April showers bring the flowers, so the saying goes! April also brings stronger UVA and UVB rays. It’s hard to imagine that when spring finally arrives, those lovely warmer days can be detrimental to our skin, as the stronger rays penetrate deeper into the skin than during the winter season.

Now is the time to step up our SPF and continue through the summer months. The sun has many benefits, including topping up our D vitamin which we absorb through our skin, but we can still enjoy these benefits whilst keeping our skin safe.

Gone are the days when SPF protection required thick white sun creams that left a chalky look. Now there are so many wonderful products available that do an excellent job, are easy to apply and leave no residue. You can choose from creams, lotions, sprays and even gels – there is something to suit every need.

Introduce a routine to younger family members

This is a great time of year to introduce a daily routine to younger members of your family that they will hopefully retain for life. There are lots of brands on the market that offer a range of products for the whole family, and many are reasonably priced. You’ll want to look for a five-star rating on the product to ensure the quality is high enough to protect your skin.

Remember to apply sun protection regularly throughout the day, especially on very warm days or if you are in and out of water such as the sea or a swimming pool. Hairlines, bald spots, feet, tips of ears and lips are often forgotten when applying sunscreen, but these are some of our most sensitive areas, so it’s important to remember to protect them too.

Dermatologists have seen an enormous increase in recent years in sun-damaged skin, from sun-related skin cancers to melanomas. If you have tried to see a dermatologist on the NHS lately you will know the waiting lists are incredibly long, so any money spent on skin protection is certainly money well spent.

Cover up with clothing

Clothing is another great way to protect your skin during the warmer months. Covering up, especially during the hours from 11am to 3pm, can prevent exposure to the strongest rays of the day. Hats can be an inexpensive way to protect a vulnerable area and still look fashionable. Some even now come with UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) ratings – for example, a sun hat with a UPF50 rating will block 98% of the sun’s rays.

Protect your eyes

Our eyes can also be damaged by UVA and UVB rays, so wearing sunglasses with the CE quality mark or British Standard (BS EN ISO 12312-1), which signify they have sufficient protection from UV light is advisable.

It’s a common misconception that people with fair skin are the only ones at risk of sun damage. While it’s true that they often need a higher SPF due to having less melanin in their skin, people with darker skin are also at risk of experiencing damage from the sun’s rays and should take the same precautions of covering up and applying regular sun protection.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing; we are now very conscious of the downside of the sun rays. Let’s make this the year when we enjoy the long- awaited warmer months safely.