The golden rules for sun protection from Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Natalia Spierings

What sunscreen to look for and the importance of using the correct protector.

The best sunscreen is the one you like to use and is affordable to you. I suggest a SPF 50 as you are more likely to achieve this level of protection even if you apply too little (which most people do). What is more important than SPF level is that enough volume is applied – so 2.5 ml for entire face/neck/ears is the usual standard, which is a lot.

Explain the difference in creams, physical uva / uvb

I prefer physical or mineral sunblocks made of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as they don’t photodegrade in sun like chemical sunscreens and are much less likely to cause skin irritation. But they can be hard to use from a cosmetic perspective as they can be a bit chalky and leave a white caste.

Chemical sunscreens are perfectly adequate but do need to be reapplied every 2-3 hours with constant sun exposure in order to maintain the sun protective effect.

SFP refers to level of UVB protection. UVB are thought of as the ‘burning’ rays. UVA rays from the sun are the ones that cause the DNA damage and you can judge how good a sunscreen is at doing that by looking at the UVA star rating. The rating goes from 1 to 5 with 5 being the most effective.

What to look out for if you notice a change in a mole and what action you should seek.

Always see your GP straight away if you notice a change in a mole. If it is new, has gotten larger, darker, is bleeding or has in anyway changed at all, see your GP asap.

How often should you apply SPF?

For chemical sunscreens every 2-3 hours as it ‘degrades’ in sunshine and becomes less effective. Mineral sunscreens only need to be reapplied after swimming, towelling off or rubbing it off.

Are moisturisers or foundations that contain SPF sufficient?

No because you almost certainly won’t be applying enough to reach the stated SPF. Ideally you would apply ¼ to ½ teaspoon sunscreen to your face first, then moisturiser if required and then makeup etc if you wish. Don’t rely on moisturiser or foundation to provide adequate sun protection

For those that have skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis, is it better to use chemical or mineral sunscreen?

Mineral sunscreens are generally considered less irritating than chemical but this varies from person to person. The moist important thing is finding a sunscreen that you like to use and doesn’t irritate your skin or make it feel uncomfortable.

What are the most common misconceptions about SPF?

That it is the most important part of protecting your skin from the sun. It’s not. The most important thing to do to protect your skin from the sun is to physically block your skin from sun exposure with clothing, hats etc. Avoidance comes first, then physically blocking then sunscreen. That is the ‘hierarchy’ of sun protection. Think of sunscreen as ‘insurance.’

Remember, sun is the biggest ageing factor.

Apart from being the number 1 controllable cause of the appearance of aging (the other one being smoking – the one you can’t control is your genetics), sun exposure also puts you at risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is extremely common in fair skinned people as we get older due to cumulative sun exposure over a lifetime. There are two types of skin cancer – melanoma which are the ones that derive from the melanocytes or pigment-producing cells in the skin, and non-melanoma, which come from any other cell in the skin (the most common two are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma). All skin cancers are believed to be associated with sun exposure, including the UV rays from sunbeds or ‘tanning’ beds. Not all skin cancers are brown so any new lump or bump on the skin including the face should be looked at by a doctor to ensure it is not a cancerous growth. Luckily, melanoma is relatively rare but non-melanoma skin cancer is much more common so it is important to know about both types.

Consultant Dermatologist Dr Natalia Spierings of Channel 5’s Skin A&E and author Skintelligent: what you really need to know to get great skin is here to shake things up in the skincare world and isn’t afraid to tell the truth and call out the BS about all things related to skincare. Drawing on a decade of work as a practicing consultant

dermatologist, helping thousands of people achieve great skin, she will empower you with the knowledge to navigate the confusing world of skincare so you never get fooled into buying hundreds of pounds of disappointing cosmetic skincare products again. If you have a problem with your skin – whether it is pimples, pigmentation, overly dry skin, large pores or whatever – the problem you have needs to be viewed as a skin abnormality or even a disease and therefore cannot be corrected with a three-step skincare regime you buy at a department store.