Many of you are already on vacation or will be in the next few days. There is still a lot of summer ahead of us, so we'll talk about one of the biggest concerns we should have in Summer with young children: protect them from the sun.
The skin of children is especially sensitive, therefore it is very important that we protect it properly from solar radiation, both with sun creams with protective factor and with appropriate hats and clothing, in addition to protecting the eyes with sunglasses.
Children's skin has memory. Experts warn that depending on how we take care of children's skin in the first years of life, it will have a greater or lesser risk of developing adult skin cancer.
That is why it is so important protect children's skin from the sun. Today we will focus on sun creams, how we should apply it, what factor to choose and other advice on photoprotection in babies and young children.
What solar factor to use in children?
Children with dark skin have more melanin to absorb UV rays and protect themselves from the sun, therefore a protection factor 20 It may be enough, but for light skin and hair or for red-haired children with a tendency to freckle we should use a protection factor 40 or 50.
Babies under six months
Pediatricians do not quite agree on whether it is convenient or not to apply sun cream to babies under six months. On the one hand, the baby's delicate skin is very sensitive and a cream could cause irritation or poisoning, while the effects of the radiation could cause severe burns.
The generalized recommendation is not exposing babies directly to the sun's rays, avoid the central hours of the day (11-17 hs), protect them with umbrellas, hats and light clothes.
Types of photoprotectors
We can find in the market different types of photoprotectors. They are products composed of substances called filters, capable of stopping the action of one or another type of radiation.
We can distinguish between chemical or organic photoprotectors, which act by absorption, and physical, inorganic or total screen filters, which act by reflection, that is, reflecting sunlight.
On the other hand, according its consistency, we find different products in the form of creams, lotions, gels, mixtures between gel and cream, solid bars or sprays.
The creams They are the most moisturizing, and cover best, so they are the best for babies and children.
The lotions or milks They are lighter, they spread very easily, they also hydrate very well. They are also suitable for children.
The gels They have a small alcohol content, they are very refreshing but precisely because of alcohol they can irritate the skin or eyes, not being suitable for children.
The mix between gel and cream It is fast absorbing and leaves no fatty residue. It is a texture that usually occurs in specific products for atopic skin and very sensitive to the sun, but it is preferable to consult it before with the pediatrician.
The solid bars They are very practical to apply some touch-up because they can be worn, but not to apply throughout the body. They are very resistant to water.
The sprays They are especially practical for the little ones because of their comfortable application and their consistency is usually smoother lotion type. For greater security, it is always advisable to finish distributing the product by hand to achieve a homogeneous distribution.
How to apply sunscreen
Before applying sun cream for the first time you should try it in a small part to verify that no component could cause irritation or allergic reaction.
Apply the cream 30 minutes before sun exposure so that it can be absorbed and repeated after each bath. Although most of the creams we find are water resistant, just in case it should be reinforced every two hours with dry skin.
Apply abundant cream to create a thick and even layer on the skin.
Spread throughout the body, without leaving parts discovered. We usually forget areas such as the nose, the ear pavilions, the shoulders, the insteps, the scalp and the back of the knees and legs.
We hope these tips come in handy for your holidays. Always keep in mind that it is very important protect children from the sun in summer, whether we go to the beach, the pool, the mountain, as if we go for a walk.
