Sunburn is no laughing matter – even if you have managed to burn a funny shape onto your mate’s back. Tan lines are what we’re after, not angry red skin. So how well do you understand UV protection?
Sun cream
Big expensive brands aren’t necessary. Shopping around and looking in pound shops will provide you with perfectly usable sun cream at great value. You should check the lables for two things:
- SPF – This stands for Sun Protection Factor and is the level of protection against cancer-causing UVB rays. An SPF of 10 will provide ten times the level of protection of bare skin. Or, put another way, you can spend ten times as long in the sun before getting burnt. We recommend a SPF of 30 or more. SPF50 is recommended for children.
- UVA rating – Less understood, UVA rays can still cause cancer and ageing of the skin. Look for the circular UVA seal which indicates that the sun cream meets EU regulations of offering at least a third of the protection as their SPF. Some creams will have a rating between 1 and 5 stars. We recommend using 4* or 5*.
Children loathe sun cream; they just want to play and swim. Don’t you know that mummy and daddy? Save yourself tears by getting the children some high SPF sun cream that’s waterproof and then you won’t need to apply it so frequently.
For more information on sun creams, and brands to avoid, Which? have a completed some excellent research, found here.
Make it last
Did you know: Sun creams have a Period After Opening (PAO) number on the back which tells you for how long you can use the cream after opening. Look for a jar or lid symbol with a number next to it. This number is the length of time in months (usually 12 or 24) after opening the product that you can use the cream for.
Sunglasses
Most of us don’t understand the importance of good quality sunglasses. Over time, the same harmful UVA and UVB rays which cause our skin to burn can cause serious eye damage.
So don’t be temped by the fake sunglasses you might be sold as you’re eating your pizza by the beach, even if it is fun to haggle down the price. Get some proper sunglasses with the CE mark and the UV400 mark. For more information, The Daily Mail conducted some research on the brands found on the UK high-street. Boots have also busted some common sunglasses myths.
What about the children? Boots advise: “Up to 80% of the eye's lifetime exposure to UV light is reached before the age of 18, which makes UV protection particularly important in childhood.” So yes – children need proper sunglasses just as much, if not more, than adults.
