What is the best sunscreen?

The best sunscreen is the one that you wear, and I would prefer any sunscreen to no sunscreen but there are reasons you would choose certain sunscreens over other ones. A moisturiser with a built in SPF is a good option especially in the winter months when the UV index isn’t as high.  Our chemists across Europe and USA say the highest SPF you can build into a moisturiser is SPF 25 and some labelling on products is misleading; but again, any SPF is better than no SPF and in the winter months in Ireland and the United Kingdom this would be more than adequate as sun protection.

We run Dermatology clinics so many of our patients present with skin cancer or severe photo-damage and pre -cancerous lesions. If you get skin cancer, then this obviously needs to be treated but the sun didn’t just hit you in this spot; it has affected the whole area and damaged the skin.  The best sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and ageing are hybrid sunscreens, which is a combination of chemical and physical block. REFORM Skincare SPF 50 is a hybrid sunscreen and as skin cancer prevention we recommend daily use of this sunscreen on exposed areas.

If the person is outdoors a lot or gardening/golfing/exercising/sweating and swimming, then this sunscreen needs to be applied a lot more frequently than if they are an indoors office worker who finishes work at 7pm every day.