Being outdoors in the sun all day can be a lot of fun, from enjoying fresh air to the warm weather and the longer days, nothing beats it.

While catching a tan is nice, it can be dangerous for the skin if not protected properly. 

Between 2017 and 2019, there was an average of 17,537 new cases of melanoma skin cancer which is most often caused by exposure to the sun, according to Cancer Research UK.

There are simple ways to protect yourself from the sun, including wearing appropriate clothing like long sleeves and hats but sunscreen is one of the most vital products to use during hot sunny days.

Although you should always wear sunscreen, you might not know that for it to work all day, you need to reapply it.

You can browse a range of sunscreens at Pharmacy2U and get them delivered to your door.

How long does sunscreen last on the skin and when should I reapply it?

According to skin specialist Cetaphil, they share that sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours to keep you safe from the sun. 

They add that no matter the level of SPF, you still need to make sure you reapply it to protect your skin.

What does SPF stand for?

Nivea’s website explains that “SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor”.

It adds that the SPF refers to “the amount of time the sunscreen will protect your skin from UV rays.”

If sunscreen has a higher SPF, this means it will protect your skin for longer.

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What does the SPF number mean?

When choosing SPF, it’s important to know what the number means and how long it will protect you.

Nivea says the number refers to “how long it might take you to get sunburnt after applying it, versus not wearing any at all.”

Sharing an example, it said: “If you can spend 10 minutes in the sunlight without burning, a lotion with SPF10 will multiply this "self-protection time" by 10 to equal 100 minutes.”