Kids Education - Protecting your little ones

Children spend much more time outside than adults do, so protecting them in the sun is a must! Teaching children safe sun habits while they are young also sets a good pattern for later life and can help to reduce their risk of developing skin cancer in the future.

Firstly, remember that all children, regardless of skin type should be protected in the sun. Although children with fair or red hair, pale eyes or freckles are said to be most at risk, precautions should be taken with all children.

Follow these tops tips to keep your little ones safe in the sun:

Remember to take extra care at home as well as abroad, UK sun is just as capable of burning your child
Seek shade where possible under trees, umbrellas, canopies or indoors
Cover up. Dress children in cotton clothing that is baggy, close-weave and cool. Oversized T-shirts are good for covering most of their skin
Remember that wet clothing stretches and can lose up to half of its UV protection – put children in dry clothing after playing in water
Remember to protect shoulders and necks as these are places that easily get burned. Don't put children in vest tops or sundresses if they are spending a lot of time outdoors
Protect their eyes. Buy good quality, wraparound sunglasses for children, as soon as they can wear them
Encourage children to wear hats with brims, especially if they are not wearing sunglasses. The wider the brim, the more skin will be shaded from the sun
Apply factor 30+ 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 30+ sunscreen when children are swimming or playing outdoors with water and remember to reapply after toweling.
Don't forget school times. Remember play times and lunch breaks on summer school days too. Give children a hat to wear and, if they can't apply sunscreen at school, cover their exposed skin with factor 30+ before they go.
For babies and children under 2 years of age use Uvistat SPF50 sun cream as it has been deliberately designed without water resistant capability so that it is suitable for a young child's skin. Babies and young children need their skin to be able to breathe to help regulate their body temperature -and water resistant products can hinder this process - so Uvistat designed their SPF50 cream without a water resistant ingredient with this in mind.