Keep them safe in the sun

There are two basic types of sun protection available:

• Chemical sunblocks, which reflect or scatter the sun's rays
• Chemical sunscreens, which absorb ultraviolet light (UV)

The strength of any sunscreen is measured by its sun protection factor (SPF). The higher the SPF, the greater the protection, so an SPF 15 cream provides 15 times your skin's natural protection.

Go for a minimum SPF 15

For younger children consider higher factors such as SPF 30. Use suncreams liberally and often. Try to apply the cream half an hour before going outside to give it a chance to soak in.

The sun produces three types of UV radiation: A, B and C

The SPF factor in your sun cream is for UVB protection only.

• Most UVB rays are filtered out by the ozone layer. The rest stimulate the skin to produce melanin, our natural defence against UV. For most people, however, the body can't produce enough melanin if exposed to the sun for a long time, hence the need for protection.
• UVC is completely absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches the earth.
• UVA rays are not filtered out by the ozone layer. They penetrate the skin at a deeper level than UVB, causing greater damage.

Gauging UVA protection is difficult, though most brands now put UVA information on their labels. Look for the star rating on the back of the bottle. It will be graded from one to four stars - four stars offers the best protection.

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