Do men need sunscreen?

This is an automatically translated article.

To date, the many health promotion campaigns launched every year around the globe have made most people aware of the importance of protecting their skin from the effects of the sun. However, there are still many people, mostly men, who still do not use sunscreen. So do men actually need sunscreen?

1. Why do men rarely use sunscreen?

Dr Anjali Mahto, dermatologist, author of The Skincare Bible and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, explains: “Education has always been an important part of a person's behaviour. He worries that men have not been encouraged to protect their skin from the sun and are not warned about the dangers of sun damage, UV rays like women. Information about sunscreen, SPF and skin protection methods appear to appear more often in women's magazines than in men's magazines.
According to Mahto, there are many problems that make men use less sunscreen. In many cases, they are simply not used to skin care, and especially sunscreen, in their daily routine: "I think women are used to using skin care products. more. Women are almost indoctrinated from a fairly young age that they should be used and boys should not. Trying to get men to use sunscreen can be a challenge" In some cases, the relationship The link between skincare and cosmetics and femininity contradicts ideas about masculinity.
Mahto says: 'There is a group of men who still have the notion that I don't need sunscreen', that I'm manly enough and that's not something I need to care about. Needless to say, masculinity alone is not an effective way to block the sun. It is not surprising, however, that sunscreen use is more frequently associated with women than men, as sunscreen and skin care advertisements tend to target women and children and focus on children. focuses on protecting 'fragile' skin. Also, because men tend to be a bit more hairy, sunscreen tends to feel a bit sticky and can get stuck in the pores. So people generally don't like to put sunscreen on their beard, chest or back hair."
Simply put, to make sunscreen use more comfortable and make men more likely to be exposed. To further protect skin from the sun, a suitable men's sunscreen formula is needed.

2. Do men need sunscreen?

For many people, sunscreen is synonymous with good skin care and anti-aging. Many women have built the habit of using sunscreen into their daily skin care steps. But the same is less likely for men, who are less able to protect their skin from the effects of the sun. Even on sunny days, 31% of men are likely not to use any sun protection, compared with just 15% of women.
A study in the US found that on average only 51% of men used sunscreen and 70% admitted to not knowing the signs of skin cancer. Other surveys have shown that 50% more men than women forget to protect their skin and more than 75% don't worry about sunburn. Even after melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, one study found that men were less likely to take steps to avoid sun exposure to avoid cancer complications.
It is a fact that, despite many sunscreen advertisements and skin cancer treatment campaigns targeting women, 50% of skin cancer cases are in men, making it a type of cancer 5th most common. Currently, skin cancer in men is on the rise, surpassing 55% in the past decade compared with 35% in women. The affected body sites can be quite different. For men, the most common location for melanoma tends to be on the back, while in women it is usually the back of the leg. Although there are no specific research results on this issue, some theories have been put forward that melanoma is often related to intermittent but intense sun exposure.
According to Cancer Research UK, men in the UK are also at a significantly higher risk of dying from skin cancer than women; 59% of all melanoma skin cancer deaths in the UK are in men and 41% in women. The researchers believe this may be due to differences between male and female skin, including that men have thicker skin with less fat underneath and skin that contains more collagen and elastin, which help keep the skin firm and tight.
Georgina Hill, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, explains that a lack of awareness can also affect the stage we get from skin cancer. “There are different things that can cause men to die from skin cancer, such as being diagnosed at a later stage; Or the desire for aesthetics when wanting a tan is also the cause of the increasing number of skin cancer cases."
According to Mahto: “Sunscreen along with a hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, staying in the shade, sitting under an umbrella – all of that will reduce your risk of sunburn.”
So why burn If you get sunburned repeatedly, it directly damages the DNA in your skin cells and it can promote skin cancer. Therefore, from a medical point of view, wearing sunscreen is to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer."
Besides the medical effects, there are also many cosmetic consequences. -90% of the signs we associate with skin aging - wrinkles, dark spots, sagging - happen because of the sun, so if you apply sunscreen and apply it regularly, you will too
Overview, to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging, men should follow these sunscreen basics:
Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor. Sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Use a full-body sunscreen when outdoors, and especially when If you are exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time, apply sunscreen generously, and reapply periodically when sweating or after swimming.

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References: patient.info, health.harvard.edu