Sunscreen alone isn’t enough sun protection, experts say: harmful UVA and UVB rays can lead to skin cancer so dermatologists recommend a protective wardrobe or even adding Rit SunGuard to your laundry

Sep 15 , 2023

According to experts, simply putting on sunscreen is not enough to combat the sun’s harmful rays. Photo: Shutterstock

Dermatologists say that while sunscreen does offer some protection from the sun, it’s better to have physical barriers too, such as wearing a wide brim hat and clothing that contains UV protection

Your beloved summer linen shirts don’t make the cut for a sun-protective wardrobe, but fret not – try adding Rit Dye SunGuard to your wash cycle as it provides sun protection for 20 washes

You may think putting sunscreen on in the morning is enough to protect you from the sun, but dermatologists say it isn’t enough on its own – you need a physical barrier too, and a fashionable linen shirt won’t do.

Sunscreen does offer some protection, but there are caveats. Often our application techniques are inadequate in the first place, making it easy to miss spots, not use enough, or wipe sunscreen off as you apply make-up, said Dr. Heather Kornmehl, a board-certified dermatologist and skin cancer surgery fellow in Houston, Texas.

The latest advice on suncare is that we need to do more than slather on sunscreen. Photo: Shutterstock

Not to mention, sunscreen can easily come off when you sweat and it’s only fully effective for two hours after you put it on.

Many sunscreens are also great at blocking UVB rays, but might not work as well on UVA rays – particularly American products, dermatologist Dr. Ellen Gendler said. UVB rays cause sunburn and UVA rays are linked to skin ageing, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Both can lead to skin cancer.

Being exposed to both UVA and UVB rays contribute to the likelihood of getting skin cancer. Photo: AFP

However, sunscreens from countries such as France, the UK and South Korea can be more protective.

You can still tan wearing any sunscreen, and no tan is a safe tan because they develop when the sun’s UV rays penetrate the skin and damage your DNA. (Unless, of course, it’s a self-tan achieved without any actual sun exposure.) People who tan regularly are damaging their skin more, increasing their risk of developing skin cancer.

So, while sunscreen is important, Kornmehl said that you ideally need physical barriers, too.