As the Summer season officially kicks off, we've been busy exploring sun safety habits across women in America. Although we feel we're a nation extremely educated and clued up on the dangers of UV rays, some of our findings are fairly shocking!
There is plenty of information available on the harmful effects of the sun, yet our latest survey revealed that just 1 in 5 women are wearing an SPF daily. That's right, just over 20% of women ensure they are wearing some form of SPF protection everyday.
We have to admit, this statistic came as a surprise, especially as there is a lot of knowledge out there on how the sun is still reaching your skin even behind the clouds. But our shocks didn't end there: we also uncovered a more findings too, such as the following:
51% of women are concerned about developing premature aging from sun exposure, and 48% concerned about developing skin cancer.
When American women were asked about what their number one concern was when exposing their skin to the sun, 51% agreed it is all about the risks of premature aging. Second to this, 42% expressed concern towards developing skin cancer.
Both are worrying factors, in which precautions should be taken to prevent both. However, with 1 in 5 women now expected to develop skin cancer, it's something more of us should be concerned about, and take more action to prevent.
45% believed that a typical SPF product provided 100% sun protection
In actual fact, SPF 30 products only give 93% UVB protection, and SPF 50 gives 98% protection. That means that no SPF gives 100%. It's useful for women to take this fatc on board, and ideally if you want to be protecting your skin health the best way possible, it appears SPF 50 is your best bet.
Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2 hours, yet only 15% of women do this
For maximum protection, sunscreen should be applied every 2 hours. All creams, sprays, gels etc have the tendency to wear off after a while, with elements like sweating, water and general rubbing on clothes making this worse.
The survey also revealed that half of us are only applying once a day, and 37% applying every 4-5 hours. Remember the two hour rule in a bid to prevent burning!
A third of women purchased an SPF product just once a year
This stat shows us just how much stocking up on SPF products isn't a priority. Sure, in the Winter when the weather is much colder, we don't expect everyone to be rubbing in the sun protection. But in general, SPF should be worn at all times, especially on the delicate skin of the face. And with that in mind, an SPF product should be purchased much more often than once a year!
80% of women reach for their sunglasses as a first precaution against the sun, rather than SPF
As soon as you step outside in the sun, you'll possibly squint first, which is understandable why the sunglasses are reached for. However, SPF should be seen equally as the first step towards protection, and you really shouldn't be exposing yourself to the sun without it.
Despite 51% of our customers being concerned about the sun causing pre-mature aging, and 48% around developing skin cancer; it is surprising to see the low use of SPF. Recent research has shown the strong links between using an SPF and protection against these concerns
“Is there a connection between not wearing SPF and developing skin cancer?’
Yes, in fact, the American Academy of Dermatology cites that experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15-20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and non-melanoma skin cancer risk by 68%. This means that young adults are at higher risk for skin cancer, and reinforces the importance of starting sun safety behaviors at a young age. - La Roche Posay
From these results, it's safe to say that sunscreen habits need to change in order for us to become a nation which stays safe. An SPF should be used daily; even in cloudy conditions your skin is still vulnerable. An SPF 50 product will only block 98% of UV rays, so it is super important that even a quality SPF product is re-applied every 2 hours to provide the best protection.
The good news is that beauty brands out there can't get enough of packing in that all important SPF into products. SkinSytore offers an extensive range of daily skincare products, such as moisturizers and even foundations loaded with SPF, making it easier to protect yourself while continuing your daily beauty regime.
Some of our favorites are below!
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