Stay Safe in the Sun

Beating the Aussies in the Rugby World Cup was a momentous occasion. But Britain is also beating the Aussies in another field and it's nothing to cheer about. For years Australia has had the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, thanks to mass emigration of white Europeans to a climate that was ill suited to delicate white skins. But the tables have turned. It's now us Brits that are beating all comers, especially in our high rates of malignant melanoma, the most difficult of all skin cancers to treat.

Thanks to massive public health campaigns urging Australians to cover up, skin cancer rates are on the decline. It's time for us to do the same.

And where better to start than with our kids? Children spend more time outdoors than adults so it's vital to protect their delicate skins against the damaging rays of the sun. It's been calculated that 80% of our total life time exposure to sunshine occurs before the age of 21. Sunburn causes permanent damage to the skin and is now known to be a major factor in the development of skin cancer. It also causes wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

Without any protection most white skin starts to burn after 10 minutes exposure to sun, and less for children, the elderly and those with very fair skin or red hair.

You might think that children don't get skin cancer so why worry? Skin cancer is rare in very young children but it's the third most common cancer in people aged 15 to 39, thanks to skin damage during childhood.

Experts now recommend that you do not rely on sunscreen alone but also protect yourself against sun damage by:

• Staying in the shade between 11 am and 3pm.
• Make sure you never burn.
• Always cover up.
• Remember to take extra care with children.
• To use factor 15+ sun screen. Also take care on cloudy days and wear a T-shirt if you're snorkeling or swimming as sun penetrates well through water. The sun is also stronger at high altitudes and nearer to the Equator so take special care in these areas. But don't be complacent at home - even British sun burns!

Top ten tips for protecting your child

• Keep babies and young children in the shade - under trees, canopies or indoors.
• Cover them up with loose fitting, cotton clothing.
• Use a broad spectrum sun screen factor 15+, and remember their necks and shoulders. Look for the SPF (sun protection factor) on your bottle of sunscreen, this shows you how much UVB protection it offers. An SPF of 15 means you can spend approximately 15 times longer in the sun without burning. So if you could stay in the sun for 10 minutes without burning, using an SPF 15 will allow you stay out for nearly two hours. To protect against UVB and UVA rays you need a 'broad spectrum' sunscreen. There's now a star system for UVA protection ranging from 1 to 4 stars where 4 stars gives the most protection. And remember cheaper sunscreens work just as well as more expensive brands. Use a generous dollop of sun cream and apply it 15 to 30 minutes before they go into the sun - it needs time to soak in. Reapply sunscreen after they've been " in the water.
• Buy them a hat they like, with a wide brim all round. In Australia no school child is allowed to play in the sun at break time unless they wear their hat.
• Invest in a proper pair of sunglasses. Toy sunglasses are of no value and can damage the eyes.
• Change their clothes if they get wet - wet clothing can let in more sun than dry.
• Invest in sunblock suits  which cover the body and neck - prices are coming down all the time so shop around for a good deal.  Set a good example  yourself - if you're going for the burn your children will think it's okay to tan, it isn't.

 Written by Jane Sullivan