Whether you are a new parent, or you've been around the block with the stroller a few times, you know how quickly things can change in the world of parenting. It seems like every week, a new sunscreen for infants shows up on the shelves with promises of being better, safer, and more natural than the rest. With every new generation, there are more choices to make when protecting an infant's delicate skin.
Choosing sunscreen shouldn't be hard, so in the rest of this article, we tell you what you should be looking for in sun protection for your infants when heading out to the park or beach or just hanging out by the pool.
Why You Should Choose Your Infant's Sunscreen Carefully
An infant's skin is a lot more delicate than adults', so you need to practice a little more care in what you choose to slather all over it. The FDA advises against any sunscreen for babies under six months. For older infants, here's what you should be looking for in sunscreen.
Recommended SPF Rating
SPF refers to the Sun Protection Factor of a sunscreen, which is a number that represents how much exposure to sunlight the skin receives versus no sunscreen without the skin burning. An SPF rating can range anywhere between 15 and 100 SPF. Choose a broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30, the bare minimum for infants. Broad-spectrum means the sunscreen can protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
Active Ingredients
The skin can be a sponge when it comes to certain chemicals, and therefore a big concern for parents who don't want to subject their children to a chemical cocktail every time they head to the park. Zinc oxide is a mineral-based physical filter gentler on the skin because there's no need for additional chemicals to provide sun protection.
Choose non-nano versions of zinc oxide sunscreens. Nano-sized zinc particles have shown they can pass through the skin and into the bloodstream. The non-nano varieties have particles that are too big to fit through the gaps.
You may also come across recommendations to avoid a chemical additive in sunscreen known as oxybenzone because of its link to hormonal properties.
Fragrance-Free Sunscreen
Fragrance usually means synthetic chemicals, so fragrance-free sunscreens are highly recommended for infants. Babies and infants have less of a skin barrier than adults, so their skin is more likely to absorb chemicals and trigger an allergic reaction.
EWG Safest Sunscreens
Just because sunscreen rates as a 1 with the EWG (Environmental Working Group), they may still contain synthetic ingredients and be a little light on safety information. Choose from brands with only zinc oxide listed as the active ingredient and make sure there are no weird-sounding chemicals that may be toxic.
Many of these ingredients can receive a low toxicity score, but only because there is not enough information. Instead, look for brands that contain nourishing ingredients like natural butter and oils.
Sun safe practices should start during infancy. As infants grow into adults, years of sun-safe habits will serve them well for a lifetime. Sunscreen is great for a day out underneath the sun, but don't forget about the importance of protective clothing.