STAYING SAFE IN THE SUN

Wed, 14 Jul 2010

When warm weather hits Scotland we all like to get outside to make the most of it. We all know how great it feels to be outside enjoying the fresh air and sunny days. Spending more time outdoors and being physically active relaxes you, makes you feel good, and is good for your health.

But it is also important to be sun safe and NHS Ayrshire and Arran and East Ayrshire Council jointly recognise the importance of promoting sun safety.

It is especially important to protect children, as even one episode of sunburn increases their risk of developing skin cancer.

To help minimise the number of babies and young children experiencing sunburn, East Ayrshire Council’s Social Work Service recently delivered a sun awareness project for families throughout the area during which parents were advised about the benefits of sunscreen and staying safe in the sun.

Donna McKee, NHS Clinical Nurse Manager for Early Years gives us her TOP TIPS for protecting babies and children in the sun:

Sunscreen

• Use a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15+.
• For best results, slop a generous amount of sunscreen on about 20 minutes before going outside. This gives the lotion a chance to bind to the skin.
• Reapply every two hours (or more often if swimming or sweating a lot).
• Use sunscreen with hats, sunglasses, clothing and shade.

Shade
• Stay in the shade during the peak hours between 11am–3pm when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

Clothing
• Long sleeves and trousers will protect skin from 95% of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Choose lightweight fabrics like cotton to help keep from getting too hot.

Hats
• Choose a comfortable hat with a wide brim (at least 8cm — about the length of a credit card).

Councillor John MacKay, Spokesperson for Community Health and Wellbeing, said: “Babies and children rely on their parents to look after their skin in the sun and we hope that by providing information, we are giving parents the know-how to prevent their children from being exposed to the long-term risks of sunburn.”

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