Q I'm taking my young children on a beach holiday and wonder whether sun products claiming six- to eight-hour protection are reliable?

A The incidence of skin cancer is increasing and studies suggest that the majority of UV damage suffered by our skin occurs before the age of 20. ‘That shows how important it is to protect children from overexposure to the sun. Redness is a sign of sunburn but the damage starts before that,' says a spokesperson for the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD).

‘Using any type of sun protection is much better than none, but while extended-wear products can seem like a godsend for busy parents they may also lull them into a false sense of security,' says BAD.

Babies should always be kept out of the sun because they can easily overheat; their sensitive skin also burns quickly, which can be very dangerous

There are three main concerns about the efficacy of extended-wear sunscreens, which apply to adults, too.

1 Research shows that people t