A skin expert has issued a warning to anyone who tans when spending time in the sunshine.
The weather is set to turn hotter again as we head towards the weekend, and while this will mean many of us enjoy the outdoors, Stevie Goddard, at Karidis Clinic told the ECHO she fears people are putting themselves at risk without realising it.
She said: "A common mistake people make is aiming for a sun-kissed glow. The golden tan that we used to think was a sign of health and vitality is now a sign of sun damage."
READ MORE: Three hour warning not to go into garden this summer
"Sun damage is a common form of hyperpigmentation that can appear on the face, decolletage and hands as brown spots and patches. They’re caused by overexposure to UVA light which stimulates your melanocytes or pigment cells, producing a pigment called ‘melanin’.
"While this does give our skin a beautiful golden glow unfortunately, it can also leave us with clumps of pigment. And while tans might fade at the end of the summer, the accumulative result of years of sun damage is permanent abnormal melanin production, which can lead to issues such as skin cancer."
She also said people often think that once they have a "base tan" they no longer need to use SPF. Stevie added: "A tan itself is still a sign of sun-damaged skin, regardless of skin tone.
"It’s recommended that adults reapply their suncream every two to three hours - whether they have a tan or not. It’s particularly important to reapply your SPF if you’ve been swimming or if you're sweating.
"It’s also advised you apply around six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen each time to cover your full body."
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