As the UK endures another heatwave, SPF application has become an essential with temperatures continuing to climb.
Yet, as many retrieve their sun cream, questions persist regarding when it’s needed, particularly whether sun protection is required during the evening.
To address this, we spoke to Dr Tina Tian, a consultant dermatologist at Stratum Clinics Oxford, who provided expert advice on safeguarding skin throughout the long, golden summer evenings.
Should I put sunscreen on in the evenings and early in the morning?
The sun emits both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, and they cause different types of damage to unprotected skin.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation’s website, UVA has a longer wavelength and is mainly associated with tanning and skin ageing. Whereas, UVB has a shorter wavelength and is mainly associated with sunburn.
You can check the UV index on most standard weather apps and on the Met Office’s website.
“UVB is absorbed by the ozone a lot more than UVA which means that whilst both of them are much higher at the peak hours of sun, when they dip in the morning and at night, UVB dips a lot more,” explains Tian.
“Burning rays is mostly to do with UVB rays, so sunburn is much less likely to happen in the evenings. Therefore, if your main concern is from a skin cancer point of view, then you’re probably okay just wearing sunscreen between 9am and 5pm.”
However, if you are thinking about protection from a skin ageing point of view, then she recommends wearing sunscreen when light is still present.
“If sunlight is still present, it is still potentially significant enough to cumulate over a lifetime and make a difference to your skin ageing and pigmentation,” says Tian.
Being proactive about skin ageing can reap big benefits in the future.
“You’ll get less pigmentation, less fine lines, less wrinkles and less saggy skin,” says Tian. “Your skin will also look more glowy, plumper and more hydrated.”
So, if you are really serious about skin ageing, she recommends topping up your sunscreen outside of the peak hours of sun.
“Pop some sunscreen on early in the morning before you go on a dog walk at 7am and in the evening before you walk home from work,” suggests the dermatologist.
What about children?
“With children, we’re more worried about skin cancer and burning risk than skin ageing, so in the evenings it’s probably not as imperative for them to wear sunscreen,” says Tian.
“Particularly with the weather we have at the moment, if you make sure they wear sunscreen in the mornings and between 9am-5pm, that will give them a good amount of coverage.”
What time of day should I definitely wear sunscreen?
“I would say putting on sunscreen between 10am and 4pm is a must, but obviously that’s quite an awkward time of day if you are working, so I would recommend applying some layers during your morning routine so you’ve got it on,” advises Tian.
Remembering to reapply sunscreen throughout the day is also important.
“I would recommend reapplying it every two hours because your sunscreen breaks down with your sweat and with oils from your skin,” advises Tian.
What else can I do to protect skin during the evenings?
Sun-protective clothing is the simplest way to stay safe.
“A physical barrier is always going to be better and more reliable than sunscreen, so UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) clothing is great,” says Tian. “Clothing that has 50-plus UPF will give you an amazing amount of protection.
“If you don’t have any official UPF clothing, you can hold clothing up to the light and the amount of light showing through will tell you how much protection it will give you.”
Darker, thicker clothing will offer more protection to light-coloured clothing, she adds.
The dermatologist also recommends seeking shade and wearing a hat and sunglasses.
“When choosing sunglasses, look for the CE mark and UV400 label to make sure you’re protecting your eyes and your face,” advises Tian.
How can I look after my skin before I go to bed after a long day in the sun?
“Double cleanse to wash away any remaining sunscreen so that the other ingredients you use afterwards are able the penetrate the skin better,” recommends Tian.
After a long day in the sun, products with calming ingredients should be your go to.
“Anti-inflammatory ingredients are really good. I particular like aloe vera or niacinamide which are both very calming,” says Tian.
“Vitamin E is also great because it’s really moisturising and has antioxidant effects, so will neutralise some of the free radicals from the sunlight that damaging the skin’s DNA.
“Another thing to look out for is hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which help draw water into the skin which will really help your skin hydrate after that dehydration from the sun during the day.”
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