How to check sunscreen will protect your child after baby gets burnt wearing factor 50
Scots know fine well to wear sun cream during hot weather or face the consequences of burnt and peeling skin. But a Scottish mum recently discovered that sun cream doesn't always work, as her baby daughter was 'severely' burned recently despite wearing factor 50.
Lauren Leishman had taken her 12-month-old Rhegan on a family day out to a farm show in Haddington, East Lothian, on Saturday, June 28. Despite applying factor 50 sun cream 'just to be safe', the tot ended up with a red blistered face and hands, and was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People in Edinburgh.
The 22-year-old mum had used Malibu Kids Factor 50 sun cream, which was labelled as 'high protection' and 'clinically proven to be kind to skin'. But after browsing Facebook, Lauren found that others had found similar problems with this brand of sun cream.
So, how can you check that the sun cream you use will actually work? Here's everything you need to know.
How to check if your sun cream will work
Check the expiration date
Most SPF products have a shelf life of up to three years, but a sun cream that has expired will not be as effective at protecting you or your child's skin, according to skincare website Paula's Choice.
Always check the expiration date on the bottle before using, and examine the consistency of the sun cream for any changes- for example, if it has turned more watery or grainy- to make sure it hasn't gone off.
Check the UVA star rating
UVA sun rays are always present during daylight hours, and can penetrate through clouds or even glass. This type of sun ray can cause lasting damage and skin cancer, and contributes to skin aging and sun spots.
In 1992, Boots developed the UVA star rating, which was Europe's first measurement system for UVA protection. Ranging from zero to five, this rating indicates the percentage of UVA radiation that's absorbed by the brand of sun cream in question.
The amount of UVA radiation absorbed is compared to that of UVB radiation, which is another type of sun ray that causes skin burning. The higher the star rating, the better the protection against UVA rays.
The lowest recommended star rating for UVA protection is four, so be mindful to always check your sun cream for a high UVA rating.
There are plenty of kids' sun creams with high UVA ratings, such as the Riemann P20 Sun cream/lotion for Kids. This sun cream has a UVA rating of five and is available on Amazon for a 20 per cent discount at £15.99.
Boots' entire Soltan range of sun creams have a UVA rating of five, including the Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF50+, available on their website for £5.50, or the Soltan Clear & Cool Protect Suncare Mist SPF50+ for adults which is £9.50 on their website.
Alternatively, for adults, Amazon offers the discounted La-Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAir Daily SPF50+ Sunscreen, which is labelled as having high UVA and UVB protection, for £19.97.
Check the SPF
SPF, or 'sun protection factor', indicates the level of protection a sun cream provides against burning rays, explains the Boots website.
SPF refers to how well the product reduces the burning effect of the sun on your skin. For example, if you usually begin to burn after 10 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 15 sunscreen will protect you for 15 times longer than that, meaning you are protected for up to 150 minutes.
But as Lauren saw, some products that are labelled with a higher SPF may not work as well as others, so it's best to also check the UVA rating of your sun cream. A combination of a high SPF and UVA rating of four or five stars is recommended for maximum sun protection.
Remember to reapply
Products need to be applied every two hours and after being in water to help maintain protection.
If you're intending to spend longer in the sun, then you should choose a product higher SPF and UVA rating to begin with.
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