How to be SunSmart

Cover up   •   Wear sunscreen   •   Stay in the shade
Protect your eyes: wear sunglasses   •   Avoid sunbeds and sunlamps

Cover up

Clothing is a physical sunscreen that doesn’t wear off or wash off. The more skin that is covered by clothing, the better the protection. Sundresses, shorts and spaghetti-strap tops offer almost no protection from the sun.

Manufacturers can test fabrics to determine how effective it is at blocking ultraviolet radiation. They tell you the Ultraviolet Protective Factor (UPF) on the label in the clothing. You can buy UPF-rated clothing in some shops around the country or on line.

You can also look at the style, fabric and colour of clothing to determine if it offers protection from ultraviolet radiation. Follow our tips to buy the best clothes for the sun:

• Style
• Colour
• Fabric
• Hats

Style

• A loose-fitting design tends to give better protection against ultraviolet radiation.
• A t-shirt with a high collar that can be flipped up to protect your neck.
• Long sleeves to your elbow or wrist will protect your arms.
• Shorts or skirts that come to the knee provide good protection for the legs against ultraviolet radiation.

Colour

• Darker colours give more protection from ultraviolet radiation. But sometimes you’ll take them off to avoid being uncomfortable because they usually absorb more heat. Choose colours that you’ll keep on.

Fabric

• Close-woven fabrics give the best ultraviolet radiation protection. Hold the fabric up to the light. The less light that comes through the fabric, the greater the protection it gives.
• Cotton and linen fabrics provide good protection.

Hats

Hats can provide excellent protection for your face, neck and ears. The face, neck and ears are common sites for skin cancer. These areas are constantly exposed to the sun.

The type of hat you choose will determine the level of protection you get. The hat does not have to be expensive, but it can be fashionable.

• Make sure it is: broad-brimmed to protect your face, neck and ears; and a close-woven material.

If you work outdoors and wear a hardhat or helmet, wear a neckflap with your hat.
Baseball caps offer very little protection to your ears, neck and cheeks. We don’t recommend them.

Remember: use your hat in combination with all the sun protection guidelines in the SunSmart Code.

Wear sunscreen

• Make sure it is a broad-spectrum sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
• Put sunscreen on 20 minutes before you go out into the sun.
• Put on more sunscreen every two hours.
• Put it on more often if you have been swimming or sweating

Remember: use sunscreen in combination with all the sun protection guidelines in the SunSmart Code.

Choose a good sunscreen

Sunscreen stops ultraviolet radiation from penetrating the skin. But wearing sunscreen does not mean that you can stay out in the sun longer than recommended.

Sunscreen should be used along with the natural protection you get from a hat, sunglasses and long sleeved clothing with a collar.

There are many different brands of sunscreen available. You can buy them as a cream, gel or spray lotion. Here are our tips to help you buy the best sunscreen for you.

Both UVA and UVB rays from the sun damage the skin and can lead to skin cancer. Therefore the sunscreen you choose needs to protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.

UVB protection: SPF stands for 'sun protection factor' and tells you about protection from UVB radiation. A higher SPF gives you more protection than a low SPF. New EU recommendations mean that you will. New EU recommendations mean that you will start to see changes on the labels of sunscreens.  As well as the SPF number sunscreens will be graded from low to very high protection to make the SPF guide easier to follow. The table below shows the new grades. 

UVA protection - You will also notice a change in how labels show the presence of UVA protection in some products.  Instead of the star rating from 0-5 you will see the letters UVA in a cuircular shape (see right). This indicates that the product contains the EU recommended amount of UVA protection compared to SPF.

• Sunscreen still needs to be re-applied every 2 hours, and more often if you are swimming or sweating. Read How do I put on sunscreen? to find out how to put on sunscreen correctly.
• You should not rely on sunscreen alone to provide protection. You should also follow the SunSmart Code.
• Choose a water-resistant sunscreen.
• Make sure that the sunscreen has not passed its expiry date.
• Store the sunscreen in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
• Allergies to sunscreens are rare. But if you develop a rash from sunscreen, you should stop using the product immediately and see your doctor.

How do I put on sunscreen?

• Put sunscreen on clean & dry skin. Apply lots of sunscreen 20 minutes before going out in the sun..
• It is recommended to use at least 6 teaspoons of sunscreen lotion for an average adult.
• reapply sunscreen every 2 hours – no matter how high its protection! Apply it more regularly if you have been swimming or sweating.
• You can put on sunscreen under make-up as a moisturiser.
• If you have a reaction to a sunscreen, stop using that brand and try another.

Please note: price doesn’t always indicate quality.
Water, towel drying, sweat or contact with other people can remove sunscreen.

Stay in the shade

Why should we stay in the shade?

• Staying in the shade is one of the most effective ways of reducing exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
• Any shade will do. It can be from a building or a portable umbrella.
• Plan your outdoor activities to avoid exposure to ultraviolet radiation when it is at its highest, between 11am and 3pm.

Shade can be one of the greatest protections for your skin against UV damage. But it protects only against direct ultraviolet radiation. It doesn’t protect against reflected ultraviolet radiation. So there is still a risk for sunburn and skin cancer. Use shade in combination with all the sun protection guidelines in the SunSmart Code.
Where should we provide shade?

Make sure there is shade in areas where:

• there are children or adolescents, such as schools or playgrounds;
• people wear minimal clothing for outdoor activities, such as sports facilities or beaches;
• outdoor activities occur between 11am and 3pm, such as schools; and
• people spend a lot of their day outdoors, such as construction sites.

Protect your eyes: wear sunglasses

Sunglasses are a great fashion item. But they also protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation, which is more important. Children should also wear sunglasses.

Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive. When choosing your sunglasses you need to know that:

• The colour or darkness of the lens does not indicate the level of protection. Look at the label and check that it has BS Standard (BS 27 24 19 87) or European Standard (EN 1836).
• The glasses should fit closely to face and a wrap-around style is best.

Avoid sunbeds and sunlamps.

Sunbeds and sunlamps increase your risk of skin cancer. If you want to protect your skin, don’t use them.