Sun protection and teenagers
When our children are babies or toddlers, we get used to chasing them around beaches and gardens wielding a large bottle of high factor suncream. And as adults, we tend to look after ourselves, perhaps spurred by the fact that a friend has had a troublesome mole removed, or because we find ourselves getting hot and prickly on a summer’s day. But who is standing over a teenager with a tube of ‘factor 50’?

Teenagers do their bathing and beautifying themselves and sun protection is rarely something they have considered. In addition, if it feels oily, the last thing they might want is to run the risk of having even greasier teenage skin. In 2006, a study found that, worryingly, the majority of teenagers whose mothers had been diagnosed with skin cancer still did not protect themselves, despite the risk being clearly evident within their own families.

Encouraging your teenager to be skin safe
•  If your teen does not like the oily feel to the sunscreen you use for the rest of the family, experiment with other sunscreens to see if another finish suits better. Some sprays, clear formulas or gel-like lotions might suit them instead of creams.

•  Many sunscreens come in small tubes as well as larger bottles – offering your teenager something that looks more like part of a make-up regime. This might make your child more likely to carry it around in a bag and use it at least on his or her face and hands more regularly.

•  Boys might prefer to buy sunscreen from an outdoor gear shop rather than the beauty counter in a chemist. So long as it does the job, that’s fine. Remind your son that surfers and climbers wear sunscreen just like sunbathers do!

•  Sunscreen should be put on before any layer of make-up, insect repellent or moisturiser, so that it’s directly on the skin.

•  The first application should go on at least 15 minutes before going out into the sun.

•  Sunscreen is NOT just for holidays! Remind your teen that just being out and about (sport, walking, working outside) can lead to excessive exposure to the sun, especially between 11am and 3pm, when the sun will be at its strongest.

•  If they are doing a sweaty activity or swimming, they need to reapply more regularly. However all sunscreen should be reapplied every couple of hours at least, whether they are getting wet or not.

•  Get them (or preferably encourage them to choose) a hat they’ll keep on in sunny weather. If your teenager hates the cheesy baseball hat sitting on the coat hanger, it’s worth spending a little extra to get him or her a hat they will be proud to be seen out in. An unwanted hat offers no protection at all sitting in the bottom of a bag.

•  Skin cancer can affect men as much as women, so make sure you’re putting forward good skincare messages to sons as well as daughters.

•  Big up the power of ‘SPF’… Although no sunscreen can completely block out harmful UVB rays, SPF15 should filter out about 93% of UVB rays, then as the SPF increases the sunscreen will be more effective – the highest being SPF50+, which can block out up to 98%. The higher the SPF, the more it might cost, so this is one purchase you might still want to offer to pay for; your teenager may well feel it’s an unnecessary extra squeeze on his or her allowance.

•  Everyone should use a sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Make sure the sunscreen you buy has the UVA symbol on it. Of course the other thing to be aware of is that Dermatologists believe that 80% of skin ageing is extrinsic ageing, i.e. ageing as a result of sun exposure, which is another very good reason to use a sun-screen and cover up. Think UVB protection to prevent burning and UVA protection to prevent ageing.

•  Don’t spread it on too thinly – apply generously.

Who is at risk?
Everyone should look after their skin. Even for those who don’t jump on a sun lounger the minute the sun comes out, there are many other ways you can get burned. Even sitting in a car on a sunny day with your arm exposed through a window can cause burning. Burning can seriously affect long-term skin health and also affect how you age.

Using Sunless tanner
The best option, all year round, is to use a sunless tanner if your teen really wants a colour to his or her skin. Some products simply colour the skin as a top layer and will wash off with water. Others contain DHA (dihydroxyacetone) which reacts with the skin to create a longer lasting tan – about a week. People using sunless tanners should not presume that because their skin appears darker, their skin is able to withstand more exposure to strong sunlight.

If someone uses a sunless tanner with added sunscreen, they should treat this layer as they would a normal application of sunscreen – that is, they would need to keep reapplying sunscreen through the day. Therefore, using a regular sunscreen (SPF15+) might be the best option, if wearing sunless tanner. Plus of course continuing with other good sun-safe habits: minimise exposure to bright sunlight, and cover up.

Rouge recommends the following suncare products:
Olay Complete UV Defence Moisture Cream | BUY NOW at The Store
Olay Total Effects Anti-Ageing Cream | BUY NOW at The Store