Showing people sun damage to their own face may raise plans for sun protection.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   21 studies with 6,344 people, most of them university students aged about 18 to 21. The studies had 4,373 women, 1,797 men and 174 people whose gender was not recorded.

2. 02

   What they did

   Most studies showed a UV photo of their own face, or how sun damage ages skin, in booklets, videos or sessions. The other group got no photo or information. Results were checked from a few weeks to two years later.

3. 03

   What happened

   Across eight studies, people shown a UV photo and ageing facts planned more sun protection than the other group. Across two studies, ageing facts alone led to less indoor tanning. Across two studies, UV photos plus facts did not clearly cut UV exposure, and the paper's numbers disagree.

What the review found

1. HelpedMotivation

   Across eight studies, people shown a UV photo and ageing facts planned more sun protection than the other group.

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 625 people · vs people who got no photo or information · they rated themselves

2. HelpedGoals

   Across two studies, ageing facts alone meant less indoor tanning than the other group.

   Pooled analysis of 2 studies with 412 people · vs people who got no information · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true

3. No differenceGoals

   Across two studies, a UV photo and ageing facts did not clearly cut UV exposure more than the other group.

   Pooled analysis of 2 studies with 350 people · vs people who got no photo or information · they rated themselves

Source