Babies and the Sun

In our previous post, we covered some basics in regards to dermatology for newborns, but there is another very important part of skin health regarding babies: sun protection.

Infants have very sensitive skin, so you have to take extra precautions to keep them safe and healthy. The sun can be very unforgiving on the skin of adults, let alone babies. The best form of prevention is to limit your child’s sun exposure as much as possible, but we realize there will be times where you have to bring your infant outdoors when the sun is hot and bright. Here are some general tips regarding sun protection for young children.

• Cover up. When possible, make sure your baby is covered to protect him or her from the sun’s UV rays. That means using hats, clothing that covers the arms and legs, sunglasses and stroller covers. You want to make sure as little of the skin is exposed as possible.
• Avoid sunscreens. Sunscreens may contain chemicals that could be harmful to your baby’s delicate skin, and they should be avoided. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends avoiding sunscreen for children 6 months old and younger. Children this age have much thinner skin than adults that is much more absorbent and much less protective.
• If your child must be in the sun. The optimal solution is to just keep small children out of the sun, but if this is unavoidable, make sure they are covered up with hats, long clothing and sunglasses to protect them from UV rays. For any parts of your child that may still be exposed, apply small amounts of sunscreen, but only to the exposed areas. The sunscreen you use should be fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide listed as an active ingredient. Also, make sure the sunscreen has a SPF of 15 or greater.

Another helpful tip is to try to avoid exposing your child to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., as those times are when the sun’s UV rays are most concentrated. It is imperative you keep your baby’s skin protected from the harmful sun. If you take these simple steps, it should go a long way toward keeping your child’s skin safe.

If you need more serious help with skin issues or something else that is troubling your skin, we are here to help. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment today with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Contact Knoxville Dermatology Group at 865.690.9467.