What happens if you don’t put sunscreen on your neck? scientist explained

A pharmaceutical scientist has detailed what really happens over time when you don’t apply sunscreen beyond your face.

Melbourne’s Hannah English provided a revealing image showing a 92-year-old woman with severe sun damage to the skin on her neck after using UV-protecting moisturizers on her face for 40 years.

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The older woman’s photo shows her neck clearly covered with wrinkles, sunspots and discoloration, while her face appeared flawless with little damage.

Hannah made a strong reminder to wear SPF everywhere, including the easily overlooked neck area where it’s particularly vulnerable to the sun’s rays.

“It’s not too late to wear SPF daily,” Hannah said on Instagram.

“Don’t forget your neck and your chest. And probably hands.”

Hannah said the photo shows what happens when you forget to apply sunscreen to the neglected neck area.

“This is a real photograph of a real person who has used sunscreen on their face for 40 years or more but not on their neck,” Hannah said.

“Can you see the difference?”

Hannah said she believes the woman only started putting sunscreen on her face 40 years ago.

“She was in her 50s, so you have plenty of time to put sunscreen on every day,” she said.

Doctor Avi Bitterman, a New York dermatologist, shared the photo on social media to show the consequences of not using sunscreen on a neglected area.

“The cheek and neck of a 92-year-old woman who used UV-protective moisturizers on her face but not her neck for more than 40 years,” said Dr. Bitterman on Twitter.

The image was published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology to show the benefits of UV protection.

How to apply sunscreen

Many Aussies under-apply sunscreen and forget to reapply every two hours – meaning they’re likely getting less than half the protection advertised on the product label.

Correct application is crucial for sun protection to be effective.

You need more than you think: The average sized adult needs a teaspoon of sunscreen for the head and neck, each limb, and the front and back of the body. That’s about 35ml of sunscreen, or 7 teaspoons for a full body application.

Apply early and reapply: Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going outside and reapplied every two hours (regardless of whether the label tells you to or not). Remember to reapply after swimming or excessive sweating.

The best sunscreen: The best sunscreen is one that suits your skin type and activity level and that you can easily reapply.