How to prevent skin cancer all year round

Key takeaways:

• Skin cancer prevention is important all year round, not just on holiday or during heatwaves, because UV rays can damage skin even on cool or cloudy days.
• Protect your skin when the UV index is 3 or above by seeking shade, covering up and using sunscreen with at least SPF30 and a 4- or 5-star UVA rating.
• Make sun protection a daily habit by reapplying sunscreen regularly and choosing moisturisers that contain SPF where appropriate.
• Check your skin every month for anything new, changing or not healing, including moles, marks, sores or patches.
• Use the ABCDE rule to assess moles and speak to your GP if you notice changes in size, shape, colour or appearance, as early detection can improve outcomes.

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Most of us know sunscreen matters in summer, but skin cancer prevention shouldn’t stop when the holiday ends.

Melanoma cases have reached record levels in the UK, and Cancer Research UK projects around 26,500 new cases a year by 2040.

So, what can we do to protect our skin every day, and how can we spot the warning signs early?

Here, Vitality wellbeing writer Jennifer Wallis speaks to the experts about why skin cancer is on the rise, what it can look like and how to make prevention part of your daily routine.

Quick answer: how can you help prevent skin cancer?

• Checking the UV index and protecting your skin when it is 3 or above
• Seeking shade, especially when the sun is strongest
• Covering up with clothing, sunglasses and a hat
• Using sunscreen with at least SPF30 and a 4- or 5-star UVA rating
• Checking your skin regularly for new, changing or not healing marks, moles, sores or patches
• Speak to your GP if anything looks unusual, changes over time or doesn't heal.

Why sunscreen matters in the UK

Brits often mistakenly think that sun safety only matters when you're on holiday abroad, points out Dr Dan Mullarkey, an NHS GP and VP of Medical at Skin Analytics.

“In the UK, the sun is often strong enough to cause skin damage between mid-March and mid-October, even when it feels cold or cloudy.

“UV rays are invisible and you can't feel them the way you feel warmth from the sun.”

The UV index measures the strength of the sun's ultraviolet radiation and the risk of skin damage, with protection recommended when it reaches 3 or above.

It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that if it’s cloudy we won’t get sunburnt, and while clouds do block some UV over 90% of those rays can still pass through cloud and cause sunburn.

Skincare specialist Helen Dumbleton-Moore agrees, reminding us that UV rays are strongest when the sun is at its highest in the sky – between 11am-3pm during summer in the UK, which is not to be confused with when the day is at its hottest.

Dumbleton-Moore also recommends that we should be applying the factor 50 to our faces all year round, not just during the summer months.

A UVA rating shows how well a sunscreen protects against UVA rays, which contribute to skin ageing and can increase the risk of skin cancer, with 4 or 5 stars offering high protection.

Why skin cancer cases are rising

Skin cancer cases have doubled in females and tripled in males since the 1990s, with cases continuing to rise, despite knowing that we need to reach for the SPF.

“A lot of the increase we are seeing now reflects historical sun exposure catching up with people later in life, particularly among those who grew up during decades when tanning was much more normalised and sun protection was less consistent,” Vitality’s Commercial Medical Director, Dr Yvonne Umebuani Beresford, points out.

“Although people generally know more about skin cancer, behaviour has not always changed in line with that knowledge.

“Many people still underestimate the strength of the UK sun, get sunburnt, or do not use sunscreen regularly enough.

“The rise is likely due to a combination of historical exposure, ongoing behaviour gaps, better detection, and an ageing population.”

Knowing the risks is only part of the picture. The next step is turning sun protection into a daily habit and knowing when a change in your skin needs checking.

How to make SPF a daily habit

Dr Umebuani Beresford says that we should make sure that we are reapplying sunscreen regularly throughout the day, using a minimum of SPF30+, and making sure it is a 4- or 5-star UVA rating.

A simple way to stay protected is to keep SPF somewhere easy to reach, whether that’s a tube, bottle or spray in your bag, or factor 50 left somewhere visible at home, like the hallway, as a daily reminder to apply it.

There are also plenty of daily moisturisers now that contain SPF so it can become something that we just apply without even thinking – just make sure yours has a minimum of SPF 30.

SPF30 means a sunscreen is designed to provide 30 times more protection against UVB rays than unprotected skin when applied correctly.

How to check your skin

But we shouldn’t be relying on sunscreen alone to protect us.

Dr Umebuani Beresford recommends avoiding those peak UV hours, covering up with a hat, sunglasses and long sleeves, and, as tempting as it is, try to avoid chasing a tan.

“If you're in any doubt, get it checked out. Early detection saves lives.”

Dr Dan Mullarkey, NHS GP and Vice President of Medical at Skin Analytics

And to ensure we’re staying on top of our skin health, a monthly self-check is a simple habit we can build in to spot any changes early, when treatment can often be more straightforward and outcomes are better.

So, what exactly should we be looking out for?

The ABCDE rule for checking moles

For moles in particular, the ABCDE rule can help you remember what to look for.

A – Asymmetry: one half doesn’t match the other

B – Border: irregular, ragged or blurred edges

C – Colour: uneven or multiple colours

D – Diameter: often >6mm (but can be smaller early on)

E – Evolution: any change in size, shape, colour, or symptoms

What skin cancer can look like

Contrary to what we might have been led to believe, skin cancer doesn’t always look like a dark or unusual mole.

“This is one of the most clinically important misconceptions to address, because it can lead people to overlook lesions that warrant assessment,” Dr Mullarkey asserts.

He explains that a lot of skin cancer awareness campaigns have focused on melanoma which can present as a new or changing mole with irregular borders and multiple colours, but not all skin cancers look this way:

• Basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, usually develops slowly in areas of skin that have had the most sun exposure. It often appears as a small, flesh-coloured or pearly bump, sometimes with a slight sheen, which many people dismiss as a harmless cyst or spot.
• Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that often develops in sun-damaged skin. It can present as a rough, scaly patch, a firm red nodule, or even a non-healing sore or ulcer. Melanoma itself doesn't always appear brown or black.
• Amelanotic melanoma is a less common form of melanoma that lacks the dark pigment people typically associate with skin cancer. As a result, it can appear pink, red, or even skin-coloured, making it easier to overlook.

These lesions are frequently missed precisely because they don't match expectations of the dark, pigmented lesion most people picture when they think of skin cancer.

When checking your skin, look for anything new, changing or not healing. Dr Umebuani Beresford says this could include:

• A new mole or mark that wasn’t there before
• A mole that itches, bleeds, crusts or doesn’t heal
• A persistent patch or sore that just isn’t settling
• A pearly lump or scab that reopens (common in non‑melanoma cancers)

“Check yourself regularly for new or changing moles or lesions, particularly anything that is asymmetrical, has an uneven border, contains multiple colours, is larger than 6mm, or is changing over time,” Dr Mullarkey concludes.

“If you're in any doubt, get it checked out. Early detection saves lives.”