I know that for years, I was often confused by the best sunscreen and when I finally realized what I needed, I was often laughed at by a few family friends. (I want to add that on those occasions, my kids and I were the only ones without a blistering sunburn.)

When it comes to sunburns, babies are more likely to experience the effects of the sun since they have sensitive skin that does not have a natural protection built up. It is important to keep children under the age of one out of the sun for long periods of time. Keep them in shade, have them wear light clothing that covers, and use umbrellas to keep the glare of the sun off of them.

For other children there are a few tips for sunscreen that will keep them healthy and happy throughout the season.

• Use a cream sunscreen that has a minimum SPF of 15, although I would recommend SPF 45. SPF is a measure of how long you can stay in the sun before skin damage (a burn) occurs. For SPF 15, the amount of time would be 150 minutes before reapplying, although that is just an estimate and depends on what you are doing.
• Purchase sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection. Check those labels because some sunscreens do not offer full spectrum protection.
• Check best before dates and never use the sunscreen after the date since it could loose some or all of its effectiveness.
• Purchase waterproof sunscreen even if you don’t plan on going swimming. This will help with the loss of sunscreen from sweating.
• Apply sunscreen about 20 to 30 minutes before going outside or in the pool. Reapply every hour or so or immediately after swimming or if your child is sweating.
• Don’t forget to apply to the nose, ears, and back of the neck.

A few more UV Protection Tips:

• Have your child wear sunglasses that offer full spectrum protection.
• Wear hats when you are outside.
• The hours between 11am to 4pm is when the sun is at it’s strongest. Avoid going outside in the peak hours or use sunscreen for sure during those times.
• Wear clothing that covers most of the skin.
• Keep an eye on the daily UV ratings to know which days pose more of a threat for burning.

And the biggest tip that I will give is:

Have Fun!

Sirena Van Schaik

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