Everyone enjoys a holiday and having time away to relax and unwind. However, there are lots of things that can spoil a holiday, such as getting sunburnt, insect bites and stings and travel sickness. Providing advice and recommending products to your customers before they go on holiday will help to make sure they have an enjoyable time away.

Staying safe in the sun^1,2

While many people love to have a sun tan, repeated exposure to sunlight can cause skin damage and increases the risk of developing skin cancer. Sunburn doesn’t just happen on overseas holidays; people can get burnt in the UK, even on a cloudy day. The risk of sunburn is increased when people are directly exposed to the sun and it is reflected from water, white sand or snow, e.g. when swimming. The risk is also greater at higher altitudes where there is less protection from the earth’s atmosphere.

Sun safety advice you can give to your customers includes:

• Generously apply sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going out
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating
• Seek shade between 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its strongest and try to keep babies and toddlers in the shade if possible
• Wear sunglasses with wrap around lenses or wide arms, which carry CE and British Standard marks
• No sunscreen provides 100 per cent protection, so cover up with loose, close weave clothing (such as cotton) and a wide brimmed hat to protect the neck, ears and face.

Which sunscreen to use?

You should advise customers to use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB rays and at least 4-star UVA protection. Children are especially at risk from the sun as their skin is more delicate than adults and can be easily damaged by the sun, even when it doesn’t seem strong. The British Skin Foundation recommends children use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 50 and at least 4 stars for UVA protection.

Insect bites and stings³

Insects that bite or sting include wasps, bees, hornets, horseflies, ticks, mosquitos and midges. Most insect bites and stings aren’t serious and will get better within a few hours or days. Insect bites and stings usually cause a red, swollen lump to develop on the skin; this may be painful and can be very itchy in some cases. Some people may have a mild allergic reaction when a larger area of skin around the bite or sting becomes red, swollen and painful; this should go away within a week. Very occasionally, a severe allergic reaction can occur with symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness and a swollen face or mouth. This needs urgent medical attention.

Precautions your customers can take to prevent bites and stings include:

• Wear long sleeves and trousers to cover exposed skin and wear shoes when outdoors
• Apply insect repellent to exposed skin; repellents that contain 50% DEET (diethyltoluamide) are most effective
• Avoid using skincare products with a strong fragrance as these can attract insects
• Take care when around flowering plants, rubbish, compost, stagnant water and outdoor areas where food is served.

People should keep calm and move away slowly if they encounter wasps, bees or hornets. If customers do get bitten or stung, you can advise them to remove the sting if it is still in the skin; wash the area with soap and water; apply a cold compress or ice pack to any swelling for at least 10 minutes; and avoid scratching to reduce the risk of infection. Analgesics, antihistamines and creams for itching can help alleviate any pain, swelling or itchiness.

Keeping travel sickness at bay⁴

Travel sickness is feeling sick when travelling by car, boat, plane or train; it is caused by repeated movements such as going over bumps in a car or moving up and down in a boat. The inner ear sends different signals to the brain from those the eyes are seeing and these confusing messages are what causes the sickness.

Advice you can give your customers to prevent or ease travel sickness includes:

• Reduce motion by sitting in the front of a car or in the middle of a boat or plane
• Look straight ahead at a fixed point
• Breathe fresh air if possible
• Break up long journeys
• Distract children by talking, listening to music or singing
• Don't read, watch movies or use electronic devices
• Don't look at moving objects such as passing cars or rolling waves
• Don't eat spicy food, heavy meals or drink alcohol before or during travel.

Products you can recommend to prevent travel sickness include tablets containing hyoscine hydrobromide or cinnarizine. Cinnarizine can be recommended for adults and children from five years of age. Hyoscine hydrobromide can be recommended for adults and may be suitable for children from three years; check the product packaging to see suitability and dosage instructions. Some people find that acupressure bands help prevent travel sickness; however, these don’t work for everyone.