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Sun and heat safety advice

Please take care of yourself, your family and friends when spending time outside in the sun. 

Sun safety tips

It's important to protect yourself and loved ones from the harmful effects of the sun by following these sun safety tips:

  • Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
  • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities such as sport, DIY or gardening. If this is not possible, do it during the cooler parts of the day
  • Use sunscreens or sun blocks to help prevent sunburn
  • Cover up with a t-shirt or other loose-fitting clothes
  • Wear a hat to shade your head and sunglasses to protect your eyes

What factor sunscreen should I use?

When using sunscreen, make sure it has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB and at least 4-star UVA protection. Always check the expiry date of sun screen before using.

Make sure you apply enough sunscreen, especially if you are going swimming outside. Further details about applying sunscreen can be found on the NHS 111 Wales website.

Do not rely on sunscreen alone to protect yourself from the sun. Wear suitable clothing and spend time in the shade when the suns at its hottest.

How to deal with sunburn

There are things you can do to help ease symptoms of sunburn at home:

  • Sponge sore skin with cool water or take a cool shower or bath, then apply soothing aftersun cream or spray like aloe vera
  • Stay out of the sun until all signs of redness have gone
  • Drink plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration
  • Painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, will ease the pain by helping to reduce inflammation caused by sunburn

When to seek medical help with sunburn

A pharmacist may be able to help with sunburn by offering advice and treatment options. Find your local pharmacist. 

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 Wales if you've been out in the sun and:

  • your skin is blistered or swollen
  • your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery
  • you feel very tired, dizzy and sick
  • you have a headache and muscle cramps
  • your baby or young child has sunburn

Severe sunburn can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be very serious.

Tips to take care of yourself and loved ones during hot weather

Follow these tips to keep yourself and loved ones safe during hot weather: 

  • During this hot dry weather, keep hydrated by ensuring you drink plenty of water
  • Take a cool bath or shower, or splash your face with cold water to cool down
  • Keep an eye on isolated, elderly, ill or very young people and make sure they are able to keep cool
  • Check on elderly or sick neighbours, family or friends every day if possible
  • Keep medicines below 25°C or in the fridge (read the storage instructions on the packaging)
  • Seek medical advice if you suffer from a chronic health condition/ take multiple medications

What to do if you feel unwell due to hot weather

Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. The main risks posed by a heatwave are: 

Heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. 

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids. Follow these steps:

  1. Move them to a cool place.
  2. Remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks.
  3. Get them to drink a sports or rehydration drink, or cool water.
  4. Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs, wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck are good too.

Call 999 if you or someone else have any signs of heatstroke including:

  • still unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, being cooled and drinking fluids
  • a very high temperature
  • hot skin that's not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown and black skin)
  • a fast heartbeat
  • fast breathing or shortness of breath
  • confusion and lack of coordination
  • a seizure or fit
  • loss of consciousness

Put the person in the recovery position if they lose consciousness while you're waiting for help.

Further details on heat exhaustion and heatstroke can be found on the NHS 111 Wales website.

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