It is time for your summer holidays next to the sea and it is a great pleasure for every parent to see his child having fun on the seashore. However, these moments of relaxation and games, pose risks for infants, as the exposure under the sun without protection is prohibitive and parents must take care of the absolute protection of babies, from solar radiation, as burns, photodermatitis, suppression of the immune system, even cancer lurk. Scientists point out that excessive exposure to UV radiation at the beginning of our lives increases the chances of melanomas in our adult life!
It is of high importance, not to remember the protection of our baby with sunscreen, only when we will be in the sea. Sun protection should be applied to any exposure of the child to the sun, whether on a stroll or in the happy times of the playground!
That is because children less than one-year-old, have thinner skin than an adult, less ability to synthesize melanin, and a more sensitive skin barrier. That is why the skin protection from ultraviolet radiation is insufficient, while at the same time the skin absorbs fluids and substances applied to it with greater ease. This condition should mobilize parents, with the advice of the pediatrician or dermatologist, to take care of their infants’ sun protection with the use of the appropriate sunscreen.
Tips for babies younger than six months
The general directive for babies is common with the one applied for all those under the sun's rays and concerns the avoidance of exposure to sunlight during the hours between 10: 00 in the morning and 16: 00 in the afternoon.
For this age, experts do not recommend the use of sunscreen as its components may be absorbed in a greater proportion and cause irritation or allergic reactions. However, the latter allow the use of sunscreens with natural filters, which should be applied for a limited time and removed – at the end of sun exposure – with a good washing. It is advisable, before using the sunscreen, to make a test on a very small surface of the baby's skin, to determine that it is well tolerated.
Furthermore, they recommend wearing protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses. They suggest using clothes with as dense a weave and dark color as possible, which should cover as large an area of the child's body as possible. Nowadays, there are available clothes specifically to protect against ultraviolet radiation. Finally, the hat should have a wide visor covering the face, neck, and ears of the baby.
Tips for babies older than six months
Although, for infants older than six months, the advice to avoid sun exposure during the day and be dressed as much as possible remains, it is allowed to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with natural filters, which are gentler and safer for sensitive children's skin, are less irritating and have a lower degree of absorption by the skin. Also, formulas with mineral sunscreen filters are ecological, so they protect the seas and marine organisms as well!
Sunscreens with natural filters, when applied, they create a white film on the skin, which makes it easier for the parent to understand if there is a part of the skin that has not been covered with sunscreen sufficiently.
Filters with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the most appropriate and these ingredients should be looked for in the sunscreens' packages. The protection indicator should start from at least 15 SFP, while experts recommend sunscreens with indicators greater than 30 SFP.
The application should be performed about 20 minutes before sun exposure and the renewal of the sunscreen should be repeated every two hours or more often if the baby has got wet or sweated.
If you use sunscreen spray, spray hands first (6 to 8 sprays) and then apply to each zone of the body, face, and neck. Take care that the nozzle is 2 cm away from the skin and the liquid covers the entire surface.
In the market, you will find - in addition to creams and sprays- lotions and roll-ons which are equally functional, always depending on the way they are applied and the frequency they are renewed in children, when they are exposed to the sun.
Finally, when it comes to calculating the appropriate amount, an easy way is to use as much as would fill the baby's grope.
If you pay attention to these tips and follow the suggested routine with reverence, both you and your children will enjoy your time by the sea. Happy summer holidays!
