A woman shared a reminder on Facebook, to warn parents about the UVA star rating when applying suncream to their kids.
Carly Jane, from Milton Keynes, said that her friend’s little girl was burnt at nursery because she didn’t realise her suncream didn’t offer the highest level of UVA protection.
“When buying suncream please make sure you check the UVA star guide,” Jane wrote on Friday 16 June.
“People assume that factor 50, ‘very high protection’ is enough, but in reality these high protection creams should be higher in UVA/UVB protection. 3 star isn’t sufficient enough.”
“The boy I nanny for was outside for 25 mins in 22 degrees,” Jane continued. “I cover him in cream every half hour and half hour before he goes out.”
“Children burning whilst using SPF 50+ shouldn’t be happening.”
Dr Helen Webberley, who runs online healthcare service MyWebDoctor, spoke to HuffPost UK in relation to the warning and said: “We have become so focused on the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating, that the Ultra Violet (UV) star rating is often overlooked. In truth, our skin needs protection from both UVA (long wave) and UVB (short wave) rays. Opt for a suncream with a rating of five stars for the highest protection. It’s important to bear in mind though, that we shouldn’t rely on sunscreen alone to protect ourselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Try to spend time in the shade when the sun is at its hottest (between 11am and 3pm from March to October). Wear suitable clothing, (UV suits are particularly effective for younger children), and of course liberally apply your SPF + UV protection sun cream regularly.”
The NHS states that when buying suncream, the label should have “at least four-star UVA protection”.
It states: “The star rating measures the amount of ultraviolet A radiation (UVA) protection. You should see a star rating of up to five stars on UK sunscreens. The higher the star rating, the better.”
