Is it Safe to Apply Sunscreen on Babies?

This is a question that many parents are confronted with at some point in their life. You would like to spend the day at the beach as a family and you have bought a sunscreen for yourself but do not know what to do about your 3 month baby. Should you apply sunscreen on her? The Food and Drug Administration advises against the use of sunscreen on babies that are 6 months and below. For such babies, the best thing is to dress them appropriately to keep UV rays from their skin and keep them under the shade. Clothing that covers the legs and arms offers adequate protection. As a rule of thumb, any clothing that you can see through does not offer adequate protection against UV rays. For shade, if you cannot find a natural shade while outdoors create one using an umbrella. Do not forget to dress your child in a large brimmed hat to protect the face, ears and the neck.
So, why is it inadvisable to use sunscreen on babies? Note that the skin of a baby is usually very delicate which makes them highly prone to inflammations due to a high absorption of sunscreen chemicals by their skin.
Applying sunscreen on a baby may give one a false sense of security which may leave the baby vulnerable to sunburns and skin cancer later in life. Remember that a child's skin is very delicate. This is why it is better to take natural precautions such as covering the baby up and keeping her under the shade.

How to Apply Sunscreen

Wondering how to apply sunscreen? You are not alone. There are very many articles out there with slightly differing information on how to apply sunscreen and reading all may leave you confused. Despite this, applying sunscreen the proper way is vital to providing the much needed protection against skin cancer, sunburns and premature aging (wrinkles and sagging skin). Dermatologists recommend the following tips to ensure maximum protection:

1.  Before applying shake the bottle properly to ensure that all ingredients are evenly distributed in the sunscreen lotion.
2. Apply30 minutes before going outdoors (some people recommend 15-20 minutes which is still okey). The main idea is to apply sunscreen prior to going out to give it time to be absorbed by the skin. Moreover, this way the sunscreen does not wash away easily due to sweating. Some people apply sunscreen when they leave the house such as when they get to the beach which is a wrong approach.
3. Use sunscreen always-even when its cloudy. Some people only bother with sunscreen during summer and do not bother with it during winter. This is wrong as even on cloudy days UV rays still reach the earth's surface and so failure to use sunscreen during cloudy days may leave one vulnerable. If you spend your day near a glass window you should also apply sunscreen as ultraviolet rays pass through glass and can harm your skin.
4. Apply liberally on your skin. Experts recommend a handful which is equivalent to an ounce. This is enough to cover the body of an average adult. You should rub it in until all the white is invisible.
5. All body parts that are exposed should be covered with sunscreen. This includes the legs, ears. neck, hands and the face.
6. Reapply after swimming or sweating heavily.
7. Reapply every two hours even if you do not swim.

What is SPF and Why Should you Care About It?

If you have been looking for information on sunscreens, definitely you have come across the term SPF. SPF is short for sun protection factor. It is an indicator of the efficacy of a sunscreen product. Sunscreen products with low SPF are said to have low protection, those with a moderate SPF are said to offer moderate protection, while those with a high SPF are said to offer high protection.
This is how FDA classifies sunscreen products:

• Minimal protection:      2 to 11
• Moderate protection:    12 to 29
• High protection:            30+

It is important to note that a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 is not stronger than a sunscreen with an SPF of 15. What the SPF indicates is the length of protection and not the strength of protection. For example, a sunscreen with an SPF of 20 offers 20 times protection while a sunscreen with an SPF of  2 SPF offers 2 times protection. However, products differ in the amount of harmful UV rays that they block. For example, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 protects against 97% of all harmful rays while a product with an SPF of 15 provides protection against 93% of harmful rays. As you can see, the difference is negligible.

It is also important to note that SPF shows protection against UVB rays; it is not indicative of protection against UVA rays

Why should you Care About SPF?
Because the protection you get is proportional to the SPF. You should always select a sunscreen based on your skin type.
Related: Matching your Skin Type to SPF

What to Look for in a Sunscreen

Whether you want to start using sunscreen or looking for information to enable you choose a good sunscreen the next time you go shopping, I will give you some tips on what to look out for in a sunscreen.

1. Sunscreen Protection Factor (SPF)

This is very important as the level of sunscreen protection is related to the SPF. All sunscreens display the SPF as part of product labeling and so one should take his or her time to check it out. What exactly does an SPF indicate? It indicates the length of time that one can stay in sunshine protected following the application of a sunscreen. This varies from one person to the other. A person who normally stays for 15 minutes outside before beginning to burn would stay in the sun for (15 x 15) 225 minutes after applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 15. This means a protection of 3.75 hours. This knowledge is very important as if one intends to spend long periods of time outside, he or she may want to use a sunscreen with a high SPF to avoid burning. Experts say that after the limit has been reached, it is of no use reapplying the same sunscreen; the solution is to go indoors or to apply a sunscreen of higher SPF. As a rule of thumb, if you are light skinned or you are out on a very sunny day particularly between 10 am. and 4 p.m, use a sunscreen with an SPF of more than 30.

