6 Skin Care Tips and Tricks for Kids in the Sun

Sun damage accumulates over time, so the sooner you start protecting skin on a regular basis, the better. This summer, keep your kids on a path towards healthy skin habits that will help avoid premature aging and skin cancer when they get older. Try these sun-safe strategies!

Cover up. Shield as much of your child’s skin as possible from the sun’s harmful rays. Keep little ones in shady areas as much as you can—especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. Long sleeves and pants made from lightweight, opaque fabrics in light colors are ideal. And don’t forget a hat: baseball caps and boater-style hats don’t provide adequate protection, so look for hats with wide brims that cast shade over your child’s entire face.

Don’t forget the eyes. Eyes can become sunburned just as easily as skin does! Invest in pint-sized sunglasses, but make sure they do more than make a fashion statement: look for labels that offer protection from UVA and UVB rays. Not sure if a pair offers enough protection? Take them to an optometrist who will be able to evaluate and test their effectiveness.

Reapply often. If you’re only putting sunscreen on your kids before they leave the house, that’s not enough. Sunscreen tends to wear off or lose its effectiveness every two hours, so regular reapplication is essential. Be sure to bring a bottle of sunscreen along with you. If you have trouble remembering to reapply, set an alarm on your watch or cell phone.

Go waterproof. Due to their rigorous activity, kids are more likely to wear off their sunscreen faster than adults. Waterproof formulas are able to last longer through sweat, swimming, and rubbing than non-waterproof formulas.

Remember even in cloudy days. Think you can skip the sunscreen when skies are overcast? Think again! Damaging rays can penetrate through cloud cover and damage skin, so make sunscreen application a daily habit.

Go natural. Children’s skin can be especially sensitive, and sensitive skin can have allergic reactions to some of the chemicals found in many brands of sunscreens. Look for formulas made with natural and/or organic ingredients.

I know a lot of people who got sunburned as a kid, now we know better!