Spring has arrived and with it beautiful rays of sunshine.
This usually means more time outdoors and additional exposure to the sun, which can be harmful to your skin.
With that in mind, a skin doctor revealed the mistakes you make that could prove deadly.
Dr Ross Perry of skin clinic chain Cosmedics said the problem with heat waves in the spring is that most people don’t prep their skin like they do in the summer.
He told The Sun: “The April sun is just as strong as August so you have to treat it as such.”
“People can often be fooled by the cooler breeze, but UV rays are just as powerful and just as likely to cause sunburn and sun damage.”
Sun rays are most often the direct cause of skin cancer, which generally falls under non-melanoma and melanoma.
Exposure to ultraviolet light, whether from the sun or from sunbeds, can lead to skin cancer.
The safer you are in the sun, the lower your risk of contracting the deadly disease.
Here, Dr. Ross warns of mistakes you could make when taking advantage of spring heat waves:
1. Do not wear sunscreen
Dr Ross said: “There are often a lot of questions about whether people should wear sunscreen on their face all year round, the simple answer is yes!
“An SPF should absolutely be used during the spring months and even all year round.
“A lot of people don’t believe you can get a sunburn in early spring like March, but that’s just not the case and puts you in dangerous territory.”
Even if you don’t suffer from sunburn in the spring, the sun’s rays constantly contribute to the aging of your skin, which you cannot immediately see.
But over the years, not wearing sunscreen accelerates wrinkles, sagging, and age spots.
Dr Ross said: “Our faces are the area most prone to aging, as well as sun damage due to being constantly exposed to the sun’s UV rays.”
He advised SPF 30 sunscreen during winter, when 90% of UV rays still penetrate clouds.
But during the spring and summer months, a factor of 50 would be more advisable “especially if you have fair skin”.
Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before high-intensity sun exposure.
“If you regularly apply sunscreen every 2-3 hours, this will hopefully allow you to expose your skin to the sun all day,” Dr. Ross said.
“However, it would be advisable to be under an umbrella between 11am and 2pm, as this intensity of sunlight is almost certainly able to penetrate sunscreen.”
2. Do not protect burned skin
If you notice that your skin has burned, take immediate action to treat it.
Dr Ross said: “The most important thing is once you realize you are burnt or scalded, take it out of the sun immediately.
“And then the best thing to do is apply moisturizing lotions like Aloe Vera or other soothing after-sun lotions and apply them every 2 hours.
“It’s also important to treat the sunburn with a cold flannel after the first few hours after the burn.
“Once the 4-6 hours have passed, continue applying regular moisturizers. You can also take anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen if it stings.
“But prevention is better than cure.”
A sunburn every two years can triple your risk of melanoma, according to Cancer Research UK.
Dr Ross said: “Darker skin tones react less to stronger sunlight or sunlight in general, but contrary to popular belief, darker skin tones can still get sunburn.”
3. Not drinking enough water
Dr Ross said a heat wave in March or April “can be a shock to the system and the skin”.
He said: ‘People may be underestimating how much water they should be drinking as it doesn’t feel like a sweltering hot summer day.
“Many people will suddenly go outside to exercise after months indoors, not thinking they might need sunscreen or more water on hand.”
Drinking plenty of water in hot weather is essential to avoid heat stroke, which can be fatal, especially for the elderly, children and people with medical conditions.
4. Not taking moles seriously
Skin cancers can be detected early through changes in moles, or new moles.
But sadly, thousands of people still die every year in the UK. The sooner you act, the sooner you can get treatment.
Dr Ross said there are some key factors to look out for when it comes to moles.
“If you have a bleeding mole, it’s definitely not normal unless you just grabbed it or it was rubbed (like on a bra strap),” he said. declared.
“Most moles don’t bleed on their own, so it’s important to check this with your doctor.
“Other things such as changes in size, shape and color are important signs of potential skin cancer.
“And if you have a mole that changes more than other moles, it would be important to get checked out.”
5. In search of vitamin D
Dr Ross said people may refuse sunscreen in search of vitamin D – which comes from sunlight and is strongest between March and September.
Doctors insist on the importance of consuming enough for the health of bones, teeth and muscles. It also keeps the skin healthy and the immune system primed.
Once we emerge from the dark winter months, vitamin D is in abundance.
With a few exceptions, you probably don’t need to go out of your way to look for it.
The NHS says: “From late March/early April to late September, the majority of people should be able to produce all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on their skin.
“Some people won’t produce enough vitamin D from sunlight because they have very little or no exposure to sunlight.”
Adults and children over four years old should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if they are not outdoors often, such as in a nursing home, and carry usually clothes that cover their skin.
People with darker skin may also consider a 10 microgram supplement, as their skin is less likely to produce enough vitamin D from sunlight.
Dr Ross said: “Regular exposure of your arms and legs to regular exercise two to three times a week will be more than enough to build up enough vitamin D.”
This story originally appeared on The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.