Parents of newborn children have a lot to think about. You’ve got feeding, diaper changing, doctor appointments, washing clothes, and, if you can, trying to fit some sleep in, amongst all that! Another aspect of parenthood that needs to be considered is sun safety – notably, when to actually start using a baby sunscreen stick.
By reading this article to the end, you’ll learn about when to start using sun protection and how to go about it. It’s not complicated, but it does require that you know certain things about the sun and how it affects the skin. So, let’s begin.
Baby Sunscreen Stick Shouldn’t Be Used Until 6 Months of Age
Hopefully, your midwife or doctor will have told you this already, but if they haven’t, pay attention now! Your baby should not be out in the sun for the first 6 months of their lives, as they simply don’t have any protection in their skin yet. As such, they may have zero melanin, meaning they should be kept in the shade at all times and dressed in loose clothing.
So, there should be no need to wear a baby sunscreen stick until month 7, when your child will start to venture out into the world. As a new parent, this is perhaps the biggest thing to know at this point.
Is Mineral or Chemical Sunscreen Best For My Child?
That’s an easy one to answer – it’s mineral sunscreen every time. Why? Mineral sunscreen works immediately, meaning that the moment it touches their skin, they’re protected, which is not something you can say about chemical brands. They take up to 30 minutes to be absorbed, during which time your tot’s skin is almost completely unprotected.
That’s not the only reason either, as mineral sunscreens are super gentle on the skin, so you can trust it when applying them to your child’s super-delicate skin. Childhood conditions like eczema are known to be irritated by the chemicals found in non-mineral-based products, so it’s clearly the best option for young kids with delicate skin.
What About If My Kid Goes In the Pool?
Generally speaking, when trying to protect kids over 6 months of age from the sun, you should be applying sunscreen every 2 hours without fail. However, unless you’re wearing sunscreen with water resistance, you’ll have to reapply sunscreen if your child goes and gets wet in the paddling or swimming pool. This will need to be done immediately if you want protection to remain.
Even if you are using a water-resistant sunscreen, you’ll still only have 40-80 minutes, depending on the product. Then, you’ll have to reapply again. Also, note there’s no such thing as a sunscreen that’s waterproof, so if one claims to offer it, they’re not being absolutely truthful.
Baby Sunscreen Stick Is Vital For Young Kids Outside
The most important takeaway you should have from reading this blog is that kids under 6 months old should simply not be out in the side. Those over that age need to be protected with mineral sunscreen that’s applied every two hours or so and complemented with loose-fitting clothing.
There’s nothing funny about kids getting sunburned, and it can be so easily avoided by doing the right things in a sun-safe way. If a child does get burnt at any point in their young lives, it greatly increases their chances of getting skin cancer when they get older, so it’s just not worth risking.
Just remember that mineral sunscreen is best for a whole host of reasons, chief amongst which is the fact that chemical brands are destroying our coral reefs.
