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Exposure to the sun:
what do we really do?

For several decades, sun damage prevention campaigns have been carried out every year by health authorities, and the same messages are repeated:

Avoid sun exposure during the hottest hours of the day, apply sun protection every 2 hours, protect yourself with suitable clothing, glasses, hats or caps.

But in reality, what do we do with these messages?

The patient and consumer relations department of Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics and Personal Care wanted to better understand our behaviours through several surveys based on a programme called SAFE.


What does SAFE mean?

Sunscreen Assessment Family Experience or, How do we use sunscreen products, and what are our habits when it comes to sun exposure?

Video file
Survey 2021–2022
How do we expose ourselves to the sun?

Who answered?

8,000 people in 7 countries.
A total of 8,120 adults (6,662 parents and 1,458 grandparents) responded
 

France
France
Espagne
Spain
Italy
Italy
Allemagne
Germany
United States
United States
Australia
Australia
Brasil
Brazil

What can we learn from this survey?

We do not really comply with the guidelines

98%

Children 
exposed
to the sun

Of which
70%

Between
11 am and 5pm

Less than
1/5

Fewer children benefited from an application of a sunscreen product every two hours on days of full sun

Main reasons for the use of sunscreen

78% avoid sunburn
51% reduce the risk of skin cancer

 

Still, we think sunscreen products are effective:
what the adults surveyed say

90%

Sunscreen products protect against sunburn

84%

Sunscreen products reduce the risk of skin cancer

77%

Sunscreen products prevent skin from ageing

We don't always fully understand what we need to do or avoid

• More than 3 in 4 adults believe that a sunscreen product with a protection factor of 30 protects twice as much as a product with a protection factor of 15
22% think that clouds protect us from the sun
12% think that once tanned, there is no reason to pay attention

 

However, it seems that from one generation to the next, we are making progress!

85%

of parents say they protect themselves

versus
76%

 of grandparents

A survey carried out with the help of the EMMA Company
Survey 2022–2023
Why are we protecting ourselves?… or not!

Who answered?

50,552 people in 20 countries
A total of 50,552 people over the age of 16

Australia
Australia
Brasil
Brazil
Canada
Canada
Chine
China
Danemark
Danemark
France
France
Allemagne
Germany
Inde
India
Israël
Israel
Italy
Italy
Kenya
Kenya
Mexique
Mexico
Pologne
Poland
Portugal
Portugal
Sénégal
Senegal
Afrique du sud
South Africa
Corée du sud
South Korea
Espagne
Spain
UAE
UAE
United States
United States

What can we learn from this survey?

61%
of men and
71%
of women

know to avoid exposure during the hottest hours

Men expose themselves more than women

16–34 year olds expose themselves more than those over 35

But the hottest hours are often the ones that suit us best

18%

say these are the most enjoyable hours

32%

say that they are the most practical

25%

say that they are the hours during which they are available

We have trouble reapplying a sunscreen product every two hour

• Only 1 in 4 people do it

We don't necessarily think about the risks of skin cancers when we protect ourselves:

• 53% mainly protect themselves against sunburn
• 40% for the prevention of skin ageing
• Only 27% mentioned the risk of tumours

In fact, most of the time, we simply forget to protect ourselves

27%

don't think about it

18%

think it's tedious

A survey carried out with the help of the EMMA Company
Survey 2023
How do we talk about the sun and sun products on social media? What are our priorities?

Who answered?

80,000 posts in 2 countries

France
France
Espagne
Spain

What can we learn from this survey?

We each have our own reasons for protecting ourselves.
But the prevention of ageing is mostly cited

71%

of French people talk about it

55%

of Spaniards talk about it

And we each have different issues and priorities:

• We want to enjoy the sun
• NWe are concerned about using products that leave a white film on the skin or could create discomfort
• We misunderstand the composition of the products
• We are afraid of polluting the oceans
• We are concerned about  slowing down the synthesis of Vitamin D
• Above all, we are careful to protect our children properly

 

But also, above all, in so doing we forget to protect ourselve

A survey carried out with the help of the Kapcode Company