No matter who you are, keeping your skin protected from the sun is more important than most things. This counts double for children, as theirs is especially vulnerable to UV rays. However, as with many parts of life, there are more than one or two myths in circulation when it comes to kids’ sunblock.
When you take these myths as being true, you leave yourself open to the damage that is caused by direct sunlight exposure. Naturally, the trick is knowing what’s what, and by reading on, you’ll be aware of the falsehoods that could compromise your skin health.
Kids Sunblock – Spotting the Untruths
There are more wives tales about kids’ sunblock than you might realize in circulation, so let’s see if there are any you might have heard of.
Myth 1 – Cloudy Days Don’t Count
It’s natural to think that if the sun isn’t out that you don’t need to wear kids sunscreen, but that’s just not true. The truth is that up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate through clouds which that means children are at risk of UV exposure, even on overcast days. Be sure that they wear sunblock irrespective of the weather or their skin is at risk.
Myth 2 – Sunblock is Not Safe for Young Children
While there is a little truth to this one – in that kids under 6 months old shouldn’t even be out in the sun at all – to say that sunblock isn’t safe for young children is a bit of a misconception. What is bad for their skin is NOT to wear it at all, so don’t fall for this one.
Myth 3 – Once Applied, Sunblock Lasts All Day
If your kids are going out all day, then they need to be protected for each and every hour they’re out in the sun. Of course, they need it before they go out at the start, but then they also need to have it re-applied every 2 hours, as the protective ingredients of sunscreen only last that long.
Myth 4 – SPF 30 Gives Double the Protection of an SPF 15
The numbering system of sunscreen can be quite confusing, as the digits used often don’t correlate in the way you would expect. For instance, an SPF 15, you would think, would offer half the amount of protection as an SPF 30. The truth is that factor 15 protects against 93% of UV rays and 30 protects against 97% – so it’s not that much different.
Myth 5 – All Sunblock Is the Same
This is one of the easiest misconceptions to debunk, as there are big differences between mineral and chemical brands, to name just one. Then there are variances between the different manufacturers. That’s why it’s so important to do your research, as it has a big bearing on the protection you get.
Never, Ever Refrain From Using Kids` Sunblock
Understanding what constitutes fact from fiction with kid’s sunscreen is vital for your children, as just one bout of sunburn can have a bit of impact on their skin health throughout their lives. That’s why you should pay the proper amount of respect to the issue.
If you’ve ever had sunburn, it can be miserable, even with products like aloe vera aftersun to help you. As they say, the best form of protection is prevention.
In conclusion, choose a suitable sunblock, apply it generously and frequently, and combine it with other sun safety measures like shade and protective clothing. Furthermore, never, ever refrain from using kids’ sunscreen, as the outcome will not be a favorable one.
