An expert has shared a useful parenting hack for safely applying sun cream to your child.
It may well be most people's least favourite part of the day as sticky suncream is applied, making our skin feel greasy and uncomfortable in the Easter weekend sun.
It is one of the necessary evils of hot weather, though, and according to 2017 data more than one in three Brits had sunburn in the year prior to the study.
Around 28% were sunburnt three or more times. The data suggests that plenty of Brits don't take the risks of it seriously enough.
Mild sunburn tends to go away after the skin heals, but severe sunburn can result in nasty burns and trips to the hospital. This can be particularly painful and uncomfortable for children.
So how do you make sure your child is protected from sunburn?
What is the best way of applying sunscreen to a child?
For babies and children of a certain age, the best way to apply suncream is by making sure it avoids getting in a child's eyes. This can be done effectively with the child facing away from you.
Parenting and early years expert Kirsty Ketley from Auntie K Parent Consultant took to Twitter to share a short video with the best advice for parents.
Kirsty said: "For babies over six months, sit them facing away from you between your legs."
Kirsty explains you should first apply the cream to the nose, followed by the cheeks and then spread the cream up to the ears and forehead.
What factor sunscreen should I use?
As the warm weather hits, you should be checking your sunscreen bottles to see what sort of protection they have - the NHS recommends at least 4-star UVA protection.
The label should also have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB light.
UVA and UVA light are different types of radiation we get from the sun.
However, people shouldn't just rely on sunscreen to stay safe in the sun, but should stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day and wear suitable clothing.
Kirsty's advice is specifically for young children aged six months and up, but babies younger than this should be kept out of the sun altogether.
The health service has a list of people who should take extra care in the sun:
- People with pale, light skin or freckles
- Those who tend to burn instead of tan
- Have many moles
- Family history of skin cancer
- Not often exposed to intense sun
- If you are in a hot country with intense sun
- Skin problems and medical conditions
