MEN BEHAVING BADLY

Photo by Oliver Sjöström: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-running-near-seashore-at-daytime-photo-1056497/

A new survey has found that nearly 90% (89%) of UK men say they have been sunburnt at least once in their adult life, with over half of men (56%) believing they should take more care to protect their skin from the sun. In the knowledge that skin cancer is more common in men, this summer, partners NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK are asking ‘what will it take?‘ for men to be more sun safe?

The consumer research study, which was commissioned by the World’s No.1 Sun Protection brand, NIVEA SUN, found that on average UK men say they have been sunburnt five times in their lifetime. The neck is the most common area of the body (16%) for men to say they’d been burned, closely followed by the head (15%), and the back (13%).

When looking into the reasons for having not protected themselves in the sun, a quarter of men (25%) said they did not feel the sun was strong enough, with nearly the same number (23%) saying they didn’t really think about it, and some stating it was ‘too much hassle’ (8%) or ‘boring’ (4%).

It’s no surprise then that around 1 in 10 men (11%) said they never purchase sunscreen. And when considering other ways to protect themselves from the sun in the UK, the survey found that only a quarter of men (25%) had worn clothes to protect their skin and around a fifth (22%) had spent time in the shade.

To help everyone enjoy the sun safely, NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK – who this year celebrate 10 years in partnership – are working alongside comedian and TV personality Joel Dommett to ask ‘what will it take?‘ for men to be more sun safe.

The campaign hopes that by shining a light on the importance of being safe in the sun and offering advice and tips, men will be more likely to follow the three simple steps to enjoy the sun safely and ultimately reduce rates of skin cancer in men:

  1. Seek shade
  2. Cover up
  3. Apply sunscreen

Capturing the comedian’s tongue-in-cheek tone, Joel Dommett has created a hilarious video that reinforces this message with an incredibly catchy chorus (you’ve been warned!).

Joel hopes that when watching and sharing his content, men will reflect on their own sun habits commenting: “We’ve all been there, refusing to admit that you’re burning and convinced it’ll eventually turn into a tan. But what a lot of men don’t realise is that every burn counts, as skin damage from the sun builds up over time.

“On the flipside this also means that every time you protect yourself counts. That’s why I’ve partnered up with, NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK to remind you guys to be safe in the sun and help reduce the rates of skin cancer in men.”

Watch Joel’s video here.

Speaking on behalf of Cancer Research UK, Senior Health Information Manager, Karis Betts comments: “It’s encouraging to see the number of men who feel they should be taking more care of their skin when in the sun, but a concerning number aren’t protecting themselves because they didn’t feel the sun was strong enough.

“In the UK the sun can be strong enough to burn between mid-March and mid-October and is strongest in the middle of the day, not when it’s hottest. To enjoy the sun safely, we encourage everyone to remember the three steps and spend time in the shade, cover up with clothing and apply sunscreen.”

For more information on sun safety, please visit https://www.nivea.co.uk/advice/skin/sun-safety-advice

For more information on skin cancer, visit cruk.org.uk

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