Sun Awareness Week is an important campaign run by the British Association of Dermatologists to raise awareness of skin cancer which is now the most common form of cancer in the UK. Tej & Co is proud to support this campaign and share our knowledge and expertise of skin care, and how to stay safer in the sun.

Tej & Co is a leading Midlands hair removal and skin care clinic dedicated to all matters concerning the skin. From hair removal through to thread veins, acne, and anti-aging treatments the team is dedicated to achieving the best levels of care for all of its all clients, as well as imparting expert knowledge and guidance for when clients leave the clinic.

It goes without saying that Tej & Co supports safety in the sun in order to keep skin in optimum health, help reduce the effects of aging as well as minimising the risk of developing skin cancer.

On a cloudy day

Even on a dull and cloudy day, long-wave UVA radiation levels are high (long-wave 320-400mm) and skin can still become 80% damaged. The damage can reach as far down as the dermis layer, and collagen and elastin proteins form producing free radicals that damage skin.

Not only does this accelerate skin aging it can also put you at serious risk of a number of forms of skin cancer due to the DNA damage to the cells in the skin. Even with slight redness (erythema), there is still a serious risk of specific forms of skin cancer due to the DNA damage to skin cells. 

On a sunny day

UVB radiation (short-wave 280-320nm) presents itself on sunny days, totaling 10% of UV radiation and penetrating down as far as the epidermis top layer of the skin. It is responsible for the skin burning redness found on the skin surface. 

UVB radiation is also responsible for the formation of melanin which gives skin it’s colour along with increasing the sun protection levels within the skin. Low doses of UVB even have specific health benefits as they contribute to the levels of vitamin D in the body.

Which sun protection?

It’s a common misconception that the higher the sun protection the higher the benefit to the skin, and the longer you can stay out in the sun. But did you know the level of protection between each rating is actually much smaller than you think?

In fact, there is just a 5% difference in the UVB protection offered in an SPF 15 and SPF 50 product. An SPF 15 offers 93.3% protection from UVB rays while an SPF 50 provides around 98% protection.*

The SPF relates to the amount of time you can spend in the sun before your skin begins to burn. For some people, this will be much longer than for others, and so for example an SPF 15 will extend your sun exposure time by just 15 minutes longer than your usual burn time. Obviously, all skin types are different but this should serve as a good basic guide to how long your sun protection is likely to support you before it should be reapplied.