As another scorching British heatwave sweeps across the country, keeping your skin safe during daylight hours has never felt more important. However, as many people search for half-forgotten bottles of lotion, confusion persists about when exactly sun protection is needed. To clarify, Dr Tina Tian, a consultant dermatologist at Stratum Clinics Oxford, provides expert advice on evening protection.
Understanding UVA and UVB Radiation
The sun emits two distinct types of radiation: ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB), which affect skin differently. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UVA has a longer wavelength and is primarily linked with tanning and skin ageing, while UVB has a shorter wavelength and is chiefly associated with sunburn.
"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 the sun, when they dip in the morning and at night, UVB dips a lot more. 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," explains Dr Tian.
Evening Sunscreen for Anti-Ageing
However, if your primary concern is protecting your skin from premature ageing, Dr Tian advises applying sunscreen whenever daylight remains. "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." Taking a proactive approach to skin ageing can yield significant rewards. "You'll get less pigmentation, less fine lines, less wrinkles and less saggy skin. Your skin will also look more glowy, plumper and more hydrated." For those committed to combating skin ageing, she suggests reapplying sunscreen outside of peak sun hours. "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," says the dermatologist.
Children's Sun Protection Needs
"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 Dr Tian. "Particularly with the weather we have at the moment, if you make sure they wear sunscreen in the mornings and between 9am and 5pm, that will give them a good amount of coverage."
Essential Times and Reapplication
"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. Keeping on top of sunscreen reapplication throughout the day is equally vital. "I would recommend reapplying it every two hours because your sunscreen breaks down with your sweat and with oils from your skin," advises Dr Tian.
Additional Protective Measures
Sun-protective clothing remains 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. 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," says Dr Tian. Darker, thicker garments will provide greater protection than lighter-coloured alternatives, she adds. The dermatologist further suggests seeking out shaded areas and wearing both 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."
Evening Skincare Routine
"Double cleanse to wash away any remaining sunscreen so that the other ingredients you use afterwards are able to penetrate the skin better," recommends Dr Tian. After a long day in the sunshine, soothing products should be your first choice. "Anti-inflammatory ingredients are really good. I particularly like aloe vera or niacinamide, which are both very calming," says Dr 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 damage 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."
