![\"Youthful:](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/14\/108803779-15840933-image-a-1_1779457437328.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Youthful: Consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall, 54, has worn sunscreen every day for 30 years<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Seven people die from malignant melanoma every day<\/span> in the UK, and cases are rising, with a record high number reported last week by Cancer Research UK. Yet skin cancer is largely preventable.<\/p>\nThe clearest sign of sun damage is sunburn, which in turn raises your risk of skin cancer \u2013 the more you get sunburnt (especially in childhood), the greater your chances are of developing it.<\/p>\n
Each additional blistering sunburn before the age of 15 increases the relative risk of melanoma by 3.2 per cent, according to a major study of over 44,000 participants published last year in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.<\/p>\n
And whatever is being said on social media by influencers, you really cannot \u2018train your skin\u2019 to build protection against sun damage by slowly tanning.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true that skin builds up a degree of tolerance to the sun, as light triggers cells in our skin to release melanin, the dark pigment that causes a tan. This is the skin\u2019s attempt to protect itself, as melanin absorbs more of the UV radiation that damages skin.<\/p>\n
But chronic sun exposure will still cause damage over time. A tan is a warning sign that the skin is already damaged.<\/p>\n
(The idea that a pre-holiday sunbed will protect against sun damage is also rubbish \u2013 the levels of UVA, the type of ultraviolet radiation used in sunbeds, are up to ten times the sun\u2019s and even just one use under the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75 per cent, reported the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology last year.)<\/p>\n
Sunscreen is vital. And not \u2018just\u2019 to prevent skin cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I have worn sunscreen every day since I was 23, even before I started training as a dermatologist. At the age of 54 I\u2019m told I look younger than my years \u2013 and I think this is largely to do with protecting my skin from UV.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/14\/108803971-15840933-image-a-7_1779458011560.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
How much do you really need? Read on for our top-to-toe application guide<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Young women in their 30s and even their 20s often come to my clinic asking for Botox and other anti-ageing treatments.<\/p>\n
But there is one, much more effective, and cheaper preventive: wearing SPF50. This applies to men, too.<\/p>\n
Skin conditions such as rosacea are also affected by UV exposure. Studies suggest sun exposure is the top trigger in more than 80 per cent of sufferers (rosacea causes an angry rash, a red, inflamed nose and spots). I advise many of my rosacea patients to wear sun cream on their face year round.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But of course, what\u2019s important is applying enough sunscreen to get the sun protection promised on the label, choosing a product that protects against both UVA and UVB (the main cause of sunburn).<\/p>\n
Here are my top tips on what to pick, how to wear it – and the mistakes to avoid:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n- You need to apply 2mg of cream per square centimetre of skin. Yet research shows, on average, we apply less than half of this. For a week\u2019s holiday you should pack at least a 200ml bottle of sun cream per person.<\/li>\n
- The SPF (sun protection factor) on the label shows the UVB protection, i.e. how much more UVB radiation your skin can absorb before burning compared to unprotected skin. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin \u2013 protection is measured in stars, so choose at least four-star protection.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- I would recommend always wearing SPF50 \u2013 and in the UK, apply it to all exposed skin once the UV index is above 3. (For darker skin tones allow for some sun exposure – though not extended – as there is a risk of not getting enough vitamin D.) I apply SPF50 to the face, neck and hands all year round, mostly to protect against UVA and visible light in winter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Don\u2019t assume that a moisturiser that has an SPF is enough protection \u2013 swap your face cream with SPF for a proper sunscreen, at least in the summer. (Not least as while a face cream might have SPF, it doesn\u2019t always offer protection against UVA too.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- While it\u2019s really important to protect your skin at home, the most dangerous pattern of sun exposure is if your skin has been covered for most weeks of the year then is suddenly exposed to high UV levels on a two-week holiday, with subsequent sunburn \u2013 this pattern is linked to the development of melanomas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Even really good, well-applied sunscreen is no substitute for covering up and staying in the shade \u2013 but you will still need sunscreen, as the UV rays can bounce off surfaces, such as water, sand and even grass.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Protected?](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/05\/22\/14\/108803953-15840933-image-a-4_1779457632444.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n