Play it Safe in the Sun

By Bethia Pearson

Desperate to soak up some much-needed rays? Whether it’s the (rare) occasion at home, or more likely on your summer holiday overseas, there’s nothing quite like a strong boost of sunlight to give you a dose of vital vitamin D, something we crave after the winter months.
But there’s a fine line between giving ourselves a healthy glow and frazzling our sun-deprived skin altogether. Sunburn isn’t just unsightly and uncomfortable. It can also have serious long-term consequences, particularly for children.
The biggest risk we face is of skin cancer, which has seen an increase in cases by around five per cent a year in the UK.
Dr Colin Fleming is a consultant dermatologist at a new treatment unit specialising in non-surgical procedures which has just opened at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. "Many people get sunburn in Scotland and we know sunburn is a risk factor for skin cancer," he says. "If you're in the Mediterranean in February, you'll probably get less ultra-violet light than you would being up a hill in Scotland in June. When it's a warm day during the summer months, it's worth thinking about whether your child is likely to burn and if your child burns they won't be comfortable. Between May-September skin can burn even on cloudy days." Yet protecting children's skin can depend on the age of the child. It's relatively easy to keep a baby out of the sun, but what about an eight-year-old who loves the outdoors? Even trickier is a teenage girl who wants bronzed skin – no matter how fair her natural skin colour.
Professor Rona MacKie of the department of dermatology at the University of Glasgow has interviewed mothers about how they care for their children's skin. "For the first year of life the safest sun protection is using light cotton cover-ups and avoiding direct sun exposure by using sun hats or a parasol over the pram or push chair. In general, we don't recommend using SPF (sun protection factor) lotions or creams for young infants because of their body's large surface area and therefore the risk of absorption of chemicals.
"For older children, some of this advice still applies. A cool cotton shirt with a skirt or shorts can cover up a lot of skin. On the beach in a bathing suit, sun creams are useful but even then clothing is as good if not better. I've just returned from Brisbane in Australia and parents do very well at this kind of sun protection – expensive sun creams are not the only answer."
Australians take sun care very seriously, however MacKie advises that we do the same in Scotland, where melanoma rates are slightly higher than the north of England – which may be due to fairer skin in Scotland – but broadly similar to the rest of the UK. "Of course we all need sun protection on a sunny day at the beach in Nairn, Brodick or Elie, and in such resorts there may be a gentle cooling breeze which adds to the risk as we are not aware until the end of the day how much damage has been done," she says.
"The same applies if a lot of time is spent in the back garden in a paddling pool during a June heatwave. On a sunny day on a Scottish holiday, if you intend to have a day or afternoon at the beach, take light cotton cover-ups such as a towelling dress and always have a hat for every family member."
When sun creams are necessary, MacKie recommends using a minimum factor of 15, with the highest UVA protection available, applying generously and re-applying every two or three hours. It's important to find a lotion that is comfortable to wear and not too greasy. She finds that young children find a spray-on lotion most acceptable.
For those reluctant to cover-up or apply sun cream, a different approach may be required. "Many Scots would rather be tanned than white and this especially applies to teenage girls," says MacKie.
"They need to know that a sunburn will not necessarily lead to a suntan and that if they are very fair-haired or red-haired they will never tan a deep brown. These fair-skinned individuals need to learn
to take sun exposure very gently until they see how much sun their skin will tolerate. The best message is never to have red or sore skin at the end of the day. All this will lead to is peeling or even blisters, but not a tan."
Accidents happen, however, and Dr Fleming advises that if your child does burn, there's no need to panic. "There's nothing you can do but make the child comfortable," he says.  

TIPS for Protecting Children in the Sun - Cancer Research UK

Remember you can burn in the UK
.  The Great British sun is quite capable of burning your child! Take extra care at home as well as abroad.  
Know the shadow rule
.  If your shadow is longer than you are, then you are safe from the sun. When your shadow is shorter than you are tall, the sun can burn you.  Use shade- 
Keep babies in complete shade: under trees, umbrellas, canopies or indoors.
Cover them up
.  Dress children in cotton clothing that is baggy, close-weave and cool. Oversized T-shirts are good for covering most of their skin.
Use dry clothing
.  Remember that wet clothing stretches and can lose up to half of its UV protection – put children in dry clothing after playing in water.
Protect shoulders and necks
.  Don't put children in vest tops or sundresses if they are spending a lot of time outdoors – shoulders and backs of necks get easily burned.
Wear sunglasses.  
Buy good quality, wraparound sunglasses for children, as soon as they can wear them
Find hats they like.  The wider the brim, the more skin will be shaded from the sun.
Use sunscreen wisely.  
Apply factor 15+ sunscreen before children go outdoors. Then reapply often to be sure of good coverage. Don't forget their shoulders, nose, ears, cheeks and tops of feet.
Remember sunscreen washes off
.  Always use waterproof factor 15+ sunscreen when children are swimming or playing outdoors with water. Reapply after towelling.
Don't forget school times.  Give children a hat to wear and, if they can't apply sunscreen at school, cover their exposed skin with factor 15+ before they go.

Tanning Myth Cancer Research UK
"Sunbed tanning is safer than sun tanning"  
Like the sun, sunbeds give out UV rays. Exposure to UV rays is the main cause of skin cancer. So just like sunbathing, using a sunbed increases your risk of skin cancer.
The more you use sunbeds the greater the risk is likely to be and when the tan fades the skin damage remains. Sunbeds also cause premature skin aging, which means that your skin becomes wrinkly, tough and blemished at a younger age.