Children love being out and about enjoying the sun, and it’s good for their health, too. However, a common risk of being outdoors is sun exposure. Skin damage from UV rays can start early on and have effects long after your child has grown.
For this reason, it’s important for parents to consider what they can do to help protect their children from sun exposure. There are different approaches, depending on the age of the child.
Young Children
For infants less than 6 months of age, their skin is highly sensitive to UV rays and has little built-in protection at that age. It’s not yet safe to use sunscreen for a child that young, and so make sure they’re wearing clothing that fully covers their limbs. Hats, parasols and canopied strollers are also great ways to protect young infants from the sun.
Older Children
Older children can benefit greatly from sunscreen. Choose a sunscreen that’s SPF 15 or higher, and look for water resistant sunscreens if going poolside. Spray-on sunscreen can be a good choice for its ease of application, but make sure not to spray it directly on the face, instead using one’s hands to gently apply it around the child’s sensitive eyes, mouth and nose.
Teenagers
The real challenge comes with keeping teenagers protected. Tans are quite popular in many areas, but they greatly increase one’s risk for skin cancer. Tanning lotions are an excellent alternative when used in conjunction with sunscreen, helping one to achieve a browned look with zero risk. Forget about the ‘orange’ look of decades past: recent innovations have made tanning lotions better and more natural-looking than ever.
By thinking ahead and considering sun safety, parents could be saving their children from risk for melanoma and other cancers associated with sun exposure. Making sunscreen a habit early on can ensure your child will enjoy the benefits of such protection against skin cancer for a lifetime.