Published on 31 March 2020
A skin cancer specialist from East Kent Hospitals will be debunking some of the myths around sunscreen on BBC Radio 4 this month.
Dr Andrew Birnie, a consultant dermatologist based at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, was interviewed by the team from The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread, alongside a consumer expert.
As well as treating patients with skin cancer, Dr Birnie developed Altruist sunscreen, and is passionate about raising awareness of the need to wear sun protection to reduce the risk of cancer or sun damage.
He said: “While it may seem strange to be talking about sunscreen at the moment, it’s actually really important as people will be spending time in their garden enjoying the spring sunshine.
“In the programme we discussed what SPF actually means, and how the star system works, because it can be quite confusing.
“People sometimes assume that a sunscreen that has an SPF of 15 and a five-star rating is better than one with an SPF of 50 and a four-star rating, but that is not the case – a higher SPF will provide greater protection.”
The 15-minute show is due to air on Wednesday, 22 April and a longer podcast will also be available.
It was recorded before the restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Dr Birnie said: “Although we can’t go to the beach or the park at the moment, there is still a very real risk of burning or skin damage if you are out in the sun for any length of time.
“I would always say wear sunscreen on your face from March to October, and on any other areas that are exposed to the sun for more than 20 minutes.
“Together with some of the best scientists in Europe, I developed Altruist sunscreen as a quality option that was also affordable.
“Skin cancer is the most common cancer but there is a lot we can do to reduce our risk, and wearing sunscreen is part of that.”
For more information on Altruist sunscreen, visit www.altruistsun.com
The programme will be broadcast at 9.30am on Wednesday, 22 April, and repeated at 8.45pm, or can be found on the BBC Sounds app or via iPlayer.
