Here comes the Sun!

July 21, 2010

How we love to get out in the sun. We look forward to our barbecue summer and when that doesn’t show we look towards our Indian summer – oh, the British weather ! However, when the sun does make an appearance we tend to overdo it – we get sunburn or worse sunstroke.

Importantly, we have to be careful as we should all know the risks by now through good parenting, public awareness campaigns and the younger generation being more savvy about major issues such as being environmentally green. Overexposure to the sun can cause short-term health effects such as sunburn and skin pigmentation changes. Long-term exposure can cause permanent health effects including premature skin ageing, skin cancer and eye damage.

To protect yourself and your family it is essential to take adequate protective measures early on in life. There is a wealth of information, both regional and national, that gives good advice as to how to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UVB and UVA rays. In a nutshell the key rules are:

Avoid midday sun (between 11am and 3pm)

Seek natural shade or shelter

Use clothing and sunscreen including T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and hats

Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor 15 (for UVB protection) and additional UVA rating

The body’s skin protects itself by producing a tan in response to UV damage. The damage to the skin is also cumulative and cannot be reversed. UV radiation is not felt as heat as we feel the warmth (infra red rays) from the sun so we are often caught out when there is a breeze or during hazy days.

Children’s skin is thin and particularly vulnerable and adults need to be sensible too. The incidence of skin cancer is rapidly rising according to the latest figures released by Cancer Research UK recently and has received national media interest. Overexposure and sunburn for under-15s is a major cancer risk factor for the younger generation as indicated by increasing scientific evidence.

So what else should we know?

Keep babies and infants out of the sun altogether.

Cover up. Use hats and clothes preferably those made with a high ultraviolet protection factor, UPF, fabric.

Use sunscreen but remember that sunscreen is the last line of defence – sunscreen does not offer 100% protection. Apply before going outside and apply generously – sunscreen wears off – most people use far too little – for example an adult should use about 10mL (2tsp) of product to cover the head, arms and neck. Re-apply sunscreen. Remember you can still get burned whilst under water – UV rays penetrate the water – at half a metre depth UV radiation is still about half as intense as at the surface. Also, UV radiation is reflected off surfaces – you do not have to be in direct sunlight.

Know your skin type – there are six types which have varying susceptibility to sunburn. Take extra care if you have very pale skin, moles or freckles.

Be model parents and avoid sunbathing (and sunbeds). Teach good sun habits to your children

Remember to watch and listen to the weather forecast on TV, radio or online for the ultraviolet index, UVI. Just as we understand the temperature and pollen levels we should understand UVI. This is an internationally recognised measure of UV intensity. As a rough guide if the UVI is above 3 then you should take precautionary measures.

Wear UV protective sunglasses conforming to the current British Standard (EN 1836:2005).

There is a lot of information to take on board when considering sun protection and we know how difficult it is to get the kids to comply with wearing clothing and using sunscreen. Be sensible and enjoy your summer safely both at home and abroad. Don’t forget it’s Sun Awareness week in schools in June an ideal time for kids to understand the issues. Remember you can do your bit and teach your children safe sun habits too.

SunIQ provides a range of UV sun protective clothing, UV sunscreens and UV personal monitors. You will also find links to other factual web sites. Sun IQ is happy to offer sun protection advice and get involved in promoting sun awareness in your area. SunIQ is offering Crawley and Horsham Grapevine parents free delivery on items purchased at the website with this code FGR101 during June 2010. Visit www.sunIQ.co.uk Keep your kids protected with SunIQ’s help.

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