At least once a day, this time of year, I get asked a question or two about sunscreen use in kids. What does that SPF number really mean? Are sunblocks like zinc oxide safer than other kinds of sunscreens in kids? Can you put sunscreen on a baby under the age of 6 months?
Here is my best synospsis of the ins and outs of sunscreen use in babies and kids. Enjoy!
1. First, understand the difference between UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the sun's wavelengths that cause tanning. It used to be thought that UVA rays were only bad because they caused premature aging of the skin. Now we know that UVA rays also pose skin cancer risks. UVB rays are the ones that cause painful, red sunburns, and these are the rays that have long been associated with increasing skin cancer risk. The take-home message? Both UVA and UVB rays are potentially damaging to your skin, and both can lead to skin cancer, so look for a sunscreen that provides "broad-spectrum" protection against both of them.
2. SPF rating is a standardized way of describing how long someone can be out in the sun, before they get a sunburn. This rating system was really designed to make people aware about their risks and protection from UVB rays. An SPF of 15 means that a person can be outside, exposed to sun for 15 minutes, before they would start to develop a sunburn. An SPF of 60 means it would take 60 minutes. Of course, there are other factors that affect this, like, how well you applied the sunscreen and if you are swimming or sweating and therefore losing some of that protection. SPF really does mean something, so the higher, the better!
3. What about safety of these chemical sunscreens in kids? Sunscreens that provide this "broad spectrum" protection against both kinds of rays are safe to use in kids. Zinc oxide (the thick white paste that our mothers used to lather on our noses) is a physical blocker to the sun. It does not provide full-spectrum protection, but for some kids with skin sensitivities to some of the other sunscreens, it's a good alternative.
4. What about use of sunscreen in babies under 6 months? For years, the recommendation was to avoid putting sunscreen on very small babies. While it's still the recommendation that small babies avoid exposure to the sun during peak hours (between 10 and 4), and if at all possible, should be kept in a shaded area, we recognize that life's not always that simple! My youngest was only 3 weeks old when we dragged our newly-annointed family of 5 to the beach that year, and (gasp) yes, I had her out at the beach with me for short periods of time under our little tent. There will inevitably be times when young babies will be in a position of potential sun exposure, and if and when that happens, it's perfectly fine to apply a thin layer of sunscreen. Avoid the hands (because they're sure to be in their mouths!) and wash it off when you come back inside, but otherwise, don't panic or feel like you're breaking the rules.
So, as you gear up for another summer with fun in the sun, hope this sheds some light on the sunscreen issue for you! Happy summer!
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