A doctor has issued an urgent reminder to wear SPF whenever you leave the house after a viral video showed the devastating effects of skipping sun cream.
The Austin Skin Clinic posted a TikTok, which has now been viewed over 2.5million times, showing the difference in skin colour between a man’s arms, which were sun exposed for 70 years, and his legs which had been concealed beneath clothing.
Reacting to the video Dr Dana Figura, a Los Angeles-based podiatrist, said on Instagram: ‘Consider this your sign to wear sunscreen. This man never wore sunscreen on his hands and arms but he did wear pants every day which protected his legs.
‘There is a huge difference here between ageing and skin cancer risk.’
Not much is known about the the unidentified man, except that he has worked outside all of his life and never worn sun cream.
His arms, which have been regularly exposed to powerful UV rays, are covered in patchy brown, deeply wrinkled skin, while his legs are pale and doughy in comparison.
The doctor warns that this shows the effects of not wearing sun cream over a considerable period of time.
Most sun creams carry an SPF—Sun Protection Factor—and a UVA rating which are measures of protection against the rays associated with skin damage and cancer.
Going without sun protection has been shown to directly raise the risk of developing skin cancer.
The Austin Skin Clinic posted the TikTok , which has now been viewed over 2.5million times showing the difference in skin colour between a man’s arms which were sun exposed for 70 years and his pale legs
Around 15,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year—the UK’s fifth most common cancer—with the incidence rate rising faster than any other common cancer.
A recent study from Cancer Research UK found that an alarming 87 per cent of melanoma cases, the equivalent of 17,100 in the UK each year, are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, either directly from the sun or sun beds—meaning they could be avoided.
This is because increased UV exposure can damage the DNA in skin cells, triggering mutations that become cancerous.
From here, the cancer can spread to the blood vessels beneath the skin, getting into the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body.
Last year, rates of cancer reached a record high in the UK, with new diagnoses increasing by almost a third in just a decade, according to the charity.
According to the NHS website, people should apply sun cream to avoid burning and use ‘at least factor 30’.
‘Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn does not just happen on holiday. You can burn in the UK, even when it’s cloudy,’ the site reads.
The health service also recommends avoiding the sun when it is at its strongest, between the hours of 11am and 3pm from March to November, and to cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses.