 Children’s skin burns extremely easily and it is not just travelling to warm climates that can create this effect, even here in the UK the UVA and UVB rays from the sun are still as penetrating and damaging to unprotected skin.Children’s skin is much thinner than adults and the degree of damage caused during childhood may not be felt or seen until later in life. Many cases of melanoma, the third most common form of cancer in 15-39 year olds, can be traced back to an incident of bad sunburn in childhood. Your child is likely to experience half their lifetime’s exposure to the ultra-violet rays before the age of eighteen. The need to protect children’s skin is very important and the better protection they receive now the lower the risk of skin damage in their whole life.
Firstly you need to understand Sun Protection Factor or SPF. The Department of Health recommends you use a minimum SPF of 15 for adults and a higher factor of around 20 for children. The SPF’s will protect against the cancer threatening damage caused by UVB light, however, this does not automatically protect you against UVA rays. Check the star rating on your bottle for UVA protection, it should be at least 4 star quality.
You must regularly reapply your cream, most skin care experts such as Cancer Research recommend at least every two hours no matter what the claims might be on the packaging. It is very important sunscreen is applied at least half an hour before any exposure to the sun, allowing time for the cream to work into the skin and provide a barrier. As children’s skin is so vulnerable it is worthwhile looking out for natural products, too much chemical interference can change the skin’s makeup and cause reactions and some chemicals such as titanium dioxide are suspected of being carcinogenic. Washing off the products at the end of the day is just as important as applying the cream, make sure you use a natural, gentle soap and wash the body all over, not forgetting the face, gently patting the skin dry. The skin acts as a large respirator and cream not washed off can clog cells, preventing the skin from naturally detoxing by filtering out the toxins through the skin.
Babies under the age of twelve months should never be exposed to direct sunshine, even in partial shade the sun’s rays can penetrate or reflect, getting through clothing and sun umbrellas, causing damage to the skin. Use a high sun protection factor lotion to all the exposed parts of your baby; you can even use a total sun block, along with a hat, cotton socks and a T-shirt or all-in-one vest.
Toddlers love to explore and once they find their feet they will be off. The sun is at its hottest between 11 and 3pm so try to keep them in the shade as much as possible during this period. Wearing loose fitting clothes with a close weave will allow air to circulate and also help prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating through. Toddlers also need sun hats; those with a long flap, which covers the nape of the neck, French Legionnaire style, are ideal. The hat should have a wide brim so it protects both the face and the neck.
Getting children into the habit of applying cream daily at least thirty minutes before they go out will hopefully become a habit they adopt for life.
For Further information:
Visit www.cancerhelp.org.uk and www.sunsmart.org.uk.
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