Sunscreen and children, how to choose the right one

Sunscreen and children, how to choose the right one
Fonte: shutterstock

By now all mothers know it: when you leave for the holidays in your suitcase, sunscreen should never be missing. It sounds like an easy reminder, but there are so many products on the market that choosing the right protection isn't easy.



We asked Andrea Diociaiuti, a dermatologist at the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in the city, how to orient yourself in purchasing.

  • ingredients list
  • how to read the label
  • how to choose
  • baby cream and baby cream
  • the cream for the baby with atopic skin

What should a baby sunscreen contain?

Sun creams show the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), i.e. the list of ingredients contained in a cosmetic listed in decreasing order of concentration.



This means that the ingredient that appears first is the one most present, while the last ones are present in the least quantity.

There is no absolute best INCI for a sunscreen, but what is recommended in children is to avoid the presence of perfumes and parabens.

What else to look for on the label?

It must protect against both UVA and UVB


Check that the sun is broad spectrum, i.e. that it protects against both UVA and UVB rays, with specific tests for both. As for the UVBs, they are from prefer products with SPF 50+ (which indicates that it will take 50 times longer to get to the sunburn than what would happen without protection).



For UVA, although there is no number on the label indicating the protection index, European legislation requires the cream to contain a protection factor of at least 1/3 of the SPF in order to display the symbol certifying the screen on the package. anti-UVA.

Water resistant and dermatologically tested


It is also good to choose i water resistant products, even better if the water resistance time is specified. An additional indication of the quality of a product is the wording "dermatologically tested".

Read also: Children, the best of the sun

How to orient yourself in choosing the baby cream?


As a general advice, it is better for children to choose a cream containing physical versus chemical screens:



  • in fact, physical screens, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are natural powders that simply behave like an "umbrella" that shields and reflects the sun's rays, protecting the skin from the harmful effect of UV rays, without be absorbed by the skin;
  • chemical screens, on the other hand, have a biological interaction with the skin tissues which, in addition to allowing the neutralization of UV rays, could cause other undesirable effects, such as hormonal interference.
Read also: Sun creams and babies, 10 things moms need to know

Is there a difference between cream for a newborn and that for a child?


Given that before the 6-8 months of life it is necessary to avoid direct exposure to sunlight, for prepubertal children it is advisable to buy a cream with 50+ protection formulated exclusively with physical filters.

From pubertal age onwards

From pubertal age, products with different characteristics can be used, therefore also with a mix of physical and chemical filters, and lower protections, to be chosen mainly based on the phototype.

What cream to choose for a child with atopic skin?

Although the sun is healing for atomic dermatitis, it is still recommended to protect children with sun screens. In case of atopic skin, physical screens are all the more preferable to chemical ones.

Organic sunscreen: a better choice?


Organic sunscreens are produced with organic natural components that do not pollute the environment and are generally safer for children because they exclude preservatives and synthetic substances. These products would also have the advantage of not polluting our seas since solar has recently been attributed a role in damaging and reducing coral reefs.

TAG:
  • sunscreen
  • Sun
  • summer
  • 3-5 children years
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