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Protect against the sun

Sun protection: eyes and skin

Skin and eyes need protection against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, whether you're on home or holiday.

It’s important to protect your skin from sun damage because it can cause skin cancer. More than 75,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with skin cancer each year.

“Sun protection is something you need to be aware of every day in the summer,” says Rebecca Russell from Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart campaign.

Sun damage happens when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays penetrate deep into the skin and damage cells. You can’t feel this happening, and it can occur even when the sun doesn’t feel very hot.

Sunbeds are just as dangerous as lying in the sun. “Using sunbeds before the age of 35 increases your risk of skin cancer by up to 75%,” says Rebecca. “Sunbeds also accelerate the skin’s natural ageing process.”

Protect your eyes

Simon Kelly, of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, warns that sun can burn the eyes too. 

"Over-exposure to ultraviolet light, such as a day at the beach without proper eye protection, can cause a temporary but painful burn to the surface of the eye, similar to sunburn on the skin," he says.

He adds that reflected sunlight from snow and water, and artificial light from sunbeds, is particularly dangerous. Always avoid looking directly at the sun. "Staring directly at the sun can permanently scar the retina, the area at the back of the eye responsible for vision," he says.

Another risk to eyes is skin cancer, which can affect the eyelids and area around the eyes. Long-term exposure to the sun can increase this risk.

According to Cancer Research UK, wearing a wide-brimmed hat can reduce the amount of UV rays reaching your face and eyes by over 50%.

Sunglasses can also offer protection, but not all will be adequate. When you’re shopping for sunglasses, choose a pair that has one of the following:

  • the 'CE Mark' and British Standard (BS EN 1836:1997),
  • a UV 400 label, or
  • a statement that the sunglasses offer 100% UV protection.

Think about the sides of your eye as well; and consider sunglasses with wide or wraparound arms.

Protect your skin

The SunSmart campaign suggests these simple steps:

Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm.
Make sure you never burn.
Aim to cover up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses.
Remember to take extra care with children.
Then use factor 15+ sunscreen.

Report mole changes or unusual skin growths to your doctor as these can be a sign of cancer.

Take special care not to burn, and be very careful with children. “Sunburn is dangerous at any age, but it's especially harmful in children and young people,” says Rebecca. “Sunburn in childhood can greatly increase your risk of developing skin cancer later on in life.”

Do I need to worry if I have naturally dark skin?

People with naturally brown or black skin are less likely to get skin cancer as darker skin has some protection against UV rays, but skin cancer can still occur.

Skin cancer can affect anyone, but people most at risk have:

  • fair skin that burns in strong sun,
  • red or fair hair, 
  • a lot of moles or freckles, 
  • a personal or family history of skin cancer, and
  • been sunburned before, especially when young.

Reproduced under the terms of Click-Use Licence number C2009000382. The content of this page has been published under a Click-Use Licence (link this to http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index) which covers the use of core Crown copyright information. The original material can be found on NHS Choices.