I’m pretty paranoid when it comes to sun protection anyway as I’ve already had one skin cancer scare. I first became aware of just how dangerous the sun can be in my early 20’s when I was studying cosmetology (skin care). I went to a lecture on Sun Damage given by Dr Des Fernandes, who is a plastic Surgeon based in Cape Town, South Africa. He also created a skin care range called Environ, which he believes prevents premature ageing and skin damage caused directly by the sun. Some of the sun safety tips I learnt from him at that lecture have stuck with me for life.
I won’t go into too much scientific skin care jargon as I could go on and on and on about it. Instead I’m just going to stick to what I know about sun damage and how we can protect both ourselves and our kids from it.
UVA and UVB – What are they??
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For those that don’t already know, they are the sun’s rays. The UV stands for Ultra Violet and the A and B are just used to describe the length of each ray. An easy way to remember them is:
B is for Burning
A is for Ageing
B Rays are shorter in length and only penetrate the surface of our skin causing it to chance colour (tan), burn and some premature ageing. They can’t penetrate through cloud which is why we only tend to get burnt on a clear sunny day. B Rays give us a handy warning by turning our skin red if we are exposed to them without any protection. A Rays are much longer and can penetrate right though to the very deepest layers of our skin where our DNA sits. They can also penetrate right through cloud, so A Rays can damage our skin all year round even on a cloudy, overcast day. A Rays release free radicals into the deeper skin layers, which alter our skins DNA. Over time they can cause premature skin ageing (wrinkles, lines and pigmentation marks) as well as SKIN CANCER!! There are several different types of skin cancers (none of which are nice) but it’s really important to know that some of them CAN KILL YOU. It takes around 10 years for damage caused by these free radicals to start appearing on our skin. So just think, those little lines you may have seen appear on your skin in your early 20’s were most probably from sun damage in your pre-teens! Scary?? I thought so!! Imagine the damage we could potentially cause for our kids if we don’t educate and protect from the sun right now.
SPF – What does it really mean??
SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a basic measurement of how well your chosen sunscreen protects your skin from UVB (those burning rays). To calculate it you need to know roughly how long it takes your skin to turn red in the sun. If it takes 10 minutes, for example, then you would multiply that by your chosen SPF factor, say 30, to give you the amount of time your skin is protected after application. So 10 (minutes) x 30 (your SPF) = 300. That would give you 300 minutes or 5 hours before you would start to burn and would need to reapply your sunscreen.
However, this should only ever be used a rough guide as it does not take into account the following
- Damage being done by UVA Rays (the invisible damage).
- The temperature and UV indicator on the day (eg: you are likely to burn much more quickly on a 30 degree clear day with a high UV count, than on a 21 degree partly cloudy day with a lower UV count).
- Your skin type – some people are more sensitive than others and you can also be more sensitive at different times of the month or year.


Alway use a BROAD SPECTRUM sunscreen. SPF only protects you against UVB rays. A broad spectrum sunscreen will protect you from both UVB and UVA rays.
TOP 10 TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE IN THE SUN
- Always wear sunscreen when outdoors, regardless of the weather. Some of the suns harmful rays can still penetrate through clouds.
- Apply your sunscreen half an hour before going into the sun and to be safe reapply every two hours (if you’re staying in the sun) or follow the instruction on the bottle you have bought.
- Sunscreens DO EXPIRE! A good sunscreen should have it’s expiry date printed on the bottle. Don’t assume last years leftovers are still good!
- If in the sun all day, the average adult should use a quarter to half of an 8oz bottle of sunscreen. Sunscreen should always be applied liberally with at least a ‘shot’ glass amount on each application. Less than this will not give you the full SPF protection.
- If applied correctly the best option to choose is a Broad Spectrum SFP 30 that has been approved by the Australian (or whichever country your live in) Sun Safety Standards.
- Don’t be fooled – a high SPF will not stop you from tanning, it will just take you longer to get a tan. A slower tan is always a safer tan.
- No sunscreen will give 100% protection. Stay out of the sun during peak hours (usually 11am to 2pm).
- Wear a broad brimmed hat where possible, protective clothing (especially while swimming) and sunnies to protect your eyes when out and about in the sun.
- Allergic reactions to sunscreens are generally caused by the perfumes and preservatives found in them, not the chemicals that filter out UV rays. Always read the labels and check the ingredients if you have sensitive skin. Buying the cheapest option is not always the best option, but you don’t need to buy the most expensive either.
So remember to slip, slop, slap, be SunSmart and enjoy the weather!
Great tips lovely – I recently wrote an article about people being fooled by labels saying they had a 50SPF rating and so didn’t reapply after being in the water! You can’t be too careful, especially with the precious skin of our children! x
I know!! And those factor 50’s are SO expensive too!! xx
We stay out of the sun from 10am to 2pm in summer. But I didn’t know that it was important to look for “Broad Spectrum” Got it!
Great informative post, lovely!
Thanks honey! I’m a a bit over dramatic about the sun, but I think it’s so important xx
A great timely reminder for me to get my boys into a good morning sunscreen routine!
It’s a bit of a pain in the morning with kids isn’t it – but it’s amazing how quickly they adapt and just get used to putting it on! x
Fabulous, thank you! I have olive skin that rarely burns, but only started properly wearing sunscreen in the last few years. Despite that, I still tanned anyway, so you’ve made me feel better by telling me that is normal! I thought I must have been doing it wrong 🙂
Oh thank you for this! I have naturally very olive skin and rarely burn, but I only just started wearing sunscreen properly in the last few years. Despite this, I still tanned anyway – thank you for letting me know that is normal, and not something I’m doing wrong, haha! (also useful to know anything over 30SPF isn’t really worth it. so handy!)
Pleasure – thanks for reading!! Oh and I’ve very envious of that olive skin – just means you have much more ‘natural’ protection!! xx
I too have had a skin cancer scare… totally neurotic mother and wife here telling everyone to cream up and get checked out regularly by the doctor.
Hahaha!! Me too! They whinged for the first few days but now they just do it! They were with me when I saw the doctor, so I just have to threaten that and they put their lotion on xx
Good to read this at this time of year. My little daughter’s face got rosy yesterday and I got a shock. I tend to use a moisturiser with sunscreen, must check which type.
That usually happens to me! I got a shock the other day when I got back from watching Master J’s cricket. I didn’t realised how hot the sun was and my left arm was bright red!!! I always have one wake up call at the begining of the season x
Thanks for some great tips there – if only I’d known this when I was younger and if only K would listen to me now !!!!!
Have the best day !
Me
You too!! At least we know now – better late than never! Have a lovely day too xx
Great post Rob. I recently attended a “Look Good, Feel Better’ workshop.
The message that I took away from the talk was to be effective sunscreen must be applied to clean, dry skin. That is BEFORE your moisturiser!!
I wasn’t doing this, but I am now. In fact, last week I started a mid October resolution (those NY resolutions are so last year!). From now on, I will not walk out the door without 50+ on my face!
Now that the weather is warmer and we spend nearly all day outside I have a bottle of sunscreen sitting on the outdoor table and one in the car and one in my bag and a bunch in the bathroom. And now I am trying to get into the habit of making sure I put it on too, not just the kids
What great information! I’m off to check my expiry dates…oops.