Keep skin safe from the sun
And not just the children’s! According to findings from Lloydspharmacy, more than 60 per cent of parents have suffered sun burn because they were too busy worrying about protecting their children.
And, one in four parents are more likely to use lower factor sun protection and apply it less frequently than their children.
Sun care expert from Lloydspharmacy, Clare Kerr believes parents should be using a minimum of SPF 15 in the UK, but that the most ineffective sunscreen remains in the bottle.
She says: “every individual needs to think about their personal situation before spending any time in the sun; the country they’re visiting; the type of skin they have and the time of day and length of time they are likely to be in the sun – and whether they will have children with them. SPF 15 is only really suitable for adults with dark skin or those staying in the UK.”
Keep eyes safe from the sun
Boots Opticians found themselves having to launch an awareness campaign this summer, urging UK parents to make their children protect their eyes from the sun. According to their findings, 6 per cent of parents give their children sunglasses to wear, purely as a fashion statement, with one in ten not even realising the sun can damage eyes.
Boots Optometrist Carolyn Norman says: “Over the past 30 years British people have seen a huge shift in awareness of the damage the sun can do to our skin. We’ve learnt to cover up our children in the sun, but now it’s time to educate people about the harm the sun can do to our eyes.”
Keep safe from UVA rays in the car
Skin cancer is not deterred by windows, with families at risk from UVA exposure travelling in the car.
In a survey of 1000 UK residents, 88 per cent of parents did not regularly apply sun cream to their children during car journeys.
Spokesperson for Solar Gard, Kathryn Giblin, said: “Clearly, further education is needed to ensure parents are not putting their children at risk, whilst travelling in the car. With skin cancer rates continuing to rise at an alarming rate, protection in the car is a precaution that many in the UK do not adhere to. These findings also indicate that, despite a common knowledge of the risks of UVA in the car, the message of sun protection isn’t getting through to parents. It seems applying greasy sun cream before every journey is a chore most parents lack the time or inclination to do. With the summer upon us, sun protection is more important than ever and it’s time for parents to take action.”