The sun is great isn’t it? The warmth, the summer colours, the ability to enjoy the outdoors without layers of clothes and a rain coat on?
Let’s face it, when the sun is out when we wake up, we have a smile on our face! With the sun however, comes the dangers…. Sun burning!
It is no secret that unprotected exposure to the sun is dangerous to everyone, especially children!
Children’s skin is a lot more sensitive that adults (around 30% thinner) and exposure to the sun could lead to skin cancer developing later on in life.
Did you know that one bad burn in childhood doubles the risk factor for melanoma later in life?
Can we reduce the risks? ABSOLUTELY!
There are so many things we can do to reduce the risks of burning and ultimately reducing the risks of skin cancer later in life.
SUN CREAM
Sun cream plays a huge part – did you know most people do not apply enough sunscreen and you should only use SPF15 and above to ensure sufficient protection.
The sun is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm therefore using sun cream throughout the day is important to allow coverage throughout – even if the sun is not shining and it is cloudy or overcast, you should still protect your own and children’s skin as did you know… up to 80% of UV rays can pass through clouds! – Surprising isn’t it…
SHADE
During the strongest times of the sun, it is advised to stay in shaded areas if possible, for example under trees, shelters or parasols – this is in addition to applying sun cream and some the advice below.
If you are a school or public facility, please take a look at our shelters and shaded options to ensure you are providing shaded areas for both children and adults – this is especially becoming increasingly popular within schools.
CLOTHING
There are certain things suggested to wear during exposure to the sun, for children this includes:
- Baggy cotton clothing – ideally with long sleeves
- Sun hats with wide brims that shades children face, neck and ears
- Sunglasses – ensure they are glasses that meet the British Standards and carry the ‘CE’ mark – check the label
The points covered here are the basics and there is so much more you can do, did you know that according to Cancer Research UK 86% of Melanoma Skin Cancer cases are preventable in the UK?
Let’s make a start today to reducing the risks of sun burn and further problems later in life and give the best protection to children as we can.
ATTENTION SCHOOLS!
We fully support the protection of children during school hours and we have been working with Skcin charity who work with schools to ensure they meet a criteria to become accredited ‘SunSafe’ giving parents piece of mind you offer the best for pupils attending!
Reference Library
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/
https://www.greenpeople.co.uk/beauty-hub/blog/10-facts-keep-sun-safe