Protection From the Sun For Babies

Physicians and researchers now believe that the more a child is exposed to sun early in life, the higher the chances are that skin cancer develops at an older age. The best way to minimize this risk is to provide protection from the sun for babies at all times. Here are some ideas that you can use…

* Whenever possible avoid taking you child outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is the time that the sun’s rays are the strongest.
* Sun rays can go through clouds and can cause damage even on cloudy days. In the shade, the sun’s rays can bounce from sand, concrete or snow, so keep that in mind as well.
* Sunglasses with UVA/B protection are also recommended.
* Young babies under the age of six months should be kept out of direct sunlight. When outside with young babies, dress the baby in clothing that covers all of the body. That means long sleeves, long pants and a hat. Also, tightly woven clothes offer better protection, than clothes with a wider weave.
* Hats should be worn outdoors. Look for a hat with a bill, like a baseball cap, in order to protect the face.
* Infants can start wearing sunscreen at six months. But they should be kept out of direct sunlight, with sunscreen used only as extra insurance in case the sun can’t be avoided.
* Sunscreens are designed to basically block the sun’s rays. The “Sun Protection Factor” (SPF) is a measure of how much protection the sunscreen offers. For example, an SPF of 30 means that a child can stay out in the sun 30 times longer than without the sunscreen. The recommended SPF is 15 (at the very least) and the sunscreen should be “broad-spectrum” (protects against both UV-A and UV-B light rays).
* Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure because it takes some time for them to work on the skin.
* Remember that even “waterproof” sunscreens need to be reapplied every two hours.
* Make sure that all potentially exposed areas are covered with sunscreen, including the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and the shoulders. While putting sunscreen on the face, avoid the eyes. If the sunscreen burns the eyes, try a new type or one that can be applied with a stick applicator.
* When outside it is good advice for all of us and even more so for your baby to keep your baby in the shade, such as in their stroller with a sun canopy or under a tree.
* Never use suntan oil, as it offers no protection and causes the skin to burn quicker. In addition, sunscreens that contain PABA should be avoided.

It’s No No to Nanoparticles in Your Sunscreen

When we were kids we didn’t think much about the effects of playing in the sun. Now there’s usually a bottle of sunscreen by the door and children aren’t allowed out in the nice weather without a generous coating of the stuff.

Skin Cancer from exposure to the sun is a serious risk. Luckily it can be prevented if we cover-up and wear sunscreen. But wearing sunscreen can create a new problem and all sunscreens are not made the same.

Conventional sunscreens have suspected carcinogens like DEA and TEA. Add on parabens, benzophenone, homosalate and octinoxate which research has linked to hormone disruption and PABA which can cause a skin rash and we have a chemical cocktail that causes concern.

But that’s not all, now they’ve added Nanoparticles to the mix, to make the sunscreens we use more transparent.

As you can guess from the name, these particles are very tiny. Because of their size they can easily penetrate skin, especially the skin of a baby or toddler, which is thinner than that of an adult.

Since babies and toddlers are more vulnerable than adults and because the jury is out on the effects of Nanoparticles…it’s no no to Nanoparticles.

We can’t keep our kids inside all summer long, so here’s a few good options you could consider using when you slather up:

Bright white zinc oxide (like the lifeguards use)
California Baby SPF 30+
Baby Avalon Natural Sunscreen
Ecolani
Alba Botanica
Jason’s Chemical Free Sunblock

Now go have fun in the sun.

P.S These chemicals are not only bad for us; they’re effecting animals and fish as well. But that’s a story for another day.

Babes Of Summer – Keep It Fun Products to Your Little One From The Sun

We’ve come a long way in our quest for increased sun protection. Back in the day, my friends and I used to bake ourselves in baby oil. We now know that this is no longer safe sun behavior. The effects of too much sunlight are well-known and manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon to provide consumers with items that will allow them to enjoy the sun yet still be well protected.

The sensitive skin of infants must receive special attention and parents can find a plethora of products (including clothing) that will be kind to the skin of a baby and protect them from the rays of the sun. Keep in mind that The American Academy of Pediatrics does not advise direct sunlight for infants under the age of 6 months.

