Before the start of summer

One in three people have already suffered sunburn this year

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Africa Studio)

Although summer hasn't even started yet, a third of the population has already suffered sunburn this year. This is according to survey data collected by Marketagent online in April for the industry platform Kosmetik transparent. In "Generation Z", the cohorts born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s, the figure is as high as 53.2 percent. Compared to 2017, however, "the importance of sun protection has generally increased".

According to the survey, only six percent of people in Austria do not use sun protection at all. Prevention is the top priority for users, and the use of high sun protection factors (SPF) has become established, analyzed the experts from Kosmetik transparent: "We have succeeded in educating the population and convincing them of the need for sun protection," said spokeswoman Andrea Schneider.

Sun cream, sunglasses and sun hats in the top 3
At 78.4 percent, the number one reason for using UV protection products is to avoid sunburn. According to the survey, 64.1 percent want to avoid skin damage and a further 59.8 percent see it as protection against skin cancer. The most popular product, at 63.6%, is sun cream, followed by sunglasses (59.1%) and sun hats or sun caps (38.9%). These are followed by sun milk, sun spray and face cream with a sun protection factor, each with around 25 percent.

(Bild: verona_studio – stock.adobe.com / KroneMED)

Many resort to high sun protection factors 
The misconception that you "never get a tan" with high sun protection factors and therefore avoid them has apparently finally been dispelled: 42.8 percent of respondents use SPF 30 to 50 for the face and 44.7 percent for the body. A very high SPF 50+ is used by 26.1 percent for the face and 20.6 percent for the body. Compared to ten years ago, this proportion has more than doubled. Sun protection with a low SPF of 6 to 10 is only rarely used. The proportion is 3.7 percent for the face and 4.7 percent for the body.

Tanned skin is still in demand: 52.9 percent consider a tan to be important in summer. Women (58.9 percent) and Generation Z (66.9 percent) attach particular importance to it. However, the majority (82.1 percent) now know that you can get a tan even if you use sun protection.

"Every sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer"
Almost half of those surveyed consider their own risk of skin cancer to be medium. Two in ten (19.6 percent) rate it as (rather) high. "In any case, every sunburn increases the risk of developing skin cancer later on and should be avoided at all costs," warned Andrea Schneider.

More than one in two people reapply or spray
On average, 94.4 percent stated that they use sun protection products for their face and/or body. 73.8 percent protect themselves when going swimming. 67 percent use UV protection when on vacation, 56.5 percent when outdoors during the warm season. A good third of them apply sunscreen at least once a day. More than half (57.7 percent) also apply sunscreen or spray it on and apply it two to three times a day.

Household spends an average of 22 euros on sun care
35.1 percent of respondents buy new products before each summer season. However, almost two thirds (64.9 percent) use them until they are used up. "On every sun protection product there is a small symbol with an opened jar, which shows the shelf life in months after the first opening," said Schneider and recommends sticking to this information. According to the Consumer Panel Austria GfK, domestic households bought a sun care product on average twice a year from the beginning of April 2023 to the end of March 2024 and spent around 22 euros on it in one year.

Sunlight has many positive aspects, but in excess and without protection, both UVA and UVB radiation can be dangerous and cause skin cancer. UVB light transfers all the energy to the upper layer of the skin, increases the protective pigmentation, but is also responsible for damaging sunburn. UVA light penetrates into the deep layers of the skin and leads to premature skin ageing, attacks the collagen/elastin network and is responsible for the formation of age spots.