2. Expiry Date

Needless to say, the expiry date is very important. There is no need of purchasing a sunscreen lotion or cream that has already expired as that would mean that it has lost its effectiveness and thus will not provide adequate protection from burns and even skin cancer. Most sunscreen products display the expiry date but if absent, the most common shelf-life for sunscreens is 3 years and so you can use this information to get the expiry date if only the date of manufacture is provided. 

3. Water Resistance/Waterproof

 

For people who anticipate sweating when outdoors or engaging in water sports such as swimming, getting a waterproof sunscreen is very important.  Be on the lookout for information on the level of water resistance capability as some sunscreens are labeled as "very water resistant" which means that they are superior in terms of water resistance capability and consequently protection. Such sunscreens should be opted for by swimmers and people who anticipate a lot of sweating while outdoors.

4. Base

The base is also very important and should be taken into consideration when selecting a sunscreen. Sunscreens that contain alcohol as the base evaporate quickly from the skin and thus are preferred by many men as they are non-greasy. If your skin is prone to acne and breakouts, you would be better off with a water-based sunscreen instead of an oil-based sunscreen.

5. The Spectrum of Protection 

A good sunscreen product should provide broad spectrum protection and this means protection against UVA and UVB radiations. UVA and UVB are responsible for causing skin cancer and so exposure to them should be minimized and if possible prevented. Most sunscreen products nowadays are labelled as broad-spectrum.

6. Ingredients

The sunscreen ingredients are very important as they are a good indicator of a sunscreen's protection level. The American Academy of Dermatology advises consumers to look out for the presence of one of the following ingredients that are indicative of UV-blocking capability: octinoxate, oxybenzone, methyl anthranilate, octisalate, and oxybenzone. For sunblocks, the two ingredients that one should look for include: iron oxide, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.

Have fun looking for these things in sunscreens before making a purchase. Stay protected!

What is a Sunscreen?

What is a sunscreen? A sunscreen according to Merriam-webster.com is a "preparation (as a lotion) applied to the skin to prevent sunburn (as by chemically absorbing ultraviolet radiation); also : its active ingredient (as benzophenone)". Generally, any product that blocks ultraviolet rays when applied on the skin can be termed as a sunscreen.  

It is important to note that even clothing and hats that prevent the sun rays from coming into contact with the skin are sunscreens.  

Basically, sunscreens come in different formulations including lotions, cream, spray, films, liquid, ointments, sticks and gels. 

Sunscreens act by scattering, absorbing or by blocking the ultraviolet rays thus the skin is protected from damage.

A good sunscreen should provide protection against both ultraviolet-B rays (UVB) and ultraviolet-A rays (UVA). The exact amount of UVB and UVA that is blocked by a sunscreen differs between different sunscreens. Sunscreens are considered to be particularly important for people who live in the tropics. They are also widely used during summer in countries that are not in the tropics. 

Some people mistakenly believe that only people who are fair-skinned should use sunscreens. This is a wrong perception; sunscreens should be used by all people regardless of their skin color which means that even dark-skinned people should use sunscreens. 
Basically, so long as one will be exposed to sunshine, he or she should apply the sunscreen before leaving the house. Dermatologists also recommend the use of sunscreen even on days when it is cloudy as even on such days there are ultraviolet rays that reach the earth's surface. 

There are several benefits of a sunscreen and these include: preventing sunburns, delaying aging (anti-aging) and preventing skin cancer. 

For your information, in the US sunscreens are classified by the FDA as drugs due to their role in ensuring a healthy skin. 

What is the difference between a Sunscreen and a Sunblock? 

 

Many people use the terms 'sunscreen' and 'sunblock' interchangeably without realizing that they are somewhat different. However, the differences are minor as the two basically perform the same function: they protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation. So, how does a sunscreen differ from a sunblock? A sunblock has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or less. On the other hand, a sunblock has an SPF of 30 or more. This means that a sunscreen and a sunblock differ based on their SPF. Sunblocks and sunscreens also differ from one another based on their ingredients. Common sunscreen ingredients include: cinnamates, benzoyl methanes, para-aminobenzoicc acid (PABA), salicylates, and benzophenone. Common sunblock ingredients include: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.