Part sun protection, part wearable technology, La Roche-Posay’s new UV patch could change the way you view sun safety forever
Wearable technology - it’s the trend that’s on everyone’s lips and wrists at the moment. However, while we may be familiar with the latest crop of calorie counters and step trackers, La Roche-Posay has taken tech one step further with the unveiling of its new My UV Patch - the first-ever stretchable electronic UV Monitor.
Debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month, it takes conventional sun protection to the next level by actively monitoring your sun exposure, and thereby allowing consumers a greater degree of transparency and control over their sun care needs.
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Offering more flexibility compared to other rigid wearables, the lightweight transparent adhesive can be stuck directly onto any area of skin. Its photosensitive dyes then cause it to change colour when exposed to UV rays to indicate varying levels of sun exposure. Photos of the patch can then be uploaded to the La Roche-Posay My UV Patch mobile app for closer monitoring. For increased accuracy, it is recommended that the waterproof sensor be worn on the back of the hand for between 1 to 5 days.
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A recent global study commissioned by La Roche-Posay surveying 19,000 men and women revealed that although 94% said they were aware that unprotected sun exposure could cause health problems, only 12% of Brits protected themselves all year round. Looking back at previous GTG anti-ageing articles , our experts have been collectively vocal in their opinions that sunscreen should never be reserved just for the summer.
One of the biggest misconceptions in modern beauty, this innovative piece of all-weather wearable tech hopes to incite a true behavioural change through the use of easy-to-access, real-time knowledge. It could be the future of sun protection as we know it for stopping sun damage in its tracks for an increasingly digital age.
My UV Patch is expected to be made available to UK consumers later in 2016.
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