5 Sun Protection Tips For Kids

Children are prone to sunburns and other forms of skin damaged caused by excessive sun exposure. Here are 5 easy tips for protecting your child’s skin throughout the upcoming spring and summer seasons:

1. Avoid High UV Periods

One of the best ways to protect your kids from the sun is to avoid being outdoors during peak UV times. This period (which is usually between 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the northern hemisphere) is the portion of the day where UV rays are at their strongest. High UV periods can even occur on cloudy or cool days as UV rays can easily penetrate clouds.

During peak sun hours your child can still get a sunburn if they play under a shady area as high index UV rays can reflect off sand, water, and concrete to cause sunburns and skin damage.

Try to reserve this time of day for indoor activities like art time or exploring a new museum.

2. Sunscreen

Children younger than six months should not use sunscreen. However, all kids over 6 months should wear a high quality broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) every day. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that all kids — regardless of their skin tone — wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. For full, long-lasting coverage we particularly like sunscreen products that contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.

Be sure to reapply at least every two hours, and more often when swimming or sweating. Also make sure to store your sunscreen in a cool place and always check the expiration date to make sure it’s still good (most sunscreens have a 3-year shelf life).

While spray-on sunscreen sounds appealing, there are some reasons to shy away from them, especially for use on younger kids. Sprays are easy to breathe in, which can cause lung irritation. Also some sprays are flammable, so be careful when applying near fire or sparks. And when spraying in the potentially windy outdoors, you may not be getting quite as much coverage as you think you are when applying.

Other sunscreen tips:

• Don’t use sunscreen products that contain PABA
• Opt for sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide, which is good for sensitive skin
• Make sure to follow directions printed on the sunscreen bottle
• Protect the lips by using a high SPF lip balm
• Remember to cover all exposed areas of the body, including feet, backs of hands, and ears

3. Sunglasses

Sun damage isn’t just reserved for the skin. Sun exposure can damage the eyes, resulting in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye). Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts and long term vision issues.

The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses. Be sure to opt for polarized sunglasses that have a 100% UV protection label as these will protect the eyes from both UVA and UVB rays.

4. Cover Up

You can also shield your child from UV rays by dressing them in UV resistant clothing. Today there are a number of great children’s clothing brands that focus on sun protective apparel like Patagonia, or Coolibar.

Have your child wear a wide-brimmed hat, which will protect their entire face, neck and ears. Baseball caps can also provide some protection, however the neck and ears will be left unprotected and need sunscreen.

Finally, use umbrellas or pop-up tents to provide your child with a nice shaded area to play in. Many city parks or beaches may offer umbrellas or tents for rent.

5. Medications

Did you know that many common children’s medications (both prescription and over-the-counter) increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays? This may put your child at a heighten risk to develop a sever sunburn in just minutes of UV exposure.

Make sure to ask your physician if any of your child’s medicine increase sun sensitivity. If so, you’ll need to take extra precautions to protect your child.

A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.