Planning a summer holiday for you and your family is one of the most enjoyable things that you get to do every year. And it doesn’t matter if you’re going to stay in the same country or you’re going to go away.
The rules of the sun are always going to be the same. Children who get a sunburn in childhood, or even in their teens, or an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. So it would be best if you took precautions now to protect your children in the future.
Before you decide which sunscreen you’re going to buy, it is worth reading up on mineral vs. chemical sunscreen: what you need to know to protect your family. Because there are so many options. There are some sunscreens out there that actually don’t provide the amount of protection you need. And many people don’t follow the rules that are printed on the packaging.
So here are some quick tips to keep you and your family safe in the sun.
- You should apply a good layer of sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outside. If you have never used that specific brand before, it is worth doing a small patch test just to check and see if your child is allergic. This will give you time to buy an alternative option.
- Be sure that you reapply the sunscreen to every member of the family at least every two hours. If your children are playing in the water, then you need to reapply the sunscreen as soon as they get out. Many people skip this step if sunscreen has a waterproof or water-resistant written on the bottle. This does not mean that they will have the same amount of protection after having a swim.
- There are still UV rays behind light clouds. In fact, up to 90% of UV rays can pass through those clouds. So even in cloudy weather, if it’s quite sunny, you really should be wearing sunscreen. Become more familiar with the UV index. The UV index measures the risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Almost all weather apps will have the option to check the UV index. So make the most of it.
- Try to remember the children will learn by your example. If they see that you are regularly using a sun hat, sunscreen, reapplying frequently, and other bad son habits. They are more likely to follow that lead then do as you say.
- If you have someone else’s children or your children are going to play with someone else for a while, make sure that you apply the sunscreen at least 20 minutes before they leave, as well as send the suncream with them. If you are taking care of someone else’s children, make sure you give them a quick call to ask about any allergies related to suncream. This way, you will make sure that everyone is protected.
- Spray sun cream can be fantastic, but some parents misinterpret the intensity of the spray. Rather than spray it directly onto your child’s face, spray this onto your hands, and apply this way. However, the spray is perfectly great for the rest of the body and is, in fact, one of the quickest ways to apply some cream all over your child’s body.
- Any babies up to 6 months ideally should not be exposed to any direct sunlight. Baby is below six months and has incredibly delicate and fragile skin. Which means it can have a disastrous effect and cause a great deal of damage. So while you are out in the sun to make sure your little one’s arms and legs are covered with longsleeved T-shirts and trousers. Try to stick with light material like breathable cotton or linen. Make sure you use a mesh screen on car windows, this will stop them getting sunburnt while they’re asleep in the back of the car. Any spaces that you see like little hands and toes ideally should be covered with an umbrella that attaches to the pushchair.
- A broad-spectrum sunscreen is ideally what you want to choose. This means it will protect against both UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays are the ones that actually cause the sunbed, and UVA are the ones that cause premature aging. So together, they produce a disastrous effect on the skin and body. Overexposure to heat that can cause damage that is irreversible. This is why most health and beauty people will also recommend using sunscreen in your everyday skincare routine.
- If you are planning on going for a long walk while you are on your sunny holiday, try to remember that between 10 and 4 pm, the sun is at its most intense. So if you have young children with you, try to make sure that they only go outside for walks before 10 am and after 4 pm. They should also wear a very wide brim hat when outdoors. Or you can bring back the wonderful trend of parasols. They are easy to carry and provide a lot of protection when combined with a hat. When it comes to choosing at the parasol to clip onto the pushchair or for your children to carry, try to make sure that they come with using the protection. This will most often be noted in the instructions or a sticker on the material of the product.
- It is recommended that you use an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30 for all children. But of course, the higher the SPF, the better. Most protection brands will have a starter SPF for children at 50. And it should be noted that your cream formulation is generally better than milk so lotions, it is thicker and a taste of the skin better.
- Find a shady spot. No matter where you are, there is likely some shade that you can make use of. As you are going to be nipping out early with the kids, before 10 am, this gives you the perfect opportunity to find the best shady tree that you can. Or create your own shade with a large umbrella. This will give your family the perfect opportunity to cool down if they have been in the sun for a prolonged period of time.
- Hydration is incredibly important. It can happen really quickly that you or your children cannot drink enough water during the day, and the next thing you know, heatstroke has struck. As soon as you decide to head out in the morning, make sure that everybody has a bottle of water with them at least. A great tip is to pop the water in the freezer the night before so it can also be carried around and it will defrost slowly over the morning. This will keep the water nice and cool too. Large bottles with spillproof lids will give you exactly what you are looking for.
- Emergency supplies. Make sure that you have at least one mini first aid kit in your car and in your bag so that you can deal with anything that arises. Small insect bites and other things can be a horrible event when you’re trying to just enjoy the sun. So include things like infant paracetamol, cooling sprays, and balms. Calamine lotion is excellent in case of mild heat rash.
As soon as the weather heats up, everybody wants to jet off on holiday, and as much as vitamin D is great for healthy bones, sunscreen is excellent for protecting the skin. And these simple tips will allow you to enjoy your holiday without the added worry.