{"id":1072,"date":"2023-10-12T09:27:34","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T09:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.helpyourskin.co.uk\/?p=1072"},"modified":"2023-10-12T09:27:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T09:27:34","slug":"how-much-does-sunscreen-prevent-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helpyourskin.co.uk\/how-much-does-sunscreen-prevent-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does Sunscreen Prevent Cancer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know the drill, don\u2019t we – when it\u2019s hot and sunny, slather yourself with sunscreen to prevent sunburn and skin cancer – and it is even recommended to wear SPF if it\u2019s NOT sunny!<\/p>\n

But how much does sunscreen prevent cancer, realistically? We decided to have a good look into this and work out the answers for you.<\/p>\n

How Much Does Sunscreen Prevent Cancer?<\/h2>\n

Like most highly-advertised things out there, there is a fair amount of controversy about sunscreen. Does it actually prevent skin cancer, or can it contribute to causing it?<\/p>\n

Because sunscreen is such a huge industry, and we have all been taught that it can help to save our lives, there should be no doubt about its efficacy, right?<\/p>\n

Well, there have actually only been a few studies to work out how sunscreen actually prevents skin cancer.<\/p>\n

It is a very difficult thing to study, because there is such a huge variety of differences in the type of skin that people have, and many other risk factors too.<\/p>\n

However, taking all this into account, there is no real doubt that blocking the majority of the sun\u2019s most harmful rays can only be beneficial to our health.<\/p>\n

Using sunscreen can protect your skin against the most invasive and damaging of the sun\u2019s rays (that\u2019s UVA, to you and me).<\/p>\n

Therefore, whatever your feelings about it, it is definitely advisable to wear sunscreen if you are out and about on a super hot day, or if you work in the sun for prolonged periods of time.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in learning more, this article<\/a> goes into quite a lot of scientific depth on both sides of the argument.<\/p>\n

How Common Is Skin Cancer?<\/h2>\n

Skin cancer, you may already know, is one of our most common cancers. This is hardly surprising, given how much time the average human spends outside in their lifetime.<\/p>\n

In the UK alone, almost 50 cases of skin cancer are reported every single day – and this is increasing all the time.<\/p>\n

Skin cancer is more common in older people, presumably due to the cumulative effect of the sun\u2019s rays during a lifetime, and it is slightly more common in men.<\/p>\n

Rates of this particular type of cancer in the UK have more than doubled in the last decade, and are predicted to continue to rise.<\/p>\n

Despite all the doom and gloom, however, survival rates for melanoma is higher than many other types of cancer, with around an 87% survival rate.<\/p>\n

This little video gives you some tips on the best ways to avoid skin cancer:<\/p>\n