Foldable Bikes Party: How to prevent sunburn when you're cycling

Monday, 9 May 2016

How to prevent sunburn when you're cycling

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The signature ‘cyclist’s tan’ may help you recognise fellow roadies, but long days cycling in the sun can have a more serious impact. Studies from Cancer Research UK found the amount of men and women dying from skin cancer has increased in the last three decades, suggesting that we fail to treat our skin with the respect it deserves when it comes to sun damage.

British Skin Foundation dermatologist and keen cyclist Dr Ian Coulson says cyclists are particularly at risk from sun damage. “Cyclists face cumulative sun damage from chronic exposure,” he says, “causing a higher prevalence of cancerous melanoma and premature ageing.”

Research backs this up. A study of six cyclists in 2000 found that during an eight-stage cycling event the level of exposure to harmful solar rays – ultraviolet (UV) radiation – was more than 30 times over the international recommended limits.

There are two types of ultraviolet rays that can cause damage and are linked to skin cancer: UVA, which results in premature ageing, and UVB, which is the main cause of sunburn. The sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreen refers to the protection against UVB rays a sunscreen offers. You should also check the bottle for a UVA seal or star rating that will indicate how much protection from UVA rays the sunscreen gives, which is typically at least 1/3 of the SPF value.

So what can you do to prevent sunburn?

Apply sunscreen. And then reapply it

Bevis Mann of the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) advises that we apply sunscreen before a ride and re-apply every other hour, as up to 80 per cent of sunscreen will come off through sweating.

Be vigilant

Top tips for avoiding sunburn

Wear a helmet with a peak to protect your ears, nose and lips.
Apply a once-a-day suncream on your face – more than once a day.
Wear sunglasses with UV protection, even if they aren’t proper cycling ones – your eyes can burn too.
Cover thighs and the backs of your hands liberally with suncream as they’re constantly exposed to UV rays.
Wear long sleeves if you’re cycling for extended periods and look for clothes with a high UV rating.