Here’s a list of skin products and clothing that will help protect your little one’s skin from the damaging rays of the sun. All of the following can be purchased online and delivered right to your front door.

- Sunblock:

California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion – 2.9 oz. – $17.99

This sunscreen is fragrance free, paraben free, free of chemicals and uses 70% organic ingredients. You can purchase this item directly from the California Baby website.

Jason Natural Products Earth’s Best Organic Baby Sunblock – 4 oz. – $9.00

Jason’s sunblock is SPF 30+, organic, fragrance free and paraben free. This product is made without mineral oil or petrolatum. Purchase this item from your local natural product store.

Alba Botanica Sun Care Kid’s Sunscreen 30+ – 4 oz.- $5.99

Skin-loving line Alba Botanica has made its way into the kid’s sunscreen market with this wonderful product.. Alba Botanica has enriched their product with vitamins and organic herbs including green tea which soothes and repairs skin. This sunscreen is water-resistant which makes it perfect for splashing around. Purchase this item from your local natural product store.

- Just in case baby gets burned, these products will help with healing:

Earthlings Organic Baby Lotion – 4 oz. – $8.95

Another great baby lotion is from Earthlings. This lotion contains aloe vera and jojoba along with organic shea butter. Comfrey added for healing.

Angel Baby Organic Lotion – 4.6 oz. – $14.95

This gentle lotion contains rooibus which is used to soothe eczema and skin allergies. Aloe leaf juice is a key ingredient in this product. Fragrance free, paraben free. Angel Baby is a certified vegan lotion.

Protective Clothing:

Cabana Life – They have an adorable selection of infant clothing with UPF protection of 40-50+. Styles are available for both boys and girls in sizes up to 6x/7. Some of the many items for girls are dresses, coverups, hats & tee shirts. For boys, they carry baseball hats, sunhats, tee shirts and hoodies. This clothing is easy to launder, holds up well and does not require special care. Purchase from the Cabana Life website.

BluKuda by Sun-Togs

All clothing by BluKuda is rated UPF 50+. They have a large line of items including playsuits, hats and bathing suits for both boys and girls. Sun-Togs also has swimming accessories. Order from
the Sun-Togs website.

Coolibar has some great swimming items for infants. Their infant swim suit really gives full coverage for baby, is easy to get off and on (usually a big issue) and is made with baby’s comfort in mind. Sun protecting hats are available to match the suits. Order from the Coolibar website.

Eye Protection:

Baby Tudes by Parker Grace – These are so adorable and practical, too. The sunglasses are built into a protective hat, so when baby’s head is protected, so are the eyes. Baby Tudes are impact resistant and the lens will easily flip up once you go inside. $34.00.

Baby Banz Sunglasses – These cute sunglasses block 100% of UV rays. They are adjustable & safe (shatterproof with a strap). Comes in 9 colors. $13.99.

Frubi Shades – These sunglasses provide complete blockage of UV rays. They wrap around baby’s head with a velcro closure. Frubi Shades come in solid colors & designer prints. $14.95 or 3 pair for $29.95.

What You May Not Know About Various Skin Types and SPF

The skin is the largest organ in your body. It is also the one that most people notice upon seeing you for the first time. Hence, here are the things you should know about different skin types and SPF.

The Main Battle Against The Sun

Regardless of the color, skin responds when there is a repeated exposure of it to the sun. This reaction would manifest by becoming tough and thick. Hence, you can get an end product of having wrinkled and leathery skin just after adulthood’s middle years. Obviously, the sun is your number one enemy in getting great looking skin. Another obvious fact is that there is no way for you to avoid the sun, unless you plan on staying inside forever without any kind of sunlight exposure. Nevertheless, there is still hope for you and everyone else who wants to take care of their skin.

Get Some Protection

Getting some protection when exposing yourself to the sun would be just the thing that you need to maintain a healthy skin. Use a sunscreen product that has some degree of UV ray protection. The degree of protection that you can get would be listed as the SPF concentration.

