Synegy Skin Care Blog

By: Aimee A. Tabilon

Babies, children, and adolescents need to be protected from the sun's harmful rays to prevent future problems, like skin cancer. Babies' skin is extremely sensitive; its defense system is not yet fully developed. Their skin can easily get burned from very little exposure to the sun as compared to adults. Nevertheless, a few minutes of exposure to the sun twice or thrice a week are enough to produce sufficient Vitamin D in their body.

Sun protection is difficult for children and adolescents because it's hard to restrict them from running and playing under the sun, unlike babies. Restriction alone won't work; hence, parents should find ways of protecting them, without depriving them the joy of being young and active.

How To Protect Them

Sunscreen

• Babies 6 months onwards should be applied with hypoallergenic, water-resistant sunscreen creams or lotions with an SPF of 15 or greater to exposed areas; however, sunscreen shouldn't be used to babies below 6 months. They need a little sunlight. Just keep them out of the sun and make sure that they are covered with protective clothing.

• First, test the sunscreen on the small areas of the skin before using it, like on the crook of the arm (inner elbow). If there's any reaction like rashes or redness, immediately wash it off and never use it again.

• Sunscreen should be applied at least 20-30 minutes before going outdoors, and should be reapplied every 2 hours. If your child is sweating a lot or is playing in the water, reapply it as frequent as possible.

• A lip balm with an SPF of at least 15 should also be applied to the lips for protection.

Protective Wear

• There are sun protection clothes available in the market that's lightweight and comfortable to wear. They need to wear UV protective swimwears when going to the beach. They're going to enjoy the beach so much, without the risk of sunburn if they wear this type of swimwears.

• Babies, children, and adolescents should wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of UV rays for eye protection.

• A broad-brimmed sun hat should be used to protect the face, neck, and ears from the harsh effects of UV rays. Avoid baseball caps because these offer little protection for the above mentioned areas.

Find a Shade

• Even if they are in the shade, they can still be at risk for sunburn because UV radiation can be reflected by the surroundings, like water, concrete, and sand. Sun umbrellas or tents are recommended, especially when at the beach, to provide additional shade.

• Protect them from sunlight coming through the window when inside the car by using a shade visor.

• When strolling around the neighborhood, find some shady places, and don't forget to cover them with UV protective clothing as well. It would be best to go out during early morning or late afternoon.

• Choose a stroller or carriage with an adjustable hood so you can move it in order to block direct sunlight. Make sure that it can provide your baby maximum protection from UV rays.

• Loose cotton clothing, with long sleeves is advisable. It will help protect the skin and allow the body to stay cooler.

What to Avoid

• Don't put baby oil before going outdoors. This will only foster easy skin penetration of UV rays.

• If sunscreen is applied in order to extend time under the sun, think again. Sun damage is accumulative, so whether you expose your skin to the sun once a week for a month, the damage to the cellular level is just the same as that of 4 straight days of sun exposure. Therefore, don't use sunscreen as an excuse to stay longer under the sun.

• Babies with nappy rash should be kept out of the sun to avoid further skin damage.

• Don't let them get dehydrated. Encourage them to drink water or juice regularly and then, especially children and adolescents. They are less likely to realize that they are thirsty when they're having so much fun under the sun.

• Avoid any sun exposure during the hours of midday to 3pm. This is when the sun is at it's highest and hottest, and is deemed to be most dangerous.