Shocked by the news reports regarding the little baby who was exposed to too much sun last weekend at Brighton I think we all need to be aware of how fierce the sun can be – even in the UK.

Most people think sunburn is something that happens on holiday – but most cases of sunburn happen in the UK, not abroad – and many times people are simply out and about, not deliberately ‘sunbathing’. You may be outdoors watching sport, doing the gardening, walking round town or just sitting in the park, so try to keep out of the sun between 11-3pm or if you must be out wear a wide brimmed hat and sun glasses.

We all enjoy soaking up the sunshine – who doesn’t? But as we become more and more aware of the dangers of too much exposure we need to figure out ways to enjoy the sunshine but stay safe. Slapping on the sun cream is vital of course, but what else can we do?

Most skin cancers are caused by damage from the ultraviolet rays in sunshine. The best protection is avoidance, but where that’s not practical the next best thing is covering up, and covering up with sun protective clothing is better still!

David R Gateley FRCS, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at St George’s Hospital, London says,

“We must remain vigilant and protect against sun burn at all ages, using a combination of sun screens with high SP factor and when in water wear sun protection swim wear. The latter is a very practical way of keeping skin, both young and old, safe from harmful UVA and UVB rays.”

Top tips for protecting children in the sun

• Use shade Keep babies in complete shade: under trees, umbrellas, canopies or indoors. Provide shade for prams and buggies, if possible.
• Cover them up When outdoors, protect a baby’s skin with loose-fitting clothes, and a wide-brimmed hat that shades their face, neck and ears.
• Wear sunglasses Buy good quality, wraparound sunglasses for children, as soon as they can wear them.
• Find hats they like Encourage children to wear hats with brims, especially if they are not wearing sunglasses. The wider the brim, the more skin will be shaded from the sun.
• Use sunscreen wisely Use at least a factor 15 sunscreen and choose a “broad-spectrum” brand that has a four or five-star rating. Apply to areas that cannot be protected by clothing, such as the face, ears, feet and backs of hands. Choose sunscreens that are formulated for children and babies’ skin. These products are less likely to contain alcohol or fragrances that might irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions.
• Apply sunscreen generously and regularly. Put some on before children go outdoors. Sunscreen can easily be washed, rubbed or sweated off – so reapply often throughout the day.
• Don’t forget school times Remember play times and lunch breaks on summer school days too. Give children a hat to wear and, if they can’t apply sunscreen at school, cover their exposed skin before they go.
• And a last personal tip - be prepared for stripping off. My son was mildly burnt two years ago even though I had applied liberal amounts of cream – because he stripped off his trunks to play in the garden, and I forgot to apply more cream to his now-revealed derriere. Ouch…

Our lovely friends at The Beach Factory, who have a simply brilliant range of childrens beach and UV clothing (see our reviews here and some pics of the review in action here) have decided to offer all our lovely readers free P&P until the end of June. Simply Go Shopping, and use the Beach Factory Offer Code HAT100526122525 .

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Posted by Laura on 26 May 2010