It’s summertime! That spells fun in the sun?while figuring out how to keep your kids? skin covered, coated and shaded, whether you?re prepping for an afternoon at the park or a day at the lake. We know sun protection isn?t easy: Babies are always pulling off their hats and sunglasses, greased-up toddlers wriggle away mid?Operation Sunscreen, and big kids don?t want to come out of the water for another application.
But parents have to keep at it, say the experts. It?s estimated we absorb roughly 40 percent of our lifelong UV exposure by the time we turn 18. ?Sun damage accumulated at a young age is potentially really significant,? says Jennifer Beecker, a dermatologist and research director in the Division of Dermatology at the Ottawa Hospital. Childhood sunburns have been shown to increase the risk of developing melanoma later in life. Whether you?re applying a stick or a cream, the Canadian Dermatology Association recommends a minimum SPF 30 ?broad spectrum? sunscreen (which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays) for the whole family. If you?re playing sports or exercising, sweat-proof products will help keep lotion in place. Ditto for waterproof formulas if kids will be swimming. Even still, you?ll need to reapply after a dip (or major sweat sesh), or every two hours.
But is one sunscreen better than another" Do UV-protective rash guards really work" And how the heck do you keep a baby under six months protected from the sun when they?re too youn...