Summer Sun and Staying Safe

I am a complete and utter suncream nut, my children are always covered in the stuff from head to toe and then if we are at the beach they are in sun suits with UVA protection of 50+ too! 

The reason probably stems from me being covered in moles, having spent years as a child with little to no sunscreen on, who knows how damaged my skin is, but it was one of those things, we simply didn't know as much about the sun as we do now.

So, when I spoke to the Boots team at BritMums about their #SummerGoodTimes campaign and care in the sun for both skin and eyes, I really wanted to pass this information on. It is so unbelievably useful and for me, proved there is so much more to just slapping on the suncream or sitting in the shade.

Skin

·     Wearing a t-shirt provides UV protection but only when it’s dry – once it becomes wet it turns opaque so swimming in a t-shirt offers no protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

·     Sand, concrete and even grass all reflect UV but if any of these surfaces become wet the amount reflected can double.

·     UV light reflects off surfaces so you will need to think about sun protection even if you are in the shade.  This effect is particularly strong in countries like Greece where white buildings are plentiful - so keep your suncream handy!

·     Hot baths can dehydrate your skin, leading to faster peeling.  Stick to cool showers and use a moisturising body wash to really lock-in your colour.

·     The effects of the sun are cumulative, so if you burn an area of skin, it will be more sensitive to burning next year…to achieve an even tan, protection is essential from the first day.

·     Around three tablespoons of suncream is enough to cover your whole body. But be careful not to over rub your lotion!  If suncream starts to ball up you’ve rubbed too hard so remove any residue and smooth on a new layer – more gently!

·     Think of your skin as a sponge that needs constant ‘topping up’ to keep it moisturised.  Re-apply suncream at least every 2 hours, and more if you are in and out of water or doing exercise.

·     40% of UV exposure occurs when you’re not in direct sunlight, always ensure you are protected by applying suncream before you leave the house.*

Eyes

·    UV rays bounce off glass screens, so remember while the surface of your smart phone may be small, as you are holding it close to your eyes you are increasing your exposure to this reflection.

·     Your eyes are ten times more sensitive to UV damage than your skin, so protecting them both in and out of the water is vitally important.

·     Children’s eyes have larger pupils and clearer lenses so are more susceptible to sun damage - 80% of the eye's lifetime exposure to UV light is reached before the age of 18.

·     Lenses with darker tints don’t necessarily offer more protection as even glasses with clear lenses can offer UV protection. Dark lenses which don’t offer a sufficient level of UV protection can be more damaging because they cause the eye’s pupils to dilate and let in more light.

·     Your eyes need protection from the sun all the time, even on cloudy days.  Cloud cover only reduces the amount of UV light by 10%.

·     In the morning and evening your eyes can also absorb light from reflective surfaces such as white buildings, wet surfaces and smart phones – even when the sun isn’t out. All Boots Opticians lenses have all round protection from UV on both sides of the lens as standard.

I have a Vitamin D deficiency and part of this isn't helped by the fact that every time I get out in the sun I have factor 30 on. It's a double edged sword really, but I try to get 20 minutes of suncream free sun time a day to ensure I keep it topped up.

I always use makeup that contains sunscreen, I have burnt on my face a few times in the past and so having something I don't need to worry about is important, I hate burning! I kick myself as not only is it painful but so bad for your skin.

How do you stay safe in the sun?

Keeping Little Eyes Safe This Summer

We all know that we need to keep our skin safe in the sun, it's just part of daily life in summer, however less emphasis is placed on eyes.

According to Steve Schallhorn, chief medical advisor at Optical Express and one of the world’s leading eye experts, many parents are unaware of how harmful sunlight can be to children’s eyes.

He said: “Even babies are at risk from developing eye problems such as glaucoma later in life if their eyes are exposed to UV rays.

“Children’s lenses are clearer than adults they allow light to pass through much more easily. The World Health Organisation estimates that up to 80% of an individual’s lifetime exposure to UV light will occur before the age of 18.”

So what can you do to protect your children's eyes from those harmful UV Rays?

Steve recommends:

- Babies under the age of six months should be kept out of direct sunlight. “The easiest way to ensure very young babies are protected is to keep them away from sunshine altogether,” advises Steve.

- “All children should wear quality well fitting sunglasses.  Without the UV factor protection carried by the CE mark there is no eye health benefit to wearing sunglasses, so check for this seal of approval". For very young children Steve recommends that parents look for wraparound styles such as Babybanz (available at Optical Express, from £16.95).

- Ensure your youngsters drink plenty of water. “Drinking lots of water will help your kids’ eyes maintain a healthy balance of fluid, preventing them from becoming dehydrated and irritated".

- “A hat that shades your children’s eyes will help to block out harmful light – but they shouldn’t replace wearing sunglasses,” said Steve.

- Older children should only wear sunglasses for their age group, even if they are keen to sport the latest trendy adult styles.

So, how about heading to Optical Express for a family eye test, you could even pick up some sunglasses for all the family whilst you are there.

NB: This is a collaborative post.

What My Sight Means To Me

Growing up my brother had many trips in and out of hospital, he had a severe lazy eye and at about 4 years old he had to go into hospital for a procedure to correct his eye muscles and to stop it being lazy.

I remember this vividly, but what if we didn't live in this country? Would he have been left with poor sight in one eye?

Having needed glasses since the age of 11 for reading and using a computer I've become only too aware of what it's like to have a problem with your eyes. I am one of the lucky ones really, only needing them for a few activities.

As a mum I cannot imagine what it would be like to be blind or partially sighted, not to be able see your children or the pictures they draw, their wedding day or any number of the other special moments in their lives.

Devastating is an understatement and for your child to face this would be even worse, for them never to see the beauty of the world, pictures in a book, it is truly unimaginable.

So this week Becky over at Baby Budgeting has been raising awareness for Sightsavers a charity that helps provide sight saving treatments and care across the globe to people who might otherwise end up blind.

It's difficult to put their work into words so I have linked to the Sightsavers video which shows some of what they do, if you have a few minutes to share it or a few pounds to donate it could be the difference between someone seeing the world around them or being blind for the rest of their lives.

For as little as £4 you can pay for cataract operation to give a child their sight back, thats pretty amazing don't you think.