Alright, its summertime, and time to worship the sun god.
A very popular question we hear in the clinic is, "How much SPF do I need?" There's nothing America likes more than hysteria and overdoing it... Let me give you some data to chew on... the SPF of a 100% cotton shirt has been sited to have an SPF of somewhere in the range of 4-15. (Yes, don't you love the exact answers science likes to give us.) So if I'm being really honest with you, if you don't get a sunburn with a t-shirt on, you probably don't need anything more than SPF 15. But, doctor's aren't above the hysteria apparently, because I still recommend about SPF 30 for most kids. Anything over that really is overkill, so don't waste your money. Of course if the SPF 100 is on sale and cheaper, feel free, but I haven't heard of any real added benefit over SPF 30.
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The next question of course is: Can I put sunscreen on my infant less than 12 months of age?
My answer to this question is avoidant and simple: The best sunscreen for a baby is SHADE. Please, people, does your baby really need to lay out in the sun? If your family is enjoying a day out in the sun keep your baby covered! Especially if they are less than 6 months. A sunburn can be very severe in this age group, so don't mess around. Plus, they'll probably end up sucking the sunscreen off of their hands anyway, which are probably the most exposed part of the baby's body. Keep your kids in the shade until they are old enough to move around and play in the sun on their own, then hit them with the SPF 30. If you don't think you can keep your baby in the shade there are a million baby sunscreens you can try, and they are probably fine, but just be really safe and stick with the shade.
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3 comments:
Finally, a new post! Keep them coming please. My sister and I had a really good question that we wanted you to post about but now we can't remember....
I keep Jenna in the shade, but that's because she hates the water and doesn't walk yet (uh oh, she's almost 15 months, maybe you should write a post about how kids who don't walk at 12 months old will turn out fine....right??? right??)
So am I a bad mom for putting SPF4 on my older kids because I want them to be tan?
Robyn: My daughter didn't walk until 15 months, and she's doing awesome.
Mom :): Yes, you are a horrible mother!
Actually all the research I have seen shows that skin cancer risk increases with the number of blistering sun burns an individual gets. I think if SPF4 is keeping them from getting a sunburn, especially a blistering one, it is sufficient. So you aren't increasing their risk of medical issues.
I can't say as much for their appearance. Obviously, most people in the world view tanned skin as being beautiful. I even attempt to get a tan occasionally to cover my whiteness. It has been shown, however, that repetitive tanning will age the skin quickly. We've all seen people who have the face of a baseball mitt before they are even 40 years old. So I just recommend striking a nice balance of healthy tanning, but not too much/too constant. No one needs a year-round tan (give your skin a rest). The beauty of your tan now may be stealing the beauty of your future...
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