Boots will no longer make its Soltan sunscreen with a sun protection level lower than SPF50 for children and SPF15 for adults to encourage safe sun behaviour, as the use of high factor creams reduces the risk of skin cancer.
The chain said it has discontinued seven creams, including Soltan SPF30 for children and an SPF8 lotion designed for adults. Low-factor creams will disappear from its shelves after stocks run out.
Claire O’Connor, Boots sun protection expert, said that using sunscreen is one of the main methods of keeping skin protected from the sun. “We want to support our customers to make the easy transition to protecting their skin with a higher SPF. This is especially important for children, whose skin is more vulnerable to sun damage, so we want to help parents choose the highest protection available.’
Sun protection factor, or SPF, refers to the amount of UVB protection a product provides against the harmful effects of the sun. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection against UVB rays and sunburn, and the lower the risk of developing skin cancer. UVA rays are associated with skin aging. Boots’ move comes in a tie-up with Macmillan Cancer Support.
Dr Anthony Cunliffe, national clinical advisor for primary care at Macmillan Cancer Support, said these kinds of initiatives are “really important because wearing a higher factor SPF, along with steps like spending time in the shade, can to provide better sun protection and reduce the risk of developing skin cancer.”
About half of all melanomas begin as a new, unusual-looking mole in normal-looking skin. This usually looks like a dark area or new mole that changes over weeks or months. Other melanomas develop from a preexisting mole.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat across much of the UK this weekend, saying temperatures in the south-east could exceed 35C (95F), posing a potential risk to life.
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