A leading dermatologist has warned that many people in the Canary Islands are underestimating their daily exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, stressing that you don't need to be sunbathing or in direct sunlight, to suffer sun damage to your skin.

Dr Marina Rodríguez, a specialist in Dermatology and Venereology, says the biggest risk is often the sun people don't realise they're exposed to, as UV rays can cause cumulative skin damage throughout the year, even on cloudy days.

"Sun exposure isn't the same as going to the beach or lying by the pool," she said in an interview, highlighting a common misconception among both residents and holidaymakers.

UV levels remain high all year

The Canary Islands experience the highest UV radiation levels in Spain throughout the year, making daily sun protection essential rather than something reserved for summer holidays.

The Canary Islands Health Service recently warned that many municipalities across the archipelago were facing extreme UV risk, while AEMET recorded UV Index values of 9 and 10 in parts of the Canary Islands, even though a UV Index of 8 to 10 is classified as very high.

You can still burn on a cloudy day

While summer brings the highest number of cases of sunburn, because people spend more time outdoors, Dr Rodríguez says sunburn is seen in clinics throughout the year in the Canary Islands.

She even recalls treating patients who were burned while simply walking outdoors in November under Tenerife's well-known "panza de burro" cloud cover.

"The November sun with cloud cover can still burn you," she warned. Clouds may reduce the feeling of heat, but they do not stop damaging ultraviolet radiation from reaching the skin.

Everyday activities add up

One of the biggest misunderstandings, according to Dr Rodríguez, is that many patients diagnosed with sun-related skin damage insist they "don't sunbathe."

She explains that everyday activities all contribute to cumulative UV exposure, including:

• Driving for long periods
• Working outdoors
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Playing sport
• Walking around town

Skin also has a long memory. Sunburn suffered during childhood and adolescence can significantly increase the risk of developing skin damage or cancer decades later.

For this reason, she believes protecting children and teenagers should be a priority, as early exposure has the greatest long-term impact.

More than just sunburn

Although many people associate excessive sun exposure with temporary sunburn, Dr Rodríguez says the long-term effects can be much more serious.

Repeated UV damage can lead to:

• Age spots and solar lentigines
• Premature skin ageing
• Precancerous lesions such as actinic keratosis
• Various forms of skin cancer

She highlighted melanoma as the most dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs.

According to the Canary Islands Health Service, melanoma accounts for around 2.7% of all cancers diagnosed in the Canary Islands and is the ninth most common cancer in the archipelago.

Dr Rodríguez says that around half of her consultations involve skin cancer or precancerous conditions, underlining how common sun-related skin disease has become.

Protection should be a daily habit

The dermatologist says sunscreen should form part of people's everyday routine, not just something applied before spending a day at the beach.

"I tell my patients you should brush your teeth and put on sunscreen immediately afterwards," she said.

She also recommends reapplying sunscreen during the day and reminds people not to forget commonly missed areas such as the ears, neck, back of the neck, chest, hands, forearms, legs and the tops of the feet.

Her overall message is clear: the damage caused by the Canary Islands' strong sunshine is cumulative, and the skin problems seen later in life are often the result of years of exposure rather than a single day in the sun.