Despite industry surveys which show men’s skin care to be one of the fastest growing categories in the beauty market, it seems that sunscreen usage amongst men is not. A recent survey of men in the US shows:
- Nearly half, (49%) of men admit to not using sunscreen in the past 12 months
- 70% of men don’t even know skin cancer’s warning sign.
The results of the survey are especially concerning when we consider that men over age 50 are more than twice as likely as women to develop and die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.
The Skin Cancer Foundation, in partnership with a sunscreen manufacturer, conducted the survey, which also revealed that men typically do not follow recommended sunscreen usage guidelines. The vast majority of male sunscreen users, 79%, are not aware that the recommended amount of sunscreen to use per application is one ounce. A significant majority of men, 61%, mistakenly believe that one sunscreen application protects skin for at least four hours, even though the recommended reapplication is every 2 hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. Only 32% of men consider themselves extremely or very knowledgeable about how to properly use sunscreen to get adequate protection. Additionally, nearly two-thirds, 64%, of men believe (or are unsure if) women need more sunscreen than they do, because of their misconception that female skin is more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone adopt a complete sun protection regimen that includes:
- Seeking shade between 10am and 4pm
- Covering up with clothing including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses and
- Wearing sunscreen every day. Shop our full selection of UVA and UVB blocking sunscreens here.
Read more about the recent survey regarding men and sunscreen here.
