Summer equals lots of playtime in the sun. A romp at the beach or pool, camp activities, a walk or bike ride may all cause a severe sunburn. Years ago, before the dangers of prolonged exposure were known, kids and adults alike thought of a deep tan as a sign of health and rather than protect themselves, would consider yearly blistering burns a painful but expected ‘starter’ for us palefaces, prior to turning the desired bronze. Some found out about the dangers of overexposure later in life but despite high SPF and wide brimmed hats, 30 years later a melanoma was discovered, gratis to those early years.
We know now that to avoid the danger of skin cancer, a high SPF sunscreen should be applied every two hours starting from early childhood.
The type of sunscreen is very important:
– Spray types may be inhaled when applying, thus should not be used on kids.
– The types containing titanium and zinc are preferable despite their slight whitish residue because they don’t get absorbed by the skin and protect the child best during water activities.
The tint also insures even and complete coverage. When buying a sunscreen read the list of ingredients. Make sure it is a broad spectrum and covers both UVA and UVB rays. Water-resistant sunscreens last approximately 80 minutes. However, regardless of water, the sunscreen has to be reapplied every two hours generously.
My favorite beauty consultant, the lovely Sonayja at Duane Reade near Port Authority in New York City, recommends the mineral version of Avéne 50, for ultra-sensitive skin, as it is oxybenzone free, hypoallergenic, fragrance and oil free plus it is non-comodogenic. She says that the Avéne regular 50 SPF hydrating antioxidant is still great for kid&rsquos skin and has been tested on sensitive skin as well. Laroche Pusay Antileos is considered the world best-selling and safest sunscreen but maybe a tad bit too intense for small tots. After testing many brands, the above two came up on top with Avéne a little gentler for the tender skinned youngsters as well as being somewhat less expensive. So get out there and enjoy the sun &ndash just make sure you and your family are well protected.