Dr Amélie Seghers, Consultant Dermatologist at The MOLE Clinic, offers her advice on the steps to take to protect the skin and reduce the risk of developing skin cancer…
“We should ensure to protect ourselves from ultraviolet (UV) exposure, which is all year round. I agree sun protection in the winter sounds counterintuitive, but even on a cloudy winter day, ultraviolet A rays (UVA) are present. These UVA rays will contribute to skin cancer AND play an important role in skin ageing - whilst skin ageing is inevitable, those who spend a lot of time outdoors without sunscreen will develop the signs of skin ageing earlier and more intensely. In addition, did you know that UVA also penetrates through window glass?
“It’s easy to remember: UVA or ‘the ageing rays’ penetrate deeper in the skin and are associated most with skin ageing but also with skin cancer, whilst UVB play an important role in burning and skin cancer.
Dr Amélie added: “On sunny days, the UV index will be higher so extra protection is needed. Usually, dermatologists will recommend SPF30 or SPF50, but in the end, what is most important is that you apply enough and reapply often (also reducing the chance of missing an area). Most people only apply a quarter of the amount they should be, and high SPF can give a false sense of security, leading people to ‘forget’ to reapply during the day. So it’s better to use an SPF30 reapplied than an SPF50 only once, as it also reduces the risk of forgetting one area.
“SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and this measurement indicates how long a sunscreen will protect you from the sun’s burning UVB rays (indeed, not against ageing UVA rays). The protection is higher as the number goes up, though marginally: SPF15 blocks about 93% of all UV-B rays; SPF30 blocks about 97% of all UV-B rays; SPF50 blocks about 98% of all UV-B rays.
“The numbers also indicate how long you’re protected for based on your own sensitivity to sunburn. For example, if it normally takes you 10 minutes to burn without sunscreen (fair skin), with SPF10 it will take you 10 times longer to burn (100min), and with SPF30 it will take you 30 times longer to burn (300min).
“Sunburn happens when the skin is exposed to UV for too long without protection (or without enough protection). It is initially red and sore and sometimes can make you generally feel unwell, and when it resolves with/without treatment, it leaves you with damaged skin, often visible as extra pigmentation within the burnt area and a seriously increased risk of skin cancer within that area in the long term.”
For 21 years, The MOLE Clinic has been supporting its patients with early detection of skin cancer and mole removal, with over 35,000 people every year visiting its clinics in London (3 locations: Harley Street, Oxford Circus and Moorgate), Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The MOLE Clinic was founded by lawyer Iain Mack, who was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in 2002. He quickly became passionate about assisting others to detect skin cancers early to help improve UK survival rates. Iain subsequently founded The MOLE Clinic® in London in 2003 and pioneered skin cancer screening in the UK, and developed The Mole Clinic Screening Nurse Training Programme - the only such programme accredited by the Royal College of Nursing.
More information on The MOLE Clinic can be found at https://www.themoleclinic.co.uk/