Despite all the rain lately, summer is here! One of the most important things to do in the summer is wear your sunscreen! Our skin can be damaged by the sun very easily, even if we don’t see it in the form of a sunburn. The sun emits two kinds of rays – UVA and UVB. UVB rays are what cause sunburn, and UVA rays cause less visible but deeper damage that can last long-term.
Children’s skin is especially sensitive, which is why specific sunscreen exists just for them. Although the SPF level provides the same protection on kids as it does adults, children’s sunscreen formulas are created for more sensitive skin. To help you protect your children (and yourself) from the sun’s rays, we are going to share some helpful tips and sunscreen options!
Tips to stay safe in the sun:
- Wear a hat and sunglasses – This protects your scalp, since we often forget about this part of our bodies when it comes to applying sunscreen. Wearing a hat and sunglasses also protects the skin on your face, as well as your eyes and eyelids. For more information on the what to look for in sunglasses for children, click here.
- Stay near shade – It’s always good to have a shady spot around. When the sun is at its full capacity (midday and afternoon) it’s a good idea to have a cool spot available where you can escape the sun’s rays for a bit and hydrate yourself.
- Pay attention to the UV forecast – UV rays range from 1-11+ and can tell you how powerful (and therefore harmful) the sun’s rays will be on a given day. Noting this forecast can help you plan properly when applying and reapplying sunscreen. You can find this forecast here or on your smartphone’s weather app.
- Reapply!!! – Forgetting to reapply sunscreen is something we are all guilty of, but even if you aren’t swimming or sweating a ton, it is still important to reapply your sunscreen every few hours.
- Don’t forget to apply to neglected body parts – Often people think that your feet and hands don’t need sunscreen as much, but they do! Don’t forget to apply to spots like the tops of your hands and feet, your toes, your scalp, your lips, and the tops of your ears.
- Know what to look for on sunscreen labels – This can be difficult, because most of the time we can’t even pronounce ingredients listed, but this link can help you crack the code and make sure you’re buying what’s best for you.
- For some more tips about protecting your child’s skin from the sun, check out this link.
And don’t forget…
Below, we’ve collated some of the best lists out there regarding sunscreen options. Take a look and head into this summer UV ready!
