Be the queen of the rays

Considering the amount of money women spend on cosmetic creams, you'd think we're genetically disposed to wanting to look good forever.

Well, we are. We're always looking for the next best trick in a bottle. We all know what we should do, or what we shouldn't. With summer around the corner, it's worth being reminded of what most dermatologists offer as the best anti-ageing advice: stay out of the sun.

That's fine if you live in Ireland, but we don't. Wewant to languish in the sun, soak up its rays and never wrinkle. Vanity is not the only concern; we also have to protect ourselves from increasingly prevalent skin cancer mostly caused by overexposure to the sun.

So, the second-best advice from the people in the know is to wear a good sunscreen, which can prevent skin cancer, burning and ageing. Choosing a sunscreen is not easy. We need protection from both UVB (the primary cause of skin cancer) and UVA (the ageing rays).

There are different brands, prices andSPF ratings. The process has become more confusing since recent reports that a quarter of the sunscreen products endorsed by The Cancer Association of South Africa don't offer adequate protection.

Dr Beverly Summers, a lecturer in the pharmacy department of the University of Limpopo, says local sunscreens offer good protection despite failing the new test, and that a Cansa seal of approval is still valid. So, how do you know which sunscreen is best?

"There is no best sunscreen," says dermatologist Dr Robert Weiss.

"One's choice would depend on your skin type, what activity you intend to participate in, how long exposure is likely to be and where you are in the world."

The fairer your skin , the higher the SPF needed. SPF stands for sun protection factor and it is a laboratory measurement of approximately how much longer it would take for burning to occur when a sunscreen is used . An SPF of 20 would extend the time you spend in the sun before burning occurs by 20 times .

The higher the SPF, the more protection you will receive from ultraviolet rays .

If you will be exposed to the sun for most of the day, a higher SPF is best.

If you're going to spend your day around the pool or at a beach, a water-resistant sunscreen with a high SPF is vital.

Use your sunscreen correctly. Reapplication is important. You can't just put on sunscreen in the morning and expect to have protection the entire day.

Dr Caradee Wright, senior researcher at CSIR climate studies, encourages other measures be taken, including "making use of shade whenever possible, wearing broad-brimmed hats and sun-protective clothing, wearing sunglasses and avoiding long periods outdoors between 10am and 2pm ".