Everyone knows that the sun can have harmful effects such as premature aging, skin cancer and cataracts, but how many of us know what’s what when it comes to sun protection products for ourselves and our children? In this guide we explain the options available as well as the best ways to use them to enjoy the sun safely.
1. The first thing you should be aware of is that no sun protection product provides 100% protection from the sun. The best way to protect yourself from the harmful effects is to cover up with clothing. This is especially true for children and those with fair skin. You should wear a hat and sunglasses whenever it’s possible to do so. Choose a hat with a rim of approx 3″ all the way round rather than a baseball cap as these leave your ears and neck exposed. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, ensuring that the ones you choose block UV light.
2. Know what you’re buying- Did you know that sunscreen and sun block are not the same. A sunscreen is a product which offers a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or less, whereas a Sun block has an SPF of 30 or over. Choose a type that suits you and that you find easy to apply. Some people prefer sprays, others favour sun-creams: use whatever works for you.
3. The SPF does not, contrary to popular belief, indicate the strength of the SPF but instead refers to the theoretical period of exposure during which the product will provide protection. For example SPF 15 would mean that you burn 15 times slower than you would without applying the product.
4. Buy the highest SPF that’s available especially if you will be outside during the hottest part of the day (10am-4pm), or are fair-skinned. A SPF 15 sunscreen will give you between 94-95 percent UVB coverage; SPF 28 increases coverage to approx 96 percent.
5. Ensure that you buy sunscreen labelled as “broad spectrum” protecting against UVA (ultraviolet-A) and UVB (ultraviolet-B) rays. High levels of Ultraviolet radiation have been linked to an increased risk of cancers such as basal-cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.
6. Choose a waterproof product if you will be going for a swim or likely to work up a sweat!
Warning: No sunscreen is totally waterproof, so make sure you re-apply it often, following the instructions on the product packaging.
7. Don’t wait until you get to the beach to apply your sun protection as many products are not effective until about 20-30 minutes after application.
8. Apply liberally. Like many people you probably don’t apply enough sun cream. You should use about the same amount as in a shot glass (1oz or about 30ml) to cover your whole body. It’s best to apply in light layers working the product well in. This leaves you skin well protected without making it excessively oily.
9. If you have oily skin and suffer with breakouts you can buy non-comedogenic (non pore-clogging) products. There are also other specialist products for people with sensitive skin etc so it’s worth shopping around for a product that works well for you.
10. Make sure that you apply plenty of sunscreen to the most exposed areas such as your face, ears and nose, back of the neck and arms. Thoroughly apply the product to any area that will be exposed to the sun. That said, you should apply sunscreen to areas underneath your clothing too as the average t-shirt actually provides little in the way of sun protection -around 4-10 SPF!.
11. Don’t forget your lips! Buy a lip balm with a SPF of 15+ and remember that this will need to be re-applied also.
12. Remember that it’s possible to get sunburn even on a cloudy day if you are outside for a long period so always take sun-protection with you when you are going out for the day.
13. Ok. Final tips. You should protect yourself as much as possible by combining everything you’ve just learnt:
- Stay out of the sun as much as possible during the hottest part of the day (between 10am-4pm)
- Cover up with clothing, a hat and sunglasses
- Apply plenty of sun-protection and re-apply regularly
- Limit the time you spend in the sun, and therefore your overall exposure to harmful UV rays.
Image: Joe Shlabotnik
I'm the editor of this site
if you want to avoid getting skin cancer, sun protection is a necessitiy–;