Sun Cream: The Breakdown

In recent years, we have become more aware of the dangers of the sun and have a far better understanding about the vast range of different types of sun creams on offer to us, whether they be waterproof sun creams, menthol cooling sun creams or tanning oils.

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. SPF measures the protection levels of the cream from The sun's harmful rays. Most sun creams range from SPF 10 on the lower end of the spectrum to SPF 50 on the higher end of the spectrum. Most of us Brits wear an SPF cream that is far too low a factor and do not apply it as much as we should. The paler your skin tone, the higher the SPF cream you need in order to protect it from burning. The NHS urge people to use a cream with at least a SPF 30 when out in the sun. It is said that the average adult should apply around 85ml to thoroughly cover their body, which should be done at least twice a day. You should also reapply your sunscreen after going in the swimming pool or sea as most lose their effectiveness once wet.

Despite it being called sunburn, you can also get burnt in cloudy overcast weather and when skiing. When skiing, The sun’s rays reflect back off of the snow, causing us to burn if not wearing enough sun cream. Many of us believe that if you wear sun cream that you cannot get a tan. However, this is wrong. Although it takes longer to get a tan when wearing sunscreen, the sunscreen does not prevent you from getting a tan, it just protects you from The sun’s harsh UVA and UVB rays.

Another mistake many of us Brits make in relation to sun creams is keeping hold of them for too long. Most sun creams have a shelf life of around two to three years. The NHS recommended before using a bottle of sun cream that you have had a while, that you should check the bottle for an expiry date. They also say that you should NEVER use an out of date sun cream as it will become ineffective and not protect you from the sun’s damaging rays.

Don’t forget, you can get your travel insurance from DirectTravel at either www.direct-travel.co.uk or ring our friendly team on 0330 880 3600.