SPF is short for ‘Sun Protection Factor’. You can spot it as a number listed on a sunscreen product’s bottle or label. There are various types of SPFs. There are types that protect you from UVA radiation. There are also types that protect you from UVB radiation, which is the number one cause of skin burning. However, to maximize your use of your SPF sunscreen lotion, it is best that you get one that can protect you from both UVA and UVB radiation.

What The Number Means

When you are looking at SPF ratings, you will encounter numbers connected to the letters ‘SPF’. For instance, you can encounter ‘SPF 15′ or ‘SPF10′, etc. This SPF rating listed on your product’s label actually refers to the least amount of UVB rays required for that product so that your skin would turn red after its application, versus how long until bare skin would redden.

Although the computation may seem to be something like rocket science, it is not. It is pretty simple actually. Basically, the number would be your indicator on how much longer you can last being exposed under the sun with the sun protection product on your skin without getting burned.

For instance, if you normally burn in 12 minutes when exposed to the sun, then you should apply a product that has at least SPF 15. Hence, it would mean that you’d be all right for 15 times your average length of protection time. Hence, you can be protected for about 3 hours from sun exposure.

Skin Types

It is also important for you to know the various skin types. This is because it would be your basis of choosing the level of SPF that you should get. Here are the common skin types and corresponding SPF ratings.

Young Children

If you have children in the family, it is also important to protect their delicate skin. If they are already 6 months and above use baby products that have at least SPF 15. This would be enough to protect them from burning and tanning.

Very Fair

If your skin is very fair, then it would burn more quickly. You rarely get a tan, but instead get burnt. It is best that you get a product that is SPF 20-30.

Fair

This type almost usually burns easily. There are times that you can tan but not in a high level. Products that have SPF 12-20 would be best.

Light

This type burns under the moderate range. You can experience gradual tanning in which you get to have a light brownish shade. SPF 8-12 would be best for you.

Medium

Medium types could burn minimally. A somewhat moderate brown shade is achieved when tanning, which happens most of the time. An SPF of 4-8 is recommended.

Dark

Burning is something that you should not worry about if this is your skin type. You get to tan big time and end up with a dark brown skin tone. It’s recommended that you use sunscreen products that have SPF 2-4.

Sun Care For Babies and Children

Before looking at what parents should and shouldn’t do, we need to understand the reasons that too much sun can be bad for us. For this we need a little physics and chemistry.

Sunlight consists of a wide range of different wavelengths of radiation. Some of these we can sense – the warmth we feel in sunlight comes from Infra-Red radiation, and the light we can see comes from radiation in the visible spectrum. There are other wavelengths in sunlight that we can’t see, and chief among these are those in the Ultra Violet group. There are at least three different types of Ultra-Violet radiation and these are generally referred to as UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVC Radiation

Taking these in reverse order, UVC has the shortest wavelength and although it is potentially very harmful to our skin, it is completely filtered out by the earth’s atmosphere and so does not affect us.

UVB Radiation

UVB radiation is the one that causes the appearance of a tan after sun exposure. It does this by stimulating the formation of the pigment ‘melanin’ in the deeper layers of the skin and activates it’s movement to the outer skin layers. Here it acts as an antioxidant and skin protector – it is in fact part of our natural defence against sun damage.

UVB radiation also causes thickening of the outer layers of the skin, and if exposure is taken to excess is what causes sun-burn. This should be avoided at all costs, particularly by children, as it is thought that sun-burn in early years may lead to an increased risk of skin cancer later in life.

UVA Radiation

UVA radiation is potentially the most damaging form as it penetrates deeper into the skin. In the deep basal layers of the skin UVA can damage the DNA that makes up the blueprint of each cell, and can result in mutated cells that no longer reproduce properly. This in turn may be a primary cause of some skin cancers, although they may take years or even decades to manifest themselves.

UVA also damages structures made from or containing collagen and elastin and this is one of the main causes of wrinkles and premature ageing in skin that is often exposed to sunlight.

General Advice

The general advice given to adults who are going to be exposed to sunlight can be summed up in the now famous Australian adage of ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ – Slip on a Shirt, Slop on a Hat, Slap on some Sun-cream. Clearly, all three of these actions are designed to reduce exposure to sunlight and therefore minimise the risks involved.

