A heatwave is coming to the UK - with temperatures expected to reach 21C in the North East this week.
But experts say too much sun can lead to skin cancer later in life.
The NHS has advice on how best to apply sunscreen to avoid contracting the disease.
“Sunburn doesn’t just happen on holiday – you can burn in the UK, even when it’s cloudy,” the NHS says.
The advice comes after research last year showed people are not applying sunscreen to enough parts of their face.
Experts say we should use sunglasses because we are not covering the whole face - including the eyelids.
Here are NHS tips on slapping on the sunscreen.
What strength of sun cream should I use?
The higher the SPF number, the better the protection.
SPF stands for sun protection factor and you need a factor of at least 15.
Go to 30 if you’re worried it’s not enough.
Make sure the sunscreen is not past its expiry date as most sunscreens have a shelf life of just two to three years.
How much should I put on?
If you plan to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice:
- 30 minutes before going out
- just before going out
Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin, including the face, neck and ears – and head if you have thinning or no hair – but a wide-brimmed hat is better.
Sunscreen needs to be reapplied liberally and frequently, and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Is there any guidance about the volume to be applied?
Most people don’t apply enough sunscreen. As a guide, adults should aim to apply around two teaspoons of sunscreen if you’re just covering your head, arms and neck.
It goes up to two tablespoons if you’re covering your entire body while wearing a swimming costume.
If sunscreen is applied too thinly - and most of us are guilty of this - the amount of protection it gives is reduced.
What about swimming?
Sunscreen should be applied again straight after you’ve been in water – even if it is water resistant.
Do it again after towel drying, sweating, or when it may have rubbed off.
Water washes sunscreen off, and the cooling effect of the water can make you think you’re not getting burned when you are.
Should children go out in direct sunlight?
Children aged under six months should be kept out of direct strong sunlight.
The NHS says: “Take extra care to protect babies and children.
“Their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin, and damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing in later life.”
From March to October in the UK, children should:
- cover up with suitable clothing
- spend time in the shade – particularly from 11am to 3pm
- wear at least SPF15 sunscreen.
What else apart from SFP should I look for?
The sun protection factor, or SPF, is a measure of the amount of ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) protection.
SPFs are rated on a scale of 2-50+ based on the level of protection they offer, with 50+ offering the strongest form of UVB protection.
The star rating measures the amount of ultraviolet A radiation (UVA) protection. You should see a star rating of up to five stars on UK sunscreens. The higher the star rating, the better.
The letters “UVA” inside a circle is a European marking. This means the UVA protection meets EU recommendations .
Why is it important to apply sun cream?
Research found sunbathers generally forget to apply sun cream to key areas of their face.
A 2017 study on 57 people presented at the British Association of Dermatologists’ annual conference in Liverpool found that people fail to put sun cream on a tenth of their face on average.
This is despite the face being a very common site for skin cancer.
More than 90% of basal cell carcinomas - the most common cancer in the UK - occur on the head or neck, and between 5% and 10% of all skin cancers appear on the eyelids.
Experts warned that a failure to apply sun cream - together with warnings on sunscreen bottles to avoid the eye area - were putting people at risk.
Do sunglasses help?
Yes - and that’s the big lesson from the research.
On average, people missed 9.5% of the whole face - most commonly the eyelids and the area between the inner corner of the eye and the bridge of the nose.
As a result, experts said people should take extra precautions, such as wearing sunglasses.
What do the experts say?
Dr Kevin Hamill of the University of Liverpool, one of the researchers, said: “It’s worrying that people find it so hard to sufficiently apply sunscreen to their face, an area which is particularly at risk of skin cancer due to the amount of sun exposure it receives.
“Perhaps the most important thing to take away from this research is the importance of sunglasses.
“Most people consider the point of sunglasses is to protect the eyes, specifically corneas, from UV damage, and to make it easier to see in bright sunlight.
“However, they do more than that - they protect the highly cancer-prone eyelid skin as well.”