British Bombshell Elizabeth Hurley, 55, Swears Off Sunbathing After Friend Is Diagnosed with Skin Cancer

Hurley is best known for her screen-grabbing turn in the Austin Powers series, and films like Bedazzled, Serving Sara, and My Favorite Martian. And tabloids loved reporting on her long-term romance with fellow English actor, Hugh Grant, in the 90s. Fast-forward to 2020, and Hurley has her own swimwear empire and serves as a model for her swimsuit pieces as well.

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However, Hurley is rethinking her approach to the sun given all of the skin cancer cases around her. The swimwear designer, who is the face and creative mind behind her eponymous Elizabeth Hurley Beach brand (which was launched 15 years ago), used to delight in spending loads of time in the sun.

Related: The Sun is Not Your Friend: Most Melanomas are Caused by Sun Exposure

But now, Hurley is saying she "regrets" all the years she spent soaking up the sun's rays. And the potential damage incurred by her sun-loving former self. The actress has also said she "loathes" staying indoors.

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Smartly, Hurley now wears a big beach hat and SPF 30 sunscreen lotion when she is under the sun's rays. She's taking these precautions because of what she’s seen her friends go through. "I've lost count of how many of my contemporaries have had cancerous cells removed," Hurley told Grazia magazine in a new interview, as reported by the Daily Mail.

5 Ways to Protect Yourself in the Sun

It's important to follow Hurley's lead and take precautions against skin cancer. SurvivorNet advises five ways to protect yourself from skin cancer, as suggested by Dr. Dendy Engelman. The dermatologist says:

• Avoid being in the sun during peak hours of 10am to 2pm. And if you are in the sun at that time, wear a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself.
• Protect your skin and your eyes by wearing hats and sunglasses.
• Wear sunscreen! Dr. Engelman recommends wearing an SPF of 30 or higher. And after excessive sweating or swimming, she says, be sure to reapply.
• Go to the dermatologist once a year. Check in on your skin, and have a professional give it a look as well. But don't wait till the year mark to see a doctor if you see something on your skin that looks out of the ordinary  go in and speak with your doctor about it as soon as possible.
• Don't go tanning in tanning beds. As Dr. Engelman noted, this seems obvious. But in case you had any doubt  and were tempted to get a golden glow by artificial means,  do not go lie in a tanning bed

Dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman Shares How to Protect Yourself from Skin Cancer.

Most melanomas are caused by sun exposure. Dr. Anna Pavlick tells SurvivorNet that "Ninety percent of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. That means you're at risk if you spent excessive amounts of time in the suneven as a child….Melanomas are the deadliest type of skin cancer because they have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body," Dr. Pavlick explains.

And as sun-kissed beauty Liz Hurley has seen, the effects of sun exposure can be quite damaging. Go the Hurley route, and opt for protection, always.

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