La Roche-Posay promotes sun safety as new research suggests Brits are being fooled by misinformation
New research from La Roche-Posay suggests that suncare remains a major blind spot for Brits, with experts warning that misinformation could lead to millions suffering sun damage as temperatures rise.
The skincare brand found generational gaps in its research, with 29% of Gen Z believing you cannot get sunburned within the first 30 minutes of being outside – a belief that La Roche-Posay says stems from their parents.
It also found that a greater number of men than women believe suncare to be seasonal, with 26% agreeing that suncream is only necessary in the summer, compared to 17% of women.
Encouragingly, 38% of people polled did however share that their attitude towards sun safety has changed in the last six months.
The top misconceptions around suncream from the research were:
- Wearing suncream means you won’t get burned (26% agree).
- Suncream causes blemishes and breakouts (25% agree).
- Suncream can be harmful to skin (22% agree).
- Sunburn is unavoidable (23% agree).
La Roche-Posay said these misconceptions are leading to unnecessary sun damage, as well as increasing people's risk of skin cancer.
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As a result, the brand is on a mission to educate consumers on sun safety, particularly the difference between UVA and UVB, which can be remembered through their effects on the skin: 'A' for 'Ageing' and 'B' for 'Burning'.
"UVA rays activate existing melanin in the skin and lead to short term tanning. Meanwhile, UVB rays penetrate the surface layers of the skin and are the major contributor to sunburn. These rays also increase melanin production in the skin, which causes the delayed tanning effect following sunburn," it said.
La Roche-Posay is partnering with dermatologist Dr Hiva Fassihi to help simplify sun education as part of its wider aim to help consumers take care of their skin.
"Too many people avoid wearing suncream because they think it might be harmful to their skin, or they think it is healthier to have a tan," said Dr Fassihi.
"There is no evidence of this and plenty of evidence that excess sun exposure is very harmful to the skin. Although invisible, harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that cause skin cancer and ageing are present all year-round.
"Sun protection should be applied daily, even in winter, but especially when the sun is out. La Roche-Posay is heavily involved with dermatologists to develop and design its suncreams. It has a huge range of products, from tinted SPFs to light and spray formulations."
