Shaded Nation

A high number of people are unaware of what to look out for when buying sunscreen, according to the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) and La Roche-Posay.

BAD and the skincare company asked people about their knowledge of sunscreen as part of wider survey about sun protection to promote the 2013 Sun Awareness Week, which will run from May 6th to 12th this year.

Only 38 per cent of respondents knew that the SunProtection Factor (SPF) is what predominantly protects against sunburn, while a product’s UVA rating helps to prevent skin from ageing.

A potential cause for this misconception is a rise in the number of moisturisers being sold that contain SPF, as people assume the added properties will prevent wrinkling, when it is UVA protection – which is often not included in these products – that performs this function.

Managing director of La Roche-Posay Yannick Raynaud said: “These statistics show that there is still a huge need to raise awareness about the need for sun protection and to educate the public about what to look for in a sunscreen and the difference between a product’s UVA rating and SPF.

“Our objective is to help raise awareness of the need for protection and decrease the risks associated with exposure.”

The survey found that a significant amount of people are currently unaware about the damage sunlight can do to skin and how to prevent this from happening.

A belief that their skin is darker than it actually is, that a base tan protects against sunburn and not knowing how to spot potential signs of skin cancer are some of the most common misconceptions Brits have.

Hopefully the Sun Awareness Week will serve to inform people about these issues and make sure they are prepared to stay safe in the sun during the summer.

One way to guard against the threat of sunburn is to install a shade sail – attractive and reliable shade structures that are specifically designed to block out 98.8 per cent of harmful UV rays.