Love your skin in summer

Could your diet and the SPF of your sunscreen protect your skin? Here’s what you need to know.

✣ None of us can afford to be complacent. The sun damages all skin types. UVB rays cause burning, and are linked to skin cancer. UVA light penetrates deeper into the skin, causing the DNA damage that’s associated with ageing, and can also fuel skin cancer.

✣ Unlike sunburn, which is instant, the impact of UVA damage is slower to show. The wrinkles you see today are from sun damage you sustained 10 years ago.

✣ Use a sun cream with SPF 30 or more for UVB protection, and four stars for UVA protection. Apply it 30 minutes before you go out. Two teaspoons should be enough to cover your face, neck and arms. For your body (in a swimsuit), you’ll need about two tablespoons of cream. Reapply every two hours.

✣ Eat skin-healthy. Get vitamin E from nuts and seeds. Include Brazil nuts for cancer-cutting selenium. Have tomatoes for the lycopene that protects their skin from sun damage. Zinc – in meat, shellfish and legumes – helps the immune system fight off cancers and reduce DNA damage.