Further advice is to avoid exposure to the sun when it as its strongest – between mid-day and three in the afternoon. When you think about it, this is the traditional time when many Mediterranean countries have lunch followed by a Siesta – both taken indoors thereby avoiding the worst effects of the sun.

What about Sun-creams?

And now a word or two about Organic Sun-creams. All Organic Sun-screens carry a Sun Protection Factor, usually abbreviated to SPF. This is followed by a number, generally between 4 and 25, although some products claim to go as high as SPF30 or more. OK, but what does this mean to the user.

Put simply, the higher the SPF value, the longer the user will be able to stay in the sun without visibly burning. As an example, if someone would normally start to burn after 15 minutes in the sun when unprotected, by using an SPF8 sun cream they should be able to stay out for 2 hours without visibly burning. If they use a Factor 20 sun cream, in theory they could stay in the sun for as long as 5 hours without visibly burning.

Organic sun creams earn their SPF rating by including ingredients which filter out UV radiation and reduce it’s effect on the skin. Because it is UVB that causes most of the visible adverse effects of sun exposure, most commercial sun-creams concentrate just on filtering this out and pay little attention to UVA radiation. However, as already explained, it is UVA that does the most damage in the long term and which we need protection from.

It has been suggested that the use of organic sun creams that only filter out UVB radiation has encouraged people to stay out in the sun far longer that they would otherwise do, and that this has unwittingly increased their exposure to UVA to such an extent as to lead to the dramatic increases in skin cancer that we are currently seeing. The moral of this has to be to only use sun-creams that filter out both UVB and UVA radiation.

What about Babies and Children?

Because babies and young children have skin that is far more sensitive than adults, we have to even more careful about exposing them to sunlight.

Most authorities agree that new-born babies should not be exposed to sunlight at all until they are at least 6 months old. After that age, and depending on their skin type, short periods of unprotected exposure lasting just a couple of minutes at a time may be introduced.

Other than for these brief moments, all other sun exposure for babies must be carefully controlled and must not be allowed to take place without some protection. As with adults, keep the skin covered with light clothing, although bear in mind that UV radiation can pass through thin, open weave materials and it is possible to burn even through a shirt or blouse. Make sure they wear a wide-rimmed sun hat at all times – the best ones have ribbons attached so they can be tied under the chin. Use an organic sun-cream but make sure it filters out both UVA and UVB radiation.

As with all sun-lotions, apply liberally at least 30 minutes before exposure to the sun to give the filter time to become active. Also, remember to re-apply regularly, and especially after bathing.

As children become older and more active it becomes even more important to keep applying sun lotions especially if they are in and out of water in a pool or at the seaside. Again, keeping covered with a light T-shirt will help, but don’t forget to apply lotion underneath to prevent burning.

If you are in a hot climate, try and copy the locals and take a break in the heat of the day. Babies and children soon adapt to the idea of a Siesta and by avoiding the heat of the day they are often happier and less irritable.

As your children grow up, try and encourage them to assume some of the responsibility for ensuring they are safe in the sun. Give them their own bottle of organic sun-cream and show them how and when to use it – soon it will become a habit that will protect them for the rest of their lives.

Titanium Dioxide

There have been recent suggestions that the use of microscopic particles of Titanium dioxide, also called nano-particles, may increase the formation of free-radicals on the skin. This rumour has come about because isolated nano-particles of Titanium dioxide can react with UV light and oxygen to form free-radicals. However, Titanium dioxide used in some organic sun lotions and creams has been coated with silicates to prevent this happening – in short, it is impossible for it to react with oxygen or indeed any other substance on the skin.

Another concern is that nano-particles may penetrate the skin and thereby enter the body. Again, this is not possible with the coated form of Titanium dioxide as the individual particles clump together during the manufacturing process to form aggregations which are too large to penetrate the skin.

In Summary

o Avoid all sun exposure under 6 months of age
o Always provide some form of protection from the sun
o Wear a wide-brimmed sun hat, preferably tied on
o Use an Organic Sun Lotion that filters both UVA and UVB radiation
o Apply at least 30 minutes before sun exposure
o Reapply frequently, and especially after bathing
o Avoid the heat of the day between noon and 3:00pm