Sun Protection Your Familys Guide to Staying Safe in the Sun

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Sun Protection: Your Family's Guide to Staying Safe in the Sun

It's not only in sultry foreign lands that you need to think about sun protection. The sun can have serious consequences even during a typical British summer.

A golden horizon and long summer days make it easy to get excited about the sun. But, while the summer can make you feel sparkling, it can have the opposite effect on your skin. The sun has a dark side that can cause skin cancer and age your skin by accelerating the appearance of fine lines. The bottom line? It’s crucial to stay protected.


Why Protect? Sunburn’s Single Cancer Dose

The sun’s most serious risk to your health is also one of the most common. In the UK, skin cancer is diagnosed in around 75,000 people each year and some experts, based on Harvard Medical School studies1, believe that just one episode of blistering sunburn in children and young adults can double the chances of getting malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, later in life. Exposure to the sun also accelerates the weakening of collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, making the sun responsible for up to 85% of premature skin ageing2.


Sun Protection Rules

Baffled by sun protection science? Don’t be. Follow these golden rules and it’s easy to ensure you and your little ones stay protected.

  • Choose a High Factor SPF With UVA Protection

    • Dr Nick Lowe, Consultant Dermatologist at London’s Cranley Clinic, warns against relying upon SPF protection without checking it offers UVA protection. “The bottom line is SPF doesn’t tell you anything about UVA protection,” says Dr Lowe. “I call UVA the ‘silent ager’ and it’s also a potential killer. It doesn’t burn the skin like UVB rays but damages it considerably.” To stay protected, check sun creams for a high star rating (3 being the lowest, 5 the highest) or EU approval, usually indicated by a circle containing the letters UVA.

    For Good Broad Spectrum Protection Consider: No7 Anti-Ageing Sun Protection Spray SPF 30
    For Good Child-friendly Sun Protection: Soltan Kids Green Coloured Suncare spray SPF 30

  • Reapply Your Sun Protection Regularly

    • It’s easy to keep your family’s skin protected by applying the correct amount of sun cream. Dr Lowe recommends “using a teaspoon on the face and neck and half a teaspoon on the hands” to protect typically exposed areas. For full protection, apply your sun cream 15 minutes before exposure to the sun and reapply after washing or sweating, especially with active children who get their mucky faces wiped or play outdoor sports.

    And remember, when applying sun cream, don’t be tempted to play SPF maths: mixing SPF10 with SPF20 will not give you SPF30 protection.

    Good Sun Protection for Water Babies: Soltan Kids Once Takeaway Lotion SPF40

  • Don’t Get Caught out – Protect Whatever The Weather

    • UVA rays can penetrate glass or water and drop but don't disappear when skies turn grey. Dr Lowe warns that this “ongoing repetitive exposure to UVA can lead to ageing and skin cancer” and recommends using a broad spectrum sunscreen (combining UVA and UVB protection) of at least SPF15 daily.

    To help keep your skin protected from incidental exposure (that lunch break stroll to the shops, say) upgrade your usual moisturising day cream to one with in-built sun protection. Boots likes Dr Nick Lowe Super Charged SPF15 Day Cream, which offers SPF15 protection and a 4-star UVA rating. However, if you or your family plan to spend a bit more time in the sun, always switch to a dedicated sun protection product.

    For an anti-ageing SPF moisturiser, you might want to consider: No7 Anti-Dark Spot Facial Sun Protection SPF 30


Finally, remember to always enjoy the sun sensibly

A balanced approach to sun exposure is best for your skin. “My philosophy is that the sun is important,” says Dr Maes, Senior Vice President for Research & Development of Estee Lauder Worldwide. “You need a little bit of sun and a bit of pleasure if you protect your skin. The sun is not your enemy, but it has to be handled with care.”

1Pediatrics Journal – August 1989
2Milady’s Standard Cosmetology

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