8. Sunscreen products

Woman applying sunscreen If you’re heading away to a sunny climate on holidays, or even if we get the odd sunny day in Ireland, make sure you are “sun-smart”.

As well as wearing a hat and comfortable clothing that protects from the sun’s harmful UV rays, you should always wear sunscreen on exposed skin..

There is a wide range of sunscreen products available in shops and chemists each year, all promising various things.

The EU has banned some terms that may mislead consumers. Phrases such as "sun blocker" or "total protection" must no longer be used in connection with sunscreen products.

Despite these kinds of claims, no sunscreen product can fully protect against UV radiation, and you should bear this in mind while reading this guide.

The system for labelling sunscreen products has been simplified throughout the EU. It makes it much easier to understand the levels of protection each product will give.

This in turn means you can compare bottles and tubes with different prices, in order to get better value from less expensive products offering the same protection.

UVB and UVA

Photo of sunscreen lotion with UVA logo

First of all, narrow your choice down to sunscreens that offer protection against both UVB and UVA radiation:

UVB radiation is the main cause of sunburn and cancer risk
UVA radiation is responsible for skin ageing, impacts on the human immune system and also contributes to the risk of skin cancer

So check the packaging for two things:

The "UVA" logo (see example in the picture), which indicates UVA protection, and
The SPF ("sun protection factor") rating, which is a score for UVB protection

Understanding the logos

If the product doesn't have a UVA logo, it may provide a false sense of safety because it lets hazardous UVA radiation reach the skin. It also doesn't live up to EU standards, so that's another reason to think twice about buying it.

SPF ratings, sometimes called "sun factor", are more detailed than the UVA logo. They are used to score sunscreen products in terms of the level of protection against UVB radiation. Besides the SPF number, they should give a simple description of the claims about protection levels:

SPF level	Simple description
6 or 10	"Low protection"
15, 20 or 25	"Medium protection"
30 or 50	"High protection"
50+	"Very high protection"

But sunscreens with "very high protection" (an SPF over 50) may not be good value, because in practical terms they do not increase the protection against sunburn and UVB radiation.

The EU says that "medium protection" sunscreens (those with an SPF of 15-25) should be sufficient to protect a person with normal skin from sunburn. So a medium protection product may be better value, as long as you apply the product correctly and take other reasonable precautions.

This wouldn't apply in the case of fairer skin and younger children, where it would be better to opt for sunscreens labelled "High protection".

Generally speaking, the UVA protection offered by sunscreens with a UVA logo will increase in parallel with the increasing sun protection factor.

How much sunscreen to use

No matter how high the SPF rating, the sunscreen product won't protect you effectively if you don't apply it correctly. Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully. There is no point in spending a lot of money on a lotion that doesn't do its job.

A sunscreen product only has its full effect if you use it in the right quantity. To protect the whole body, an average-sized adult would need to apply 36 grams of sunscreen - about six filled teaspoons.

It is also crucial to reapply the sunscreen frequently to maintain protection – particularly after swimming, bathing or drying yourself with a towel.

What else to do

Using a sunscreen should be just one of the measures for protecting yourself and your family from UV radiation. The sensible advice is never to overdo your skin's exposure to the sun.

Remember that:

90% of solar UV radiation can penetrate light clouds - so you can get sunburnt even on a cloudy summer day
Swimming doesn't protect you from the sun - at half a metre deep, UV radiation is still 40% as intense as at the surface
The exposure is cumulative during the day - so taking regular breaks during sunbathing will not mean lower total exposure

Here is a summary of five of the most important measures you can take:

	1. Use sunscreens products protecting against both UVB and UVA radiation. If the product doesn’t have a UVA logo, it may protect you against UVB rays but not against UVA rays, which are also harmful.
	2. Apply sunscreen products in sufficient quantity. The correct application of the product is just as important as the choice of the product itself.
	3. Avoid excessive sun exposure at peak hours (usually between 11am and 3pm).
	4. Keep yourself well covered. Hats, T-shirts and sun glasses can give you additional protection.
	5. Avoid direct sun exposure of babies and young children.