Safe Sunscreen for Babies
As the sun heats up and we spend much more time outside, we want to make sure that your littlest one is protected as much as possible. The sun can be harmful, especially to your little ones. Avoiding direct sun exposure is the most important way to protect your young baby from the sun. Sunscreen is not recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society for use on young babies under 6 months old.
Sunscreens can be confusing. We want to protect our babies, but also be sure that we’re not putting harmful chemicals on their skin. We’re here to help make it simpler for you.
There are two different types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral based. Mineral based means that they are made with more natural ingredients. The main component is zinc oxide, similar to diaper creams. These sunscreens are thicker and quite white when you apply them, but once they’re rubbed in, they are not greasy feeling and they don’t leave you looking like a ghost at the beach!
Mineral based sunscreens create a barrier on the top of the skin to protect it from UV rays. Chemical based sunscreens absorb the UV rays and disperse the heat across the skin.
If you’re looking for a great mineral based sunscreen, we recommend checking out ThinkBaby, Goddess Garden, Badger, or Sun Bum Baby. These are all mineral based with between 10-20% zinc oxide. Note that the more zinc oxide in the product, the thicker the sunscreen will be. These sunscreens typically range from 30 to 50SPF. Note that most people think that a higher SPF is great, but in reality, the difference in sun protection is only 2-3% going from 30 to 50SPF.
Photo Credit @janiesfermin
When outside, you’ll want to re-apply every couple of hours and after swimming or excessive sweating. Most of these brands are water resistant from 40-80 minutes, but they are not waterproof. This means that you’ll need to re-apply if you’re spending an extended period of time in the water.
And don’t forget, lead by example and be sure to protect yourself from the sun as well.
More questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!