The weather over the next couple of weeks in the UK is forecast to hit temperatures of over 20C in some areas. While some days may be cloudy, UV rays can still cause sunburn if you do not use sun cream properly.
Sunburn is hot and sore skin caused by too much sun. It may flake and peel after a few days. You can treat it yourself and it usually gets better within seven days, however, there are things that can be done to prevent sunburn.
Martin Lewis has spoken on his Martin Lewis podcast about summer approaching and the importance of using sun cream correctly. He told listeners: “Just a quick tip on sunscreen, when you get your sunscreen turn the bottle around because on the back you’ll see a PAO number.”
The money expert said the number is usually 12 or 24 months. PAO stands for “period after opening”, this means how long sunscreen is still going to give you protection for once it’s been opened.
Martin said “when you open it put a little note of what date, write that onto the sunscreen and you’ll know if you try to use it in a year’s time whether it’s still valid or not and hopefully, if you got 24 months, you won’t need to buy a new one.”
Following this advice will save you some cash and protect your skin. The NHS shared ways you can check if you have sunburn.
Your skin may also blister if your sunburn is severe. If you have white skin, your skin will usually be red or pink. If you have black or brown skin, you may not notice a change in the colour of your skin.
The health agency has also offered advice about easing sunburn. Ways you can ease the discomfort and pain includes:
- Get out of the sun as soon as possible
- Cool your skin with a cool shower, bath or damp towel (take care not to let a baby or young child get too cold)
- Apply aftersun cream or spray
- Drink plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration
- Take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for any pain
- Cover sunburnt skin from direct sunlight until skin has fully healed