You'll be delighted to know that, despite the recent wet weather, the sun is set to make an appearance in the coming weeks. And thousands of families will be jetting off to exotic locations on their summer holidays. But while we want to make the most of the sunshine, it is vital that we pay careful attention to our skin. To help raise awareness on this issue, TV presenter Jenni Falconer is fronting a new campaign by Cancer Research UK and NIVEA SUN.
Joining forces to encourage people to enjoy the sun safely, they aim to reiterate the following, simple steps that people should take to look after their skin: • Use at least factor 15 sunscreen – this is the minimum you should be using to protect your skin. Put an ice cream scoop of sunscreen on when you're out in strong sun. Sunscreen rubs off easily if you sweat, swim or change clothes. So whether you're in the UK or abroad, when the sun is strong remember to apply plenty of factor 15 or higher, regularly. • Cover up – wide-brimmed hats or foreign legion style caps are best when the sun is strong, as well as a t-shirt and a good pair of sunglasses. • Spend time in the shade if your shadow is shorter than you – between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is particularly strong, make sure to regularly retreat into the shade.
Jenni, known for her fair skin, said: "We all get a buzz of excitement when the sun comes out, but by following their advice, you can make sure you keep safe at the same time. "Personally, I think it's incredibly important to look after your skin. I always try to keep a small bottle of sunscreen in my handbag, cover up and spend some time in the shade when it's sunny." The presenter, who became a mum last September to Ella Rose, says that has made her particularly careful about keeping her daughter safe. "Children's skin is so delicate so I try to keep her out of the sun as much as possible. "And Yinka Ebo, Senior Health Information Officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "The sun has been playing a game of hide and seek this summer, but there's no hiding from the fact that overexposure to the sun's rays can be damaging. "That's why we're working to raise awareness of the steps people can take to enjoy the sun safely. This partnership will raise millions of pounds for our lifesaving research into skin cancer, and hopefully prevent it from affecting so many people in the future."