Facts first: Wearing sunscreen is not just for beauty enthusiasts; it's for everyone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that nearly one in three deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by working under the sun. Published on November 8, 2023, WHO together with the International Labour Organization's (ILO) findings indicate that there is an increasing number of outdoor workers who are prone to non-melanoma skin cancer.
Who Are More Prone To Skin Cancer?
Global organizations are urgently calling for action from employers to prevent more damaging effects on outdoor workers. Their report, derived from 25 case-control studies with 286, 131 participants living in 22 countries across three WHO regions, stated that 1.6 billion people who are 15 years and above were exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation because of working outdoors in 2019. In that same year alone, almost 19,000 individuals from 183 countries died due to non-melanoma skin cancer. Of this number, 65 percent were male.
"Unprotected exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation at work is a major cause of occupational skin cancer, but there are effective solutions to protect workers from the sun’s harmful rays, and prevent their deadly effects," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted. Their report places occupational exposure to the sun at work as the third highest factor that contributes to cancer deaths globally.
With this, both WHO and the ILO are urging governments to ensure a healthy workplace for every employee. "A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental right at work,” ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo stated. He elaborated on cost-effective measures that can be considered as a framework to promote a healthy working condition which could save thousands of lives every year.
Preventive Measures Against Skin Cancer
WHO firmly stands forward for the protection of workers from solar ultraviolet radiation. Employers should be able to "provide shade, shift working hours away from the solar noon, educate and train employers about sun protection, equip workers with sunscreen and personal protective clothing."
At Cosmo, we also advocate for the use of sunscreen. We even believe that you should apply sunscreen even when you are at home. And ICYDK, sunscreen should be the most important step in your skincare.
Here are some tips on using sunscreen:
- Apply it all over your body if you can (except for the eyes and the mouth, of course)
- When outdoors, sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours. "Most sun protection products degrade after two to three hours of application, making it essential that you reapply regularly throughout the day to get full protection," Dr. Anita Sturnham once explained.
READ: 7 Sunscreen Sticks That Will Make It *Super Easy* To Reapply Your SPF
- SPF 50 blocks 98 percent of solar ultraviolet radiation.
- SPF numbers do not add up! Adding SPF 50 plus SPF 30 sunscreen does not mean you're getting SPF 80 protection, you guys. If that's the case, you would only be getting the higher SPF which is SPF 50 protection.
- If you're a window-seater during flights, you must wear sunscreen. Why? First, you're closer to the ozone layer, and second, windows do not prevent UVA rays from damaging your skin. UVA is responsible for increased skin aging, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation.
READ: 10 *Best* sunscreen To Try If You Have Sensitive Skin
- sunscreen can also prevent acne or breakouts. The skin produces more oil after enduring UV damage, like when you're working under the sun, and this could always mix with the oil that your facial products secrete into your pores, resulting in a much-dreaded breakout.
- For maximum protection, you can do two layers of sunscreen such as a base sunscreen with a tinted SPF. Here are our recommendations on which sunscreen you could combine for that much-needed protection: FYI, Here's Why Applying Only One Layer Of Sunscreen Isn’t Enough To Protect Your Skin
Aside from the sunscreen, you can also try using the SunSmart Global UV App which is a collaboration initiative by WHO, ILO, the World Meteorological Organization, and the United Nations Environment Programme. It's a free app for your smartphones that could give you an estimate of how much exposure you would be getting if you're outdoors at certain hours on a daily basis.
Stay protected, everyone!
