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This article provides convincing evidence that children can and should be protected from ultraviolet radiation, starting from the age of six months. As well as recommendations for applying children’s creams with SPF and a review of the best products, according to the editors of Healthy-Food.
Why do kids need sunscreen?
For children, sunscreen is as much, if not more, a necessity than it is for adults. Children’s skin should be protected as much as possible, since skin immunity is formed by about 12 years, and babies do not have the specific protection that adults have. And which, by the way, is also not absolute.
True, there is one problem: it is incredibly difficult to prove all this to modern mothers, who in every possible way protect children from unnecessary “chemistry”. What arguments to give so that they understand: children’s sunscreen is not the intrigues of marketers and not the result of a conspiracy of beauty companies to enrich themselves?
Baby sunscreens are strictly controlled during development and production.
“The main argument is concern for the safety and health of the child,” says Marina Kamanina, expert dermatologist at Garnier. “Today, when there are quite a lot of dangers in the world around us, I want to be sure that we can protect the most precious creature to us at least from the harm of ultraviolet radiation.”
It is important to understand that the sun is not our enemy. On a sunny day, we have a better mood and higher tone due to the pleasure hormones endorphins, which are produced under the influence of sunlight. Ultraviolet also contributes to the production of vitamin D in the skin, without which the proper formation of the bone skeleton is impossible.
But an excessive amount of UV radiation, especially on the skin at noon, when the penetrating power of the rays is high, can lead to detrimental consequences, ranging from sunburn to exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Remember: skin burns suffered in childhood greatly increase the risk of skin cancers, including melanoma, at an older age.
Types of sunscreen for children
Basic textures of children’s sunscreens.
Cream
This is the most commonly used release form. One of L’Oréal’s latest developments is the “aqua-cream” formula, which can be applied even on wet skin without compromising the effectiveness of the protection.
Milk
This form is usually used for babies from 6 months. Thanks to its light texture, the milk is quickly applied and well distributed over the skin.
Spray
Recently, a special form of dry spray has appeared with the formula “anti-sand”. If the skin is treated with such a tool, sand will not stick to it. This format is useful on a sandy beach or in a sandbox. An option very convenient for quick application and renewal. Saves time.
Criterias of choice
The two main parameters that parents take into account when choosing children’s sunscreen cosmetics are the degree of protection from UV rays and the age of the child.
Baby sunscreen can be used on babies from 6 months of age.
Degree of protection SPF
Delicate baby skin burns very quickly. Therefore, for kids, they produce products with a sun protection index of 50 and 50+. And if adults can get a sunburn after 15-20 minutes of exposure to the sun, then children risk getting burned after 5 minutes.
Babies under three years of age are strongly discouraged from prolonged exposure to the sun. During walks on hot days, small children need to provide shade. In addition, they should wear light clothing that covers the body as much as possible.
Age
Parents often look in pharmacies and stores for sunscreen for children of a certain age: 6 months, 1 year, one year and six months, and so on. To date, there are two main age categories of sunscreens for children:
up to 3 years;
after 3 years.
Testing of products for the smallest is carried out under the supervision of pediatricians and dermatologists. These funds meet more stringent requirements.
“Products for children under one year old contain more physical filters that reflect the rays, working like screens. In addition, children’s products, as a rule, have a “application control” function: the mother sees which areas of the baby’s skin are treated with cream, and where protection needs to be applied/renewed,” says Natalia Medvedeva, dermatologist, medical expert of the La Roche brand -posay
The skin of children is very thin and sensitive. Therefore, in order to avoid burns, dermatologists strongly advise not to expose children under 3 years of age to direct sunlight.
Composition of sunscreen for children
Unlike sunscreens for adults, children’s products have a more gentle formula. But this does not mean that some other substances play the role of UV protectors in them.
Types of sun filters
“Children’s sunscreens use a filter system consisting of mineral (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide) and chemical filters that are synthesized in laboratories,” explains Marina Kamanina. “This is a large group of chemical compounds (cinnamates, Parsol 1789, octocrylene, mexoril, tinosorb), which are resistant (they are not erased from touch and during bathing).”
These filters protect against UVB rays – the main culprits of pigmentation and burns, as well as UVA rays – provocateurs of allergies and skin aging.
Both types of filters are allowed in child formulas. Together, they provide maximum efficiency. The use of only mineral filters leads to a weakening of protection, as they do not adhere well to the skin, are washed, washed off, and require constant renewal.
