We all know that staying healthy in the sun is vital, but how much do you really know?  Our resident skin care expert has looked into the science behind some of the most common myths...

Myth: "I like to get a tan but I need to burn first before I go brown"

Reality: You can tan without burning. UVB radiation causes burning (and skin cancer) as it damages your skin cells.  UVA causes tanning as it stimulates the product of melanin (the skin pigment). Be careful though as UVA can also cause skin ageing and has been implicated in causing cancer, so make sure you use a high quality sun cream and limit your exposure.

Myth: “I need to wear an SPF skin cream all year round”

Reality: Unfortunately for us in the UK there really isn’t enough UVB radiation to warrant SPF all year round.  In fact your skin actually needs some UVB exposure to trigger vitamin D synthesis, which we can't get from our diet.  As we generally cover up during the cold weather and spend very little time outdoors anyway we can do without sunscreen during winter.  There is an exception to this rule however and that is winter sports - if you spend all day out in the sun at high altitudes, apply a high SPF sun cream.

Myth: "Indoor lighting can damage your skin"

Reality: Light bulbs emit visible light only so cause no damage to skin.  Only sun bed lamps emit UV radiation.

Myth: "I can't get sun burn through a window"

Reality: Glass lets through about 97% of UVA and 37% of UVB and this varies depending on the type of glass, so you could burn through glass. 

Myth: "I can tell everything I need to know about a sun care product from the SPF on the label"

Reality: SPF only protects against UVB, which causes burning, not UVA, which can cause skin aging and skin cancer. If you are concerned about UVA damage, you need to look on the label for broad spectrum protection, the UVA protection symbol, or a high Star Ratings.  Many Japanese products also have a PA rating, which indicates how much protection you'll get from UVA.

Myth: "I can sun bathe during the day, and enjoy my tan in the evening"

Reality: Tanning doesn't usually occur until 48 hours after you've been exposed to the sun.  This is why many people spend too much time in the sun - they sun bathe one day, and then go back again the next because they're not yet happy with the results.  Instead they would probably see the results after another 24 hours.

Myth: "If you are wearing sunscreen you can stay in the sun as long as you want"

Reality: Research shows that many people misuse sunscreen as they use them as a reason to stay out in the sun longer.

If your skin burns in 10 minutes and you apply an SPF 6 totally and evenly over your whole body then you will burn in 10 times 6 minutes (60 minutes or 1 hour). And that is it. Even if you reapply your SPF 6 again after one hour your skin is already burnt. And UV damage is irreversible.

No sun protection product no matter how high the SPF will provide total and complete protection from UV.

Myth: "My child will be OK in the pool wearing a t-shirt"

Reality: Fabrics do offer UV protection but the SPF depends on the yarn and on how tight the knit/weave it.  A Cotton t-shirt is only about SPF 6 and when wet (or stretched) the SPF is even lower. We recommend dark colours, fabrics with a tight weave and specially designed UV protective clothing. We also recommend a water resistant sunscreen on the uncovered areas.

Myth: "I don’t need sunscreen on a cloudy day"

Reality: Clouds only block about 20% of UV radiation letting 80% of it through, so it is important to wear sunscreen if you are spending time outdoors in the summer time, even on a cloudy day.

Myth: "I didn’t feel myself burning, my skin didn’t get hot"

Reailty: IR (infra red) radiation makes your skin feel hot, but windy weather or being in the water reduces this hot feeling so you can still be damaged by UVB rays without actually feeling it until it is too late.

Myth: "An SPF 30 sunscreen blocks twice as much UV as an SPF 15"

Reality: The SPF of a sunscreen tells you how long you can stay out in the sun before burning, it is not a measure of the power of the sunscreen.  Applying a thick and even layer of an SPF 15 sunscreen will ensure you block 93.33% of UV, so only 6.67% will get through to your skin.  An SPF 30 blocks 96.67% of UV which is only 3.34% more than an SPF 15 ... suprising isn't it?