Recent news seems to be full of advice and information about protecting babies from the dangers of sun exposure. This is good. The Skin Cancer Foundation says that even one childhood sunburn doubles the risk of skin cancer later in life. And, the risk of developing melanoma, the most deadly of all skin cancers, doubles for those who have had five or more sunburns at any age. So, parents taking care that their babies are not exposed to the dangers of UV rays from the sun is a welcome and overdue trend.
However, most advice focuses first on using sun block. While sun block should be used...and make no mistake about that...the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sun block in combination with sun protection clothing. This is an important distinction.
Babies-and all children and adults-should wear hats and long sleeve shirts while in the sun. Sun block should be applied to uncovered areas of the skin. And it should be reapplied at least every two hours. And, everyone should stay out of the sun during peak hours, usually 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
In addition, there is growing recognition that the eyes should be protected from exposure to the sun. Although most of the educational focus on sun exposure is on skin cancer, melanoma of the eye can develop and sun glasses are a good idea.
Sun protection clothing manufacturers are working hard to develop new fabrics that supply maximum sun protection. One such manufacturer is Coolibar, headquartered in Minneapolis, which recently introduced its ZnO Suntect fabric which embeds millions of tiny particles of zinc oxide into every fiber. This is the same ingredient that is used to block UVA & UVB in better sunscreens and to treat mild skin irritations and burns including diaper rash. A recent study by Spanish scientists showed that red, blue and violet colored fabrics provided more protection than yellow. However, if you decide to forego buying sun protection clothing, please be sure the clothing you put your child in is tightly woven. Loose fabric does not provide the protection your baby needs.
While the new spotlight on protecting babies from sun exposure is welcome, sun block is only part of the answer. Use sun block in combination with sun protection clothing. Reapply sun block often. Stay out of the sun during peak hours. Be safe. And keep your children safe.
