How to Protect Your Skin This Summer: 4 Habits to Embrace (And It’s Not Just Sunscreen)
By Dr Kyra Drinnan at Skinphinity, Cheshire, Tarporley’s only doctor-led aesthetics clinic covering Tarporley, Middlewich and wider Cheshire
We’re within touching distance of it being officially Summer and the sun is finally here, even in Cheshire! Sunshine is wonderful for boosting our mood and vitamin D, but unprotected exposure damages our skin. So now is the perfect time for a reminder that sun protection isn’t one product, it’s a strategy.
UV (ultraviolet) exposure is cumulative, meaning the damage builds over time, even on days when it doesn’t feel too hot. Both UVA (ageing, pigmentation) and UVB (burning) rays affect the skin, and they’re present all day, not just at peak heat. So effective protection = combining methods.
Let’s dive into four practical habits you can adopt today to protect your skin and keep long-term sun damage to an absolute minimum…
Dr Kyra’s sun advice: Protect now, glow later
Sunscreen top tips
A broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) SPF is essential, but it’s only one part of the picture.
Here are my top sunscreen tips…
Wear sunscreen every day
Even if you are working indoors all day, remember that UVA (though not UVB) penetrates through glass windows.Apply sunscreen generously
Some say to measure two fingers or a teaspoon of sunscreen as a guide for your face and neck, but basically it needs to be a proper layer over the skin. Apply facial sunscreen after products and before make up. Different formulations suit different skin types, which is why I like having options. I use my trusted Heliocare Water Gel.
Here is a pro-tip from me: never skip the back of your hands when applying sunscreen. Our hands are on the frontline of sun exposure every single day, making them one of the first parts of the body to show visible signs of ageing.
Reapply sunscreen regularly
Ideally, you should reapply up to every 3 hours throughout the day. However, if this is unrealistic for you, try to at least remember to reapply at lunchtime. How best to renew sunscreen over make-up? You could:
- refresh coverage using a spray or powder sunscreen (you may not have full protection with these but better than nothing)
- use a tinted sunscreen as foundation and reapply this
- renew with your normal sunscreen, patting it on top of make up.
Use a high factor sunscreen with 4 or 5 stars
Remember that the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) shows the protection from UVB (burning) and the star rating tells you the protection level from UVA (ageing). For the best skin protection, your sunscreen should always be factor 30 or higher. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking a higher factor means you don’t need to reapply. A higher SPF does not mean the sunscreen lasts longer.
2. Hats and sun protective clothing
A wide-brimmed hat helps protect areas often missed by sunscreen or where sunscreen wears off quickly, like the scalp, hairline, ears, and neck. Physical barriers like this are one of the most reliable forms of protection. I'd recommend a hat with a guaranteed UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor), ideally UPF 50+. One of my favourite hats is from Ker Sun. Solbari and the Wallaroo Hat Company also have a great selection and I own lovely hats from them both. The one I'm wearing in the photo above is actually from Amazon and cost less than £20 but still has UPF protection.
And it’s not just hats that can give you UPF protection in the sun. There are some websites dedicated to UPF clothing that I use, such as Ker Sun, Solbari and Coolibar. UPF 50+ clothing is specially engineered to block out up to 98% of UVA and UVB rays. It does this in a number of ways, such as by using tight weaves and UV-absorbing treatments. Normal clothing can only offer inconsistent, possibly minimal, protection. For example, Solbari’s CEO explains that a thin, white cotton t-shirt may only have an SPF of around 5.
If you don’t have UPF specific attire but want to use your clothes as a sun defence, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends you stick to dark or bright colours, dense materials such as denim, wool or synthetic fibres, and loose-fitting rather than tight. They say, ‘A dark, long-sleeved denim shirt can provide a UPF of about 1,700; in essence, complete sun protection.’
Heading to the beach? UPF 50+ swimsuits with shoulder and neck coverage are the gold standard for summer swim protection.
3. Sunglasses
UV can damage the eyes and contribute to premature ageing around them. Proper UV-protective lenses aren’t just stylish, they’re essential protection. Check yours are up to the job by looking for the UV400 or CE mark on the frame. These ensure they comply with either UK or EU specific safety standards and offer a good amount of UV protection for your eyes.
And a quick heads up: darker sunglasses do not equal more UV protection. Lens darkness and UV defence are completely unrelated. A darker lens will just reduce the brightness of light that reaches your eyes and will be good for some activities (such as mountain climbing) but not others (like driving).
Buying sunglasses online? Stop and check the product details. If they don't explicitly promise UV protection, leave them in the cart.
4. Shade
Whether it’s from trees, an umbrella, canopy or from heading inside, seeking shade during peak UV hours significantly reduces direct exposure to UV radiation. It’s one of the simplest but most overlooked habits you can adopt.
Interestingly, temperature does not dictate UV levels. It’s a common myth, but UV strength is completely separate from how hot or cold it feels outside. Levels are actually peaking when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, around noon. Because of this, the NHS recommends we spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm from March all the way to October, as that's when the sun's rays do the most damage.
And don’t be fooled into thinking that an overcast sky can protect you. While thick clouds do block some UV rays, UVA and some UVB rays still penetrate through. And thin or patchy cloud can actually enhance UV radiation and therefore increase skin damage.
Do your skin a quick favour before heading out for some fun: check the daily UV Index on your weather app to see exactly what you are up against.
Final thoughts
Try to make these simple habits your daily baseline: wear your sunscreen, throw on a hat and sunglasses, and seek out the shade during peak UV hours. No single step is enough on its own, but together, and consistently, these are your ultimate defence to reduce the long-term risks of photoageing, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Your skin will thank you for years to come!
If you have any questions about choosing the right protection for your skin, I am always here to help. Feel free to book a thorough skin consultation with me, or tune in to my ‘Talk Tuesdays’ Q&A sessions on Instagram and Facebook.
Dr Kyra Drinnan
Dr Kyra Drinnan at Skinphinity is a highly regarded GP and cosmetic specialist passionate about providing medical grade skincare and subtle treatments to leave your skin smoother and more youthful looking from her clinics in Cheshire.
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