Stay Safe, Wear Clothes
By Ceri Harrop
One of the world’s leading medical journals has published ground-breaking research on how to reduce the risk of skin cancer and ageing effects of the sun... avoid it – timely, if obvious, advice.From glossy magazines, to newspapers and websites, we are constantly being told the benefits and, conversely, the health risks of being exposed to the sun’s golden rays. On the one hand sunshine boosts our immune systems and vitamin D levels, and the melanin in our skin protects us from the more harmful effects of excessive sun exposure. Having a suntan not only offers protection, but boosts our self-confidence, and hence our sex-drives. So everyone is a little happier with themselves and life in general.
On the other hand, too much sun can lead to health problems, early ageing of skin and an increased risk of developing skin cancer. So be sure only to expose yourself to the sun before noon and late in the day, as the midday sun is far too dangerous.
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So which advice should we follow, who do we believe? Surely, amidst the reams of advice, we can’t go wrong by taking heed of the Lancet, one of the world’s most respected and widely-read medical journals. This esteemed periodical keeps our doctors up-to-date on all things medical.
The Lancet recently published a study into the health benefits and risks of frolicking in the sunshine. So our GPs should be able to clarify the situation once and for all. And the conclusions of this comprehensive review? Avoid direct sunlight. Brilliant!
In Australia, the sun protection campaign, in true laid-back Aussie style, is “Slip-Slop-Slap”. It exhorts people to “slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat” in order to prevent skin cancer. Since the campaign started back in 1981, it has been highly successful, recognised not just in Australia but globally. The highly memorable and easy to follow campaign has seen a sharp decline in the incidences of skin cancer.
Can we not follow the same tried-and-tested advice in the UK? Well, to a certain extent, yes. Wearing hats seems quite favourable, but on no account should we use sunscreen to allow us to spend increasing lengths of time in the sun. The Lancet review states that clothes are much better than sunscreen as protection from the UV rays.
This all seems straight forward enough. After enduring months of short days, long dark nights and precious little sunlight, I certainly don’t want to cook my pasty white skin in scorching sunshine. So I’ll trot off to the coast for Bank Holiday weekend with a big hat, some sunscreen for my face and a crisp, cool linen shirt to throw on whilst strolling in the sunshine. No, no, no, no, no! Linen?!
The review specifically states that tightly woven, thick garments – preferably made of wool, denim or polyester – offer much greater protection. Cotton and linen offer little protection by comparison.
So it seems the following is the best course of action: avoid sunshine at all costs. Maybe not because it poses such a great risk for skin cancer, but because, should you have to leave the confines of your darkened room/cellar, you risk severe discomfort as you battle raging temperatures and glorious sunshine wearing the ONLY clothes offering sufficient protection…shrunken denim and polyester. The loss of fluids through perspiration could prove lethal, so best stay indoors, ignore the summer months and wait patiently for the clocks to change again, the nights to draw in and the short, dark days to return.
Or there’s always “Slip, Slop, Slap”…
Visit Ceri's page or hang around for more from the laboratory of the bleedin' obvious:
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