All too often babies and children are exposed to the sun's harmful rays without parents realising the danger that is being caused.

Holidays can turn into nightmares as children's skin burns so easily, but it is not just going away to warm climates that can create this effect, even here in the UK when you may be much less aware of the sun harmful UVA and UVB rays that are penetrating and damaging skin that is without protection, for both children and adults.

At one time it was thought that just the UVB rays were dangerous and that UVA's attributed to aging the skin. Now there is scientific evidence to prove that UVA rays are also linked to cancer. Children's skin is much thinner than adults and the degree of damage that may be done in childhood may not be felt or seen until later in life. Many cases of melanoma, the third most common form of cancer in 15-39 year olds and can be traced back to bad sunburn in childhood, where your child is likely to experience half of their lifetime's exposure to the ultra-violet ray' before the age of eighteen. The need to protect children's skin is very important and the better protection they receive the less likely becomes their risk of skin damage.

Understanding your factors
The important reading you need to look for on your sun cream is the Sun Protection Factor or SPF. The Department of Health recommends that you use a minimum SPF of 15 as an adult to protect yourself from cancer, children are recommended to use a higher factor and a lotion that is suitable for children as their skin is different from adults. The SPF's will protect against the cancer threatening damage caused by UVB light, however, this does not automatically protect you against your UVA rays. Check the star rating on your bottle for UVA protection, which should be at least 4 star quality.

Application
Most skin care experts recommend that you re-apply your sun cream every two hours, although there are products on the market that allows for a single application to be applied and the protection quality is as good as the end of the day as the beginning. It is very important that sunscreen is applied at least half an hour before exposure to the sun, allowing time for the cream to work into the skin and provide a barrier. Ideally with children apply the cream on dry skin first thing in the morning so that if they are tempted to rush out into the sunshine they are already protected. Remember too that sun cream does become less protective when you are in and out of the water; ideally you should re-apply the cream each time your child has dried off. Cancer Research recommends that sun cream be reapplied every two hours, but again this refers to your children not being in and out of the sea or swimming pool. As children's skin is so vulnerable it is worthwhile looking out for natural products, too much chemical interference can change the skin's makeup and cause reactions and some chemicals such as Titanium dioxide are suspected of being carcinogenic.

Washing off the products at the end of the day is just as important as applying the cream, make sure that you use a natural, gentle soap and wash the body all over, not forgetting the face, gently patting the skin dry. The skin acts as a large respirator and cream that is not washed off can clog the cells and preventing the skin from naturally detoxing or filtering out the toxins through the skin that it does at night.

Over- exposure
If your child does come back at the end of the day red, hot and with a prickly skin then the chances are that they have sunburn. Children dehydrate quickly so make sure they drink plenty of fluids, still water is best and bottled if you are in any doubt of the quality of the water, Dioralytes will help to replace lost salts and minerals. A good after sun cream is essential; choose products that are suitable for children with natural cooling ingredients such as aloe Vera or calendula. Keep your child out of the sun for the next few days whenever possible and also covered in loose clothing with a sun cream applied underneath their clothes.

Baby Protection
Babies under the age of twelve months should never be exposed to direct sunlight and many people do not realise that even in partial shade the sun's rays can penetrate or reflect, getting through clothing and in some cases sun umbrellas causing damage to the skin. Remember to use a high sun protection factor (SPF) lotion of 25 to all the exposed parts of your baby; you can even use a total sun block, along with a hat, cotton socks and a tightly woven T-shirt or all in one vest. Whilst the buggy or pram will need a sunshade or umbrella, wherever possible place your baby in the shade. Babies can dehydrate quickly in the heat so carry cooled boiled water and give your baby a drink often to help prevent any overheating that they may experience.

Protecting your Toddler
Toddlers love to explore and once they find their feet will be off. The sun is at its hottest between 11 and 3pm so try as much as possible to keep them in the shade during this period. Being adventurous it is impossible to keep them out of the sun all the time so cover them in sun protection sun cream, again use children especially for children, with a SPF of 25 and encourage them to wear loose baggy clothing so that the air can circulate around them. Wearing clothes with a close weave can help to prevent any of the sun's rays from penetrating through. Toddlers need sun hats and those that have a long flap that covers the nape of the neck, French Legionnaire style are ideal. The hat should have a wide brim so that it protects both the face and the neck; pretty straw hats may look attractive but are unsuitable as they are likely to allow the rays through the weave.

Water risks
Once the children become older you may think it becomes easier to protect them from the sun, but all too often children can become difficult about wearing hats or cream. Remember that without it they are vulnerable and likely to burn, so if you do have to negotiate plan a strategy now! Children tend to be in and out of the water and although they may be cooler and not feel the warmth of the sun on their skin this period can be even more dangerous. The sun's rays can penetrate water to at least 10 meters when the sun is overhead as well as reflect directly off the water itself, increasing the chances of burning. Whenever you can cover your child with a t-shirt, preferably from close weave man-made material rather than 100 per cent cotton as cotton is highly absorbent and reduces its protection factor to around 50% when wet. Encourage children to wear their t-shirts when swimming. There is also clothing now available that has been designed to give a high sun protection factor, such as Speedo. Remember that although your child may be in and out of the pool they will still need sun cream and you will need to re-apply it regularly. Children of this age should still be using a minimum SPF factor of 20+. Of course it is not just holidays that children are out in the sun, simply playing in the garden or out in the playground means that children are still exposed to the sun and will require sun protection. Getting them into the habit of applying cream daily at least thirty minutes before they go out will hopefully become a habit that they adopt for life. Remember too that faces, ears and eyebrows and the back of the neck must all be covered by cream, as they are very vulnerable sites for sunburn.