Are you a 'slapdash slatherer'?
Friday 04 June 2010
We’re all aware of the dangers of failing to cover up in the sun, but now a survey has shown that there is a new hidden risk in the form of ‘slapdash slatherers’.
A survey of 2,140 people across the UK, carried out by Superdrug and Cancer Research UK, found that many of us don’t put on enough sunscreen or reapply it often enough. As a result we are being exposed to sunburn, a sign that the skin’s DNA has been damaged, in ways that can lead to cancer.
Worryingly, it seems people are confused about how often they should be reapplying sunscreen when the sun is strong – both in the UK and abroad. When holidaying abroad, almost half of people who wear sunscreen don’t reapply it at least every two hours – the recommended amount, even for once a day sunscreens.
People were also less likely to use sunscreen in the UK, with 42% of people either regularly forgetting to apply sunscreen or never using it, compared with 22% doing so abroad. In the UK, the sun’s rays can be more than capable of burning the skin, so it is important not to let sunburn catch you out.
Throughout the summer, Superdrug will be providing information and advice to its customers about sun safety, including free skin cancer risk assessments in all 200+ pharmacy stores. These stores will also be offering free sunscreen consultations showing how to apply sunscreen correctly.
By Maggie Hitchins