The lowdown on melanoma and multitasking sun protection products

Sun protection is an all-season gig. Yes, you need to protect your skin from harmful UV rays even when it’s cloudy. But we understand that time is of the essence and adding another step to your beauty regime might seem like a hassle. That’s where multitasking SPF products come in handy. We chat to Cape Town-based dermatologist and co-founder of Dermastore, Dr Ian Webster for advice on which SPF staples to reach for. 

SPF is about more than just melanoma prevention

In the media, we see a lot of messaging about the connection between UV damage and the risk of melanoma, but there are many other reasons why sun protection is important. 

“Short intensive bursts of sun exposure can certainly cause malignant melanoma but chronic sun exposure over many years can also cause non-melanoma skin cancer, i.e. basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma,” Dr Webster says. “Chronic ultraviolet radiation also causes premature ageing of the skin resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, sun freckles, broken capillaries and sagging, dull, lifeless skin.”

Let’s bust this melanoma myth

There are many myths around melanoma and what it means to get skin cancer. One of the most common myths around sun damage is that one “good tan” every summer won’t cause any harm and that skin cancer only occurs in people who make it their mission to get sunburnt. Not true! Brief, intense sun exposure can add up to something serious if left untreated. And it doesn’t end there. 

“One of the biggest myths related to the sun is that skin cancer is not dangerous. Approximately one in every 50 white South Africans will develop malignant melanoma in their lifetime,” Dr Webster warns. “Malignant melanoma is potentially a very dangerous type of skin cancer as it can spread throughout the whole body and can kill you. Every year in my practice, I, unfortunately, have patients dying from malignant melanoma and in some cases, they are young patients. Skin cancer is potentially life-threatening so all South Africans, especially those with paler skin and who have had a lot of sun exposure should see their general practitioner or dermatologist on a regular basis for a full body examination.”

Bring out the multitaskers

We’re seeing a lot of multitasking sun care products entering the market, such as BB creams, sunscreen-infused moisturisers and foundations with sunscreen in them. We got Dr Webster’s opinion on these products as well as advice on how to choose a good sun protection product.

“It is best to choose a good quality, high factor, broad-spectrum sunscreen that covers UVB as well as UVA,” he says. “If you are prone to pigmentation you should also look for a sunscreen that protects against High Energy Visible Light (HEVL) and Infrared Radiation (IR-A). 
You need to choose a sunscreen according to your skin type. For instance, if you have oily acne-prone skin, you need to use a sunscreen that has a lighter formulation, i.e. a gel or lotion that leaves a dry touch, or in the case of dry skin you will need a richer formulation. The BB and CC creams are useful. They contain a soothing day moisturiser, sunscreen as well as a tint.”

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