Are Costly Sun Creams Worth It? ITV's Dr Hilary's Advice
ITV's Doctor Hilary recently gave his expert advice on staying safe in the sun, during a chat on the network's Lorraine.
Just one case of sunburn for a child doubles the risk of melanoma, the doctor said, when speaking to host Lorraine Kelly.
He explained, "There are sixteen cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed every year, and two thousand deaths."
Do the most expensive sun creams offer the best protection?
Lorraine then asked Dr Hilary if it was necessary to spend "a fortune" on sunscreen.
He replied that if a sunscreen did not "have the SPF factor that is recommended in the NHS guidelines to protect you, then that money is not well spent."
"You've got to look for an SPF factor of at least 15, preferably 30," Dr Hilary went on.
"But also look at the star rating, which is the UVA protection. You want to go for a sunscreen that gives you at least four stars, preferably five."
"Some of the expensive brands don't have that four or five. So you're spending double the amount for less protection."
"Some of the supermarket own brands will have five stars, plus SPF 30."
Dr Hilary also reminded viewers they had to put on enough sun screen, "otherwise it's not going to give you what it claims to do on the bottle."
He said adults should use two tablespoons or a "shot glass" amount for the face and exposed areas on the body.
"For a child aged four or five playing in the sun, at least a couple of table spoons on each limb - and the face."
New device to help stay safe in the sun
Dr Hilary also discussed a new gadget from La Roche Posay, which detects how much ultra violet light a person is exposed to. The device talks to the owner's smartphone and provides real-time information on UV exposure, so people know when it's time to get out of the sun, put on a top, or re-apply sunscreen.
Are once-a-day sun creams beneficial?
One viewer asked Dr Hilary if once-a-day sun block was effective.
The doctor said tests showed that the SPF factor of a sun cream wore off over time.
"So you still really need to re-apply," he said, reminding viewers that the sun itself “acts as an abrasive” and removes sun block, as does contact with water.
You can watch Dr Hilary's segment on Lorraine here: https://www.itv.com/lorraine/health/top-tips-for-staying-safe-in-the-sun
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