Why you shouldn’t skip sunscreen even when its cloudy

Parents should consider options such as vitamin D supplements rather than forgoing kids’ sun protection during prolonged periods outside, advise researchers from King’s College London in the British Journal of Dermatology.

With summer just around the corner in many parts of the world — meaning long days at the beach or playing outdoors — this new study reminds parents how important it is to protect children’s skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, even when the weather is overcast.

Sufficient levels of vitamin D — which is produced by the body when skin is exposed to sunlight — are essential for good bone health and growth in children. However, this shouldn’t distract from the dangers of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays for children’s skin. Indeed, sunburn in childhood is a recognised risk factor for skin cancer in older age.

In a new study, researchers from King’s College London studied 32 children under the age of 10 who were on a 12-day summer camp in Poland.

At the end of the camp, the researchers measured the children’s vitamin D levels, as well as CPD, a urine biomarker of DNA damage that can lead to skin cancer.

Picture: iStock

 They found an average 25% increase in vitamin D in the children, but nearly thirteen times more CPD, on average, “despite the fact that the weather was not particularly sunny during the course of the children’s summer camp.”

The researchers point out that these levels are similar to those measured in a separate study of Danish adults on a shorter holiday in Tenerife.

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“Our study suggests that only small amounts of exposure to the sun are needed to ensure vitamin D sufficiency so we should make sure that children always have ample sun protection when playing outside for long periods. This should be in the form of sunscreen, clothing and hats and the use of shade, even when you may not judge the weather to be that sunny,” warns senior author Professor Antony Young.

The researchers also offer a few reminders on how to protect children’s skin, for example, using sunscreen with a high UV protection factor — at least SPF 30, or up to SPF60 for fair skin.

Sunscreen should be applied 15 minutes before going outside and reapplied at least every two hours, and immediately after swimming, perspiring and towel drying, or if it has rubbed off.

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