but lower UVA protection encouraged you to stay out in the sun for longer, you could end up incurring more UVA damage. Select on SPF suitability first, then star ratings (if the product bears the logo “UVA” in a circle, this means its protection complies with European recommendations).

beauty

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