Skin protection from the sun in winter

We are heading into winter quick and fast with the weather at night over the past week particularly cold. The good thing is that the rainy weather has passed us and we're finally getting plenty of sunlight and clear blue skies during the day.

Falling temperatures and the reduction in the hours with daylight tends to lead us into a false sense of security when it comes to protecting ourselves from the sunlight during the day so here is a timely reminder to 'slip, slop and slap' when out and about during the day between the hours of 10am - 3pm.

The sun is at its strongest during these hours and despite the milder temperatures, its rays can still do a lot of damage if you aren't covered up properly when walking the dog or taking a stroll in the park. Remember to wear sunscreen if you're wearing short sleeves, a hat and sunnies too.

Try and head for the shady areas on the street or in a park to prevent prolonged exposure to the sun.

The colder weather usually deters a lot of people from sun baking at the beach so tanning salons are quite popular for those that enjoy keeping their tan in tip-top condition during the winter months. DON'T! Tanning beds can be very dangerous as the UV rays they emit can be as much as 10 times (or more) stronger than the sun.

Keep that bottle of sunscreen handy - in your bag or handbag - just in case you need it. When buying sunscreen, remember to choose a cream with a high SPF (for example, SPF 15 denotes 15 times longer sun protection than if the product weren’t used) and UVA ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.