August M
Step outside on a bright day, and the warmth of the sun feels instantly relaxing.
While spending time in the sun can boost your mood, the damage you cannot see or feel may pose the greatest risk, BBC reports.
Hidden danger
Recent heatwaves have brought unusually high ultraviolet radiation levels across the country. According to a BBC report, while a little sunlight helps the body create essential vitamin D, getting too much can trigger serious long-term health issues like eye damage and early aging.
The biggest threat remains skin cancer. Experts warn that even a single bad sunburn elevates your lifetime risk significantly.
“Every exposure to UV, especially every sunburn, increases our risk of skin cancer,” says Prof Dorothy Bennett from St George’s, University of London, in the report. She added that “Melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, is now the fifth commonest cancer in the UK.”
Reading the index
To help people track the danger, scientists use a global scale known as the UV Index. It runs from zero upward, and higher numbers mean your skin will burn much faster.
British summer days typically hit a level of five or six. However, locations closer to the equator experience far more intense rays, with places like Nairobi frequently climbing past ten.
Many people mistakenly believe that cooler temperatures or heavy cloud cover offer a safe shield. BBC Weather’s Helen Willetts warned that “Your skin can burn just as quickly whether it’s 30C or 20C,” because thin clouds fail to block the radiation.
Staying safe
Protecting your skin requires a proactive strategy. The NHS recommends using a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher and applying it 30 minutes before stepping outdoors.
Adults generally need six to eight teaspoons of lotion to cover their entire body. This protection must be reapplied every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating.
Darker skin tones are not completely immune to the dangers either. Dr Bav Shergill from the British Association of Dermatologists noted that he regularly treats diverse patients. In the BBC report, he explained, “I have, for example, seen South Asian people with skin cancer and I have seen people with dual-heritage get skin cancer.”
Sources: BBC
