65% of women feel it’s not necessary to wear sunscreen in hot or sunny conditions, according to research by skincare brand Hada Labo Tokyo.
The study also revealed eight in ten (79%) were concerned about the sun’s impact on skin ageing, with 91% of women knowing that the sun can cause skin damage, yet only a third (32%) of women actively avoid the sun.
Amongst these concerns, 85% of the women polled believed that the sun causes skin dehydration, but only 41% thought about hydrating their skin more during summer.
According to the data, four in ten women do not reapply sunscreen after exercising outdoors or playing sports in the sun, despite the fact that sweat can break down sunscreen and cause it to lose its protection.
Why are women avoiding sunscreen?
Tanning: As sunnier days approach, getting a tan is becoming more of a priority and 57% of the woomen polled have skipped sunscreen in the hope of getting a good one.
Knowledge gap: 45% of women didn’t know the difference between UVA and UVB rays.
Product problems: 47% of women found that sunscreen makes their skin feel greasy.
How should your clients minimise damage?
GP and medical broadcaster Dr Hilary Jones says: “the best protection is to avoid the sun altogether but the Hada Labo Tokyo research has found that few women are doing that.
“It’s also wise to wear a hat to protect the face and to limit time spent in the sun between peak hours of 10am and 3pm.”
Dr Nisa Aslam, GP and skin specialist, added: “no matter whether it’s sunny or not, high spf sunscreen is essential
“To help potentially stall the signs of ageing, a sunscreen that also contains nourishing skin-supporting ingredients, is essential.
Dr Jones continued, “To give skin the best protection possible, sunscreen should be applied after sweating or getting wet, as well as every hour generally.”