Additional components
In addition to filters, products may contain emulsifiers, preservatives. There are moisturizing ingredients, such as glycerin. The composition may contain alcohol as a component-conductor and stabilizer of the formula.
Also, the composition of children’s products often includes:
thermal water;
corn starch is a natural absorbent that softens and protects the skin;
vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.
Renew sunscreen for children every two hours
Application rules
Using baby sunscreen is not much different than using adult sunscreen. Here is a detailed instruction.
Treat all exposed areas of the child’s skin with a protective agent. Pay special attention to the protruding parts of the face and body – these are the ears, nose, shoulders, knees. They tend to burn first, so sunscreen these areas generously and reapply protection more often than other areas.
It is advisable to apply the cream 15–20 minutes before going out into the sun, so that it has time to absorb and reach “working power” by the time you go out.
The amount of cream should be sufficient to cover all areas with a dense layer (1-2 mm). This roughly corresponds to the volume that fits in the palm of a child. In practice, this amount seems large to parents and in fact they apply half or a third of the required volume. There is a simple way out: apply one layer of cream, and when it is absorbed, another one.
After you have applied sunscreen, ask your child not to touch the skin with their hands so as not to weaken the protection.
You need to renew sun protection every 2 hours, as the photostability of the filters and, accordingly, the photoprotective properties of the product decrease over time.
It is also necessary to renew funds after bathing. Look at the label: “water resistant” means water resistant up to 40 minutes, “very water resistant” means water resistant 1 hour 20 minutes. If your child likes to splash, look for products labeled “very water resistant”.
Even if you protect your child from solar radiation with the help of special means, in the heat choose clothes for him that cover the body as much as possible. And don’t forget the headgear. By the way, now they produce clothes from fabrics with sunscreen. True, they have one drawback: after a certain number of washes, the protection comes to naught.
Funds overview
The best baby creams with SPF according to the editors of Healthy-Food.
Sun creams for children
| Name | Composition, SPF | Features | Water resistance |
| Ambre Solaire Kids “Kid in the shadows Expert protection”, Garnier | physical filters, without dyes and fragrances, SPF 50 | For children up to 3 years old. Prevents burns, protects. | not specified |
| Ambre Solaire Kids “Aquacream Expert Protection”, Garnier | free of fragrances, dyes and parabens, SPF 50 | Suitable for application to wet skin, prevents burns. | stable up to 30 minutes |
The best SPF sprays for kids, according to Healthy-Food.
Sunscreen sprays for children
| Name | Composition, SPF | Features | Water resistance |
| Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics Spray, La Roche-Posay | Mexoplex filter system, senna alata extract, La Roche-Posay thermal water, SPF 50 | For children from 3 years old. Provides very high protection against burns and sun allergies, does not leave white marks. | stable for 40 minutes |
| Ambre Solaire Kids “Anti-sand Expert protection”, Garnier | free of fragrances, dyes and parabens, SPF 50 | Not felt on the skin. Spraying is possible in any position of the bottle. Sand does not stick to spray-treated skin. | water resistant |
| Capital Ideal Soleil Children’s Gentle Spray, Vichy | Mineral filters, Vichy thermal water, safe fragrance, SPF 50 | For children from 3 years old. Leaves no oily film or sticky feeling. Sand does not stick to spray-treated skin. | withstands up to 6 baths of 20 minutes |
Healthy-Food Editors’ Choice Best Baby Sunscreen Milk & Foam.
Sun milk and foam for children
| Name | Composition, SPF | Features | Water resistance |
| milk Anthelios Dermo-Pediatrics Lotion, La Roche-Posay | Mexoplex filter system, senna alata extract, La Roche-Posay thermal water, SPF 50 | For children over 6 months old. Provides very high protection against burns and sun allergies, does not leave white marks. | stable for 40 minutes |
| Super waterproof sunscreen spray for children Capital Ideal Soleil, Vichy | mineral filters, Vichy thermal water, safe fragrance, SPF 50 | Suitable for sensitive skin, hypoallergenic, delicious fruity scent. | waterproof |
| Ambre Solaire Kids Moisturizing Sun Milk, Garnier | without parabens, SPF 30 | Protects and moisturizes. Sand does not stick to the skin treated with milk. | waterproof |