Sunscreen for children – how to pick one and how to apply it

Here is a quick reminder about how we should protect ourselves from the harmful effects of the sun:

A quick but important reminder from the introductory chapter – the 6 S’s of sun safety:
Shade from the sun when possible. Try to sit in the sun during the safer hours. Consider the UV index and avoid outdoor activities between 10am and 4pm. The UV radiation is lower before and after these hours.
Slap on a wide brimmed hat
Slide on some quality sunglasses (this is just as important in children, remember what I said about cataracts?)
Slip on a shirt – even if it’s hot, if you are sitting under the sun, it is important to dress wisely and cover your arms and legs. You can even swim in a shirt or swimsuit made of UV-protective material.
Slop on sunscreen (read all about sunscreens below)
Sip on sufficient fluids throughout the day to replace the fluids lost during activity. This is true all year around but especially true during the extra hot days of the year when fluid loss is more significant.

What are sunscreen creams made of?

These are products that contain blockers that either reflect or absorb UV lights. There are two types of blockers – mineral/physical blockers or chemical/organic blockers.
Mineral/physical blockers – these are non-organic products that reflect or physically spread UV light. They remain on the skin but are not absorbed by the skin, and by doing so cause minimal irritation to the skin and are considered safe products.
Chemical/organic blockers – these are organic products that absorb UV light with the help of a chemical process. These are absorbed into the skin but the amount that is absorbed and its effects are not very clear and haven’t been researched thoroughly. Their absorbance into the skin can also lead to allergies and local reactions as a result of sun exposure when they have been applied to the skin. Oxybenzone is a common chemical in these products and one of the main culprits behind allergic inflammatory reactions in the skin. Additionally, its association with estrogenic hormonal influences on laboratory animal models has been questioned. It has also been associated with environmental damage to coral reefs.

What is SPF?

SPF is the acronym for Sun Protection Factor which is a measure of the intensity of protection that products have against UVB (only). How is this measured? The intensity of radiation required to cause a superficial burn on skin that has had the product applied to it, versus skin without any product, is tested under laboratory conditions. The higher the SPF value, the more protection it offers against the same radiation intensity. Note that the value does not indicate how long you can spend in the sun or anything of that sort. The higher the value, the longer it will take for the skin to get burnt when exposed to sunlight. This means – the higher the value is, the better it is.
As for UVA protective indices – these don’t really exist. Some European products have all sorts of indices for measuring the ration between UVB and UVA protection, but this isn’t very properly classified.

Dr Efi – how do I select the best sunscreen cream for my child?

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing sunscreen that contains the following:
 SPF 30 or higher.
 Broader spectrum – that is protective against UVB and UVA
 Water and sweat resistant – waterproof products are able to retain their SPF 40-80 minutes after being in the water. Water resistant products are even better.
 A nice texture to allow for better compliance.
And I’ll just add to this and say – that just like for any other cosmetic product – choose the one that suits your child’s skin the best.

And just like we tend to read the label on food products that we give our children because it is important for us to know what they contain, I would also recommend looking over the label on sunscreen before applying it on your child. Purchase creams that are of high quality and contain safe blockers, contain all the features mentioned above and are suitable for your child’s specific skin. For example, AVENE products – read more about these here.

Everyone, but every single person out there needs to wear sunscreen! Both children and their parents. Especially those with lighter coloured skin tones, freckles and moles but also people with darker coloured skin.

How is sunscreen for children applied?

It sounds a bit trivial, but it is still important to take special care when applying sunscreen so as to reach it maximum effect. Here are some basic rules – apply it generously, apply it prior to sun exposure, apply it on all the exposed areas and repeat application as needed.
Apply generously – in order to enjoy the maximum SPF protection that the product offers, you need to apply enough. What is a sufficient amount? If you want to be precise, it is about 2mg/cm of skin. Okay, there is really no need to push it and take accurate measurements, but it comes down to about 6-9 spoons of cream for an adult. It is always better to apply too much than too little.
Timing – just like everything else in life, timing here is of the essence as well. It is important to apply the cream about 15-30 minutes prior to exposure to allow for it to produce the required protective layer. I know it is not really realistic to get to the pool, apply cream on your kids and then expect them to wait for 30 minutes. My best piece of advice would be to apply some before leaving the house and then some more when you get to your destination.
Apply it on all the exposed areas of skin – don’t forget the face, the palms of the hands and feet, the ears and neck.
Repeat application – applying cream once is not enough. Remember that even waterproof products eventually wash off in water. And so, make sure to repeat the application every 1.5-2 hours. Especially if the kids tend to leave the pool, dry themselves off using a towel and then go back in. Remember that the cream will get wiped off as well. We tend to forget this because the kids are just enjoying themselves and having fun, but it is really important to try and make an effort to remember.
Stick to the 6 S’s of “Sun Safety” as well. Sunscreen does not replace all of those.

Do I need to apply sunscreen on my baby as well?

Let me start by saying that babies need sun protection as well. Exposing babies under the age of 6 months to the sun is not advised and it is best to protect them by avoiding the sun altogether, sticking to the shaded areas and covering them in long clothed. This is both due to the sun’s potential damage to their skin and also because their thin skin may be sensitive to all these different types of products which tend to get absorbed into the skin. Nonetheless, if you have no choice but to expose them to the sun, I recommend applying a thin layer of sunscreen.

In summary, this is a very important topic. There aren’t too many options out there for things that we, as parents, can do for our children to prevent them from developing potential damage in their childhood or adulthood. We put so much effort into trying to provide them with a better future and we really have to make sun safety one of these efforts and we must insist on it.

All in all, it is a pretty simple task. Stay safe my friends!