Expert Advice on Using Sunscreen on Babies and Children

The benefits of getting kids outside to play and exercise are almost without limit and benefit practically every area of their health, except perhaps their skin health.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, so sun protection is top of mind. Although infants and kids aren’t exactly in the line of fire for skin cancer, the sun can still do damage to their delicate skin, and we want to prevent that.

To that end, the team of pediatric specialists here at Child & Adolescent Health Center, under the direction of Dr. Fiona Carroll, pulled together some best practices for protecting kids against harmful sun exposure, including when and how to use sunscreen.

The benefits and pitfalls of sun exposure

We want to first discuss why we’re concerned about sun exposure some of the time, yet we encourage its use at other times.

Let’s start with the good — sun exposure helps the human body to produce vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones. Sun exposure also helps to boost mood, and it regulates the sleep-wake cycle. When we say exposure, however, you only need about 10-30 minutes each day.

Now let’s move to the pitfalls of sun exposure, which boil down to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and radiation. Overexposure to UV rays can burn and damage skin, and most of us have had at least one or two painful sunburn experiences that confirm this.

Sun exposure, sunscreen, and newborns

If you have a newborn, we recommend extra vigilance when it comes to sun exposure because a baby’s skin is extremely delicate.

For the first six months, it’s a good idea to avoid sunscreen, which might irritate a baby’s skin, Instead, we suggest:

• Keeping your baby out of direct sunlight and in the shade
• Covering up your baby with tight-weave clothing
• Dressing your baby with a wide-brimmed hat that can protect the back of their neck and ears
• Protecting their eyes with sunglasses
• Abstaining from exposure during peak sun hours between 10 am and 4 pm

If you do end up in the sun, a little exposure is fine, but not more than a few minutes of direct sunlight. If you know there will be more sun exposure than that and shade isn’t a possibility, you can apply sunscreen that’s specially formulated for infants under 6 months.

We also want to point out here that a newborn’s internal heating and cooling system isn’t fully online, which can make them more intolerant to heat. So keep that in mind, too, as you head out.

Protecting kids against sun exposure with sunscreen

After the age of 6 months and when kids start to explore their worlds on foot, it isn’t going to be as easy to keep them out of the sun, nor should you.

Before they head out, try to cover them up as much as possible with clothing and a hat. For any exposed areas, lather on the sunscreen and use one that’s advertised as broad spectrum, which means it’ll protect against all UV rays. And we recommend using at least 15 SPF sunscreen, though 30 might be better.

You should reapply sunscreen every hour or two, especially if they get into water or they’re sweating a lot as they run around.

And it’s also a great practice to have some shade handy for a hydration timeout. Whether you find a tree or use a pop-up tent, getting out of the sun every once in a while and drinking plenty of water are smart practices for everyone.

If you have more questions about sun protection for your kids, we invite you to call our office in Lathrup Village, Michigan, at 248-865-0030, or you can use our online form to request an appointment.