Babies Worldwide

Sunscreen may be easy, but it doesn’t protect your child’s skin completely. Try combining sunscreen with other “ChooseYour Cover” options to prevent UV damage.

Sunscreen comes in a variety of forms – lotions, sprays, wipes or gels. Be sure to choose one made especially for kids with:

• Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher
• both UVA and UVB protection

For most effective protection, apply sunscreen generously 30 minutes before going outdoors. And, don’t forget to protect ears, noses, lips and the tops of feet which often go unprotected.

Take sunscreen with you to reapply during the day, especially after your child swims or exercises. This applies to “waterproof” and “water resistant” products as well.

Keep in mind, sunscreen is not meant to allow your kids to spend more time in the sun than they would otherwise. Sunscreen reduces damage from UV radiation, it doesn’t eliminate it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now advises that sunscreen use on babies less than 6 months old is not harmful on small areas of a baby’s skin, such as the face and back of the hands. But your baby’s best defense against sunburn is avoiding the sun or staying in the shade.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.