Sun-Safety Tips for Summer
Summer is by far our favourite time of the year – there’s nothing better than making memories with the fam by creating sandcastles at the beach, splashing around in the pool, or enjoying an outdoor picnic. But as the temperature rises, it’s important to remember the dangers of the sun and heat and make sure we are prepared, especially with children.
A young persons skin is more susceptible to UV radiation damage and can burn easily.
Sun exposure in the first 10 years of life affects your child’s lifetime potential for Skin Cancer, so it is imperative that you take precautions to protect your family from this risk.
Below we have compiled a list of sun-safety tips to keep in mind to make sure that you are safe whilst having some family fun outdoors this summer.
- Apply SPF30+ Sunscreen
To be most effective, sunscreen needs to be applied 20 minutes before going outside and needs to be reapplied every two hours. Babies under 6 months old have extremely sensitive skin, so it’s better to protect them from the sun’s harsh rays using clothing and shade instead where possible.
- Dress for the weather
Clothing is a great barrier between your child’s skin and the sun’s UV rays, so it’s important to try and cover up as much as possible with cool, loose-fitting clothing made from densely-woven fabric such as cotton. Don’t forget to accessorise with a wide-brim hat and sunnies, since the melanin in babies’ eyes is still forming. Remember if you can see skin, then UV can reach it!
- Seek Shade
Wherever possible, try and keep kids in the shade and out of direct sun, particularly between 10am and 4pm when the sun’s UV is at its highest. If you’re going to the beach, take an umbrella or sun tent with you to provide some respite from the rays. And remember, shade moves with the sun so be prepared to shift around and follow the shade.
- Sun protection in the car
One of the places that is often forgotten when it comes to sun-safety is the car, and car rides can lead to a lot of unintended sun exposure. We wear sunglasses when driving, so why wouldn’t we provide protection for our children as well? Even if you have tinted windows, an Autoshade is a must-have to ensure that your child is comfortable and is the perfect solution to protect their eyes and stop them squinting when in the car.
As recommended by the Australian Skin and Cancer Foundation, Outlookbaby Autoshades offer the best available protection on the market screening up to 90% of harmful UVA/UVB rays. Installed in just a few easy steps, our Autoshades can be taken off and on very quickly, and the innovative design goes over the window so it will still work even with the window down!
The best part of summer is getting outdoors and having some fun in the sun – so don’t let the risks deter you. As long as we take the necessary sun-safety precautions, we can enjoy the outdoors and stay safe at the same time.
It’s time to get out there and make some life-long memories!