Have these dark and dreary winter days inspired you to plan a trip to the Caribbean? Before you make a beeline for that beach umbrella, don’t forget to apply some high SPF sunscreen.
According to a Johnson & Johnson study recently published in JAMA Dermatology , researchers found that sitting in the shade alone doesn’t adequately protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Study participants who spent 3.5 hours on a sunny beach were divided into two groups: One sat under a beach umbrella with no other sun protection; the other applied SPF 100+ sunscreen, without any umbrella coverage.
Afterwards, 78% of people in the umbrella group showed signs of sunburn versus just 25% in the sunscreen group, suggesting that the sunscreen offered significantly better protection.
“Umbrella shade alone may not provide sufficient protection for extended sun exposure,” says the study’s lead author Hao Ou-Yang, Ph.D., Manager, Medical Research, R&D Fellow, Johnson & Johnson. “Although using SPF 100 was better than simply sitting in the shade, neither prevents sunburn completely. That’s why it’s essential to use a combination of sun protection methods.”
So when you get to the beach (or sit outside anywhere on a bright day), opt for multiple forms of protection—such as sunscreen, shade and hats—and then crack open a novel and order that fruity drink.
