5 Tips For Choosing The Right Sunscreen For Your Child

In the summertime, we get to wear our fancy clothes, show off some skin, wear one layer (which makes laundry easier), enjoy beautiful sceneries, get a tan and that juicy vitamin D without paying for it and just have loads of fun. Summertime would easily win ‘the best season of the year’ award.

There’s just one problem; the extremely thin line between getting the perfect tan and getting sunburned. As parents with little ones who are excited to be in the sun, this is a constant source of worry. You’ve been told by paediatricians and other parents to use sunscreen but what no one tells you is how to choose the right sunscreen for your child.

Again, we are here to save the day! When it comes to choosing the right sunscreen for your child, the first thing you have to remember is BUY A DEDICATED CHILDREN’S SUNSCREEN. This simply means, choose a sunscreen from the kid’s section that clearly says ‘sunscreen for kids’. These sunscreens are gentler on the skin and don’t contain chemicals that could irritate your child’s skin.

The next thing to look out for is the content of the sunscreen. Choose one with a MINERAL FORMULA over the ones made up of chemical formulas. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after extensive research concluded in 2020 that only two ingredients- zinc oxide and titanium dioxide- are considered safe and effective for sunscreen use. Research is still ongoing on other sunscreen ingredients; until a conclusive result is reached, it is advised that parents use sunscreen with mineral actives- zinc oxide and titanium dioxide- for their children.

Another thing to look out for is the SPF LEVEL. SPF means Sun Protection Factor. The NHS recommends that babies below 6 months of age should be kept out of direct sunlight and all babies and children should wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Key word is ‘at least’; you could go for sunscreen with a higher SPF but do not go for anything below SPF 30.

After picking one with a good SPF level, check if it protects against UVA and UVB rays. ‘What are UVA and UVB rays? and why is it important for my child’s sunscreen to contain protection against them?’ Thank you for these questions.

UVA and UVB are the two basic types of ultraviolet rays that reach the earth’s surface. Ultraviolet A (UVA) is linked with skin aging and Ultraviolet B is linked with skin burning also known as sunburn. Do we still need to explain why it’s important that your child’s sunscreen (and even yours) should protect against UVA and UVB rays?
Lastly, CHOOSE SUN CREAMS/SUN LOTIONS OVER SUN SPRAYS. Sunscreen is meant to be absorbed into the skin for maximum protection. With sun sprays, half the spray is evaporating and the rest is being inhaled by you, your baby or the people around you. It’s tough enough using sprays as an adult- think about the stress of trying to spray a moving child in all the right places. Not worth the stress mama, stick to the creams.

Here are a few trusted baby sunscreens you can use for your child;

Armed with this information, we hope you choose the right sunscreen for your child as you enjoy your summer. Laters!