A doctor has urged people to check one thing on their phone every day to reduce their risk of a deadly disease that kills more than 3,000 people in the UK each year. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan – known online primarily as Dr Raj – issued a warning to help prevent the development of skin cancer.
According to Dr. Raj, there is a way to check on your mobile phone whether you need to apply sunscreen that day.
He explained that weather apps provide the ultraviolet index (UV index) for the day and that special care must be taken at certain levels to keep skin healthy.
Taking to social media platform TikTok, he explained: “I only found out this year that you can get the UV index on your phone. When you open your weather app, the UV index for the day is displayed on your phone.”
Applying sunscreen can not only protect against cancer but also reduce the signs of skin aging, he said.
“There are two things about sun protection, right?” Dr. Raj continued.
“UV rays increase your risk of cancer, while UV rays increase the risk of photoaging and just plain aesthetic damage.”
He warned that if you have fair skin or a UV index of around three, you need to apply sunscreen daily.
Dr Raj said: ‘If I didn’t care about photoageing and the fact that the sun makes me look older, and all I cared about was skin cancer, do I need to use sunscreen every day in the UK, where the sun has a UV index of three most of the year?
“Probably not right. But if someone is, you know, for example, a white person – probably, yes, then they should apply sunscreen daily to achieve skin cancer protection with a UV index of three or more.”
However, if you have darker skin, you may only need to apply sunscreen when the index is higher, he said.
“For example, I may only need to think about applying sunscreen when the UV index is above seven or eight and I’m going to be in the sun for long periods of time,” added Dr. Raj.
UV index values range from zero upwards. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains that the higher the UV index, the “greater the risk of damage to the skin and eyes and the shorter the time until damage occurs.”
It states: “A significant increase in skin cancer among fair-skinned people worldwide is closely associated with excessive UV radiation from the sun and possibly also from artificial sources such as tanning beds.
“Current evidence suggests that personal sun exposure habits are the most important individual risk factor for UV radiation damage.”
The WHO issued the following recommendation regarding the UV index:
- From zero to two – so you can enjoy being outdoors without worries
- Three to seven – Seek shade during the midday hours. Wear a shirt, apply sunscreen and wear a hat.
- Eight and older – Avoid being outside during midday hours. Find shade. Shirt, sunscreen and hat are a must.
He continued: “Even for very sensitive people with fair skin, the risk of short-term and long-term UV damage is limited below a UVI of two and under normal circumstances no protective measures are necessary.
“If sun protection is necessary, it should include all protective means, such as clothing, hat and sunglasses, shade and sunscreen.”
According to Cancer Research UK, skin cancer can look “very different” and symptoms vary.
However, common symptoms of skin cancer include sores or skin areas that:
- Does not heal within four weeks
- Looks unusual
- The area hurts, itches, bleeds, forms crusts or scabs and lasts longer than four weeks.
If you notice any of these symptoms or are concerned about abnormal areas of skin, you should talk to your GP.
