In perpetually sunny Singapore, it’s important for us to keep lathered up with sunscreen whether we’re indoors or outside – and the same goes for babies. But given their heightened, sensitive skin, it’s not as simple as using whatever you have on hand and lathering them up. There are many things to consider: what is the right age to start using sunscreen on children? What are the potential health risks? What ingredients should you be looking for and staying away from?
For all mums who are looking for answers to these questions, we reached out to Dr Uma Alagappan, a paediatric dermatologist at Dermatology & Surgery Clinic to find out more on how to protect your children from the sun and keep them safe.
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According to Dr Uma, “The American Academy of Dermatology recommends we minimise sunscreen use on children who are below six months of age, due to the possible toxicity and allergenic properties of sunscreens.”
Infants and little ones below six months old have skin that is “very thin and not fully developed”, so there is a higher risk of skin irritation and allergies from any ingredients in the sunscreen.
In fact, baby skin is so delicate that sunscreen alone cannot provide enough protection from harmful UV rays. Instead of using sunscreen. Dr Uma recommends keeping babies in the shade, avoiding the sun, and using “sun-protective clothing or shades” over sunscreen.
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When it comes to sunscreens, it’s all in the ingredients. Dr Uma shares that certain ingredients found in chemical sunscreens can be absorbed into the bloodstream. If absorbed in large amounts, they may “disrupt the endocrine system and affect the hormones.”
Children, in particular, are vulnerable to these ingredients.
Preservatives in sunscreens can also be an issue as they can cause an allergic reaction or skin irritation.
Dr Uma notes that, “children with eczema or sensitive skin tend to get reactions with the use of these sunscreens,” so if your child has eczema, you need to be extra careful.
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When it comes to the sunscreen format, you can choose sunscreen lotions, gels, creams or aerosol sprays. Dr Uma shares that “creams are better than sprays, gels or lotions as the coverage and protection is better. Sprays should be avoided for children as studies have shown that the sunscreen ingredients can be inhaled into their lungs and cause irritation.”
When it comes to sunscreens, Dr Uma is more concerned about the contents of the sunscreen. There are two main types of sunscreen available: chemical and mineral. For children, Dr Uma strongly recommends mineral sunscreens over chemical ones.
“Chemical sunscreens protect the skin by absorbing UV rays and scattering them. These sunscreens are easier to apply and do not leave a whitish coat.” This makes chemical sunscreens especially popular amongst women as they can be worn under your makeup.
“Recent studies have shown the absorption of some of the chemical sunscreen ingredients into the bloodstream. Thus, children and especially babies should definitely avoid it.”
Also known as physical sunscreens, these sunscreens contain finely ground minerals – like zinc – that “sit in a layer on top of the skin and act as a barrier to UV rays by deflecting the rays”. Unlike chemical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens leave a whitish film on your skin after application. Remember the white zinc sunscreen surfers used to wear on their noses? That’s a mineral sunscreen.
Mineral sunscreens are not absorbed into the blood and they tend to be more water and sweat resistant, which is why surfers and swimmers often still wear white or coloured zinc sunscreens.
Some sunscreen ingredients are better than others. Dr Uma shares this list so you know more about what you’re buying:
Ingredients to avoid in children’s sunscreens
Oxybenzone — this ingredient can cause allergies, and can potentially disrupt hormone levels, especially in children, when absorbed into the bloodstream. Dr Uma says, “Due to mounting evidence in numerous studies, this ingredient has been flagged up by both European Commission and US-based Food and Drug Administration.”
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), parabens, and trolamine salicylate – these ingredients can cause skin allergies and irritation in children. While Dr Uma notes that, “most of the currently available products are free of these chemicals”, she reminds mums to “check the ingredient list before purchase”.
Safe ingredients for children’s sunscreens:
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide – These mineral sunscreen ingredients act as a physical shield on skin and “will help to deflect the sun rays instead of absorbing them.” They are also “less likely to cause irritation to the skin”.
To check if you’ve got a mineral or physical sunscreen, see if it leaves a whitish film on your skin after you use it? If it does, it’s more likely to be a mineral or physical sunscreen.
Dr Uma explains you should be looking for is a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen that is at least SPF 30. Here’s why:
SPF numbers stand for Sun Protection Factor. “SPF 30 has been shown to block out 97 per cent of the UVB rays.”
UVB rays are the Burning rays that make your skin go red and dark (think UVB for Burn). But the sun’s UVA is equally as harmful to the skin. They are the rays that damage the skin’s base layers, causing wrinkles and dark spots (Think UVA for Aging).
A broad-spectrum sunscreen contains ingredients to protect against both UVB and UVA rays.
If your child is playing sports or running around outside for a long time, Dr Uma recommends sunscreen with an SPF50. Why not go higher? Contrary to popular belief, an “SPF factor higher than 50 provides minimal additional benefit.
For children who love to play in the water, you also need a sunscreen that is water-resistant and sweat-resistant. But Dr Uma stresses that “no sunscreen can filter out 100 per cent of the sun’s rays. That’s why it’s important to also seek shade and wear sun-protective clothing — such as a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection.”
Dr Uma shares how to make sure your children are properly protected against the sun’s rays.
1. “Apply the sunscreen 15 mins before exposure to the sun.” – it takes a while to set into the skin, and provide protection.
2. Use the proper amount of sunscreen. “Most people do not use sufficient amounts of sunscreens. To get the sun protections stated on the bottle, you need to apply two milligrams of sunscreens per square centimetre of skin. A rough guide is to squeeze out sunscreen over your two fingers. That’s enough sunscreen to cover one body part, such as the face and neck, one arm, one thigh, or one lower leg
3. “Reapply sunscreen every two hours or earlier if the child sweats. Use water-resistant physical sunscreen if the child is getting into the water. Re-apply sunscreen after 40-60 mins in the water, or after towelling off.”
4. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen over your child’s ears, hands, feet, shoulders, and behind the neck. For older children, lift up bathing suit straps and apply sunscreen underneath them, in case the straps shift as a child plays.”
5. Protect their lips with SPF 30 lip balm.
This mineral sunscreen uses both zinc and titanium dioxide, the latter being one of the ingredients Dr Uma recommended. It is also SPF 30 PA++ and covers against both UVA and UVB rays. It also contains ingredients to help keep your baby’s skin moisturised.
This mineral sunscreen is an SPF 50, broad-spectrum, and water-resistant sunscreen. It uses non-nano zinc oxide, another ingredient Dr Uma recommended. Non-nano means that the zinc oxide particles aren’t small enough to enter the skin, so they cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream.
This sunscreen is dermatologically tested and includes titanium dioxide. Resistant to water and sand, it also protects against both UVA and UVB rays. It also uses a patented ingredient, avocado Perseose®, which is designed to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier function, to help it protect itself from UV rays.
This article originally appeared in Singapore Women’s Weekly