Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and as every other organ, it needs good protection. With most part of the world currently experiencing hot sunny days, it’s crucial to apply sunscreen on your skin before going outside. Even if the sun is not out, up to 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays can pass through the clouds and cause harm to your skin.
A recent study by researchers from University of Liverpool in the UK has discovered that people miss about 10 percent of their face when applying sunscreen.
Over 90 perfect of basal cell carcinomas (BCC), the most popular type of skin cancer in the UK, occur on the head or neck. The most neglected area on the skin is the eyelids. This helps explain why 5 to 10 percent of skin cancers occur on the eyelids.
A total number of 57 respondents were asked to apply sunscreen to their faces as they normally would. Then the researchers used a UV camera to see which parts of their faces had sunscreen and which parts were missed.
On average, people missed about 10 percent of the whole face, and the eyelids and inner eye corner area were most often dismissed when it comes to sun protection.
Sunscreen is safe to use around the eye area. Be sure to choose a formula that won’t irritate. Natural, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free sunscreens are your best bet for your face.
Sunscreen is only part of the story. We need to use other items to protect ourselves in the sun, for instance sunglasses and hats.
“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,” said Dr Kevin Hamill, from the university’s department of eye and vision science.
He added, “Apply at least factor 30 sunscreen, wear sunglasses that show the CE mark and British Standard (BSEN1836) and spend time in the shade when the sun is at its hottest between 11am and 3pm.”
Read also: Supergoop! Your Way To Protect Your Skin From The Sun
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