Are You Making These 3 Common Mistakes That Cause Kids To Get SunBurned?

How many of you are completely overwhelmed by the idea of buying sunscreen for your family? The rows of bottles with so many different labels? All of those confusing types?

Do you wonder if they really are any different?

Because  your kids always seem to get sunburned, no matter what you use?

There are sprays and sticks and lotions.

And all those terms.

SPF and Water Resistant.

Sport and Baby.

UVA and UVB?

What the Heck does Broad Spectrum mean anyway?

How are you ever going to decide?

Do you just grab the bottle with the most beachy - looking label and hope it works  - this time?

I get it. I have been there too. But, Hey, don’t feel like you are alone. According to studies, most people have no idea what to look for when preventing sun damage.

And even if you happen to get the right one, if you don’t apply it correctly, it won’t work.

WAIT! WHAT? Apply it correctly? Is there a correct way to apply sunscreen? Yes indeed.

Choosing the right sunscreen and applying it correctly ultimately leads to keeping your family’s skin safe from sunburn and skin cancer.

Now, you might just be hoping to keep those little ones from getting sunburned today. But did you know that one in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime?

And did you know that there are more skin cancers diagnosed every year than breast, lung, prostate AND colon cancers combined?

AND did you know that 90% of all skin cancers are related to sun exposure?

OR How about this statistic - according to the The Skin Cancer Foundation, just ONE blistering sunburn in childhood can DOUBLE a person’s chances of developing melanoma - the most deadly form of skin cancer -  later in life. Seriously? Just one sunburn?

As parents we would do anything to protect our children. BUT, the problem with skin cancer is this - It is not something that happens in childhood, so it is easy to not give a lot of thought to.

But the damage is accumulative. Skin cancer comes from a lifetime of exposure.

It is not enough to say we will teach our kids to protect their skin when they get older. It may be too late then.

We have to protect our children today and practice good safe practices ourselves. By teaching these practices to our children every time, hopefully they will develop those good practices themselves.

Now, here is one issue that moms may want to pay extra close attention to. Did you know that 90% of skin aging is caused by the sun? Sun damage is accumulative. But here is something you can do about it.  

People who use sunscreen daily have a 24% lower rate of skin aging.

Now I grew up in Florida (The Sunshine State).  So I can tell you first hand about the effects of the sun.  I despised the sun. I was the kid who burned every time I went out in it. (Nobody even thought about sunscreen for most of my life)

So, I avoided the sun as much as I possible could. My friends loved the beach. Not me. But I can tell you now that my skin, as pale as it is, looks a lot healthier than a lot of my friends back home. Because I did not spend my time tanning.

Speaking of tanning. Here is a fact about tanning beds that you may need to keep in mind for yourself or your teens. The medical journal JAMA Dermatology released a study that showed that there are more cases of skin cancer ( 419,000)  every year due  to tanning beds than there are cases of lung cancer due to smoking. Should I repeat that? Isn't that shocking!

So, are tanning beds safe? No. They use UV radiation just like the sun. They cause cancer and aging. They have no benefit to the body.

If your teenagers want to look tanned, suggest they use a self tanner (with sunscreen in it, of course) .

So, when I look at all of that data, I REALLY want to make sure that my family is protected. I want to know what is going to keep my family’s skin from getting burned, protected from cancer and  kept from aging in the long term. I hope  you want to know the same.

Because of how I was affected by the sun, I was fanatical about sun burn when my boys were small. It was a chore to get 4 boys sun protected. But I knew it was important. I know even more about sun damage now. 

So let’s dive in and take some of the confusion out of it for you. 

If you know what the terms mean you will understand what to look for.

If you know what to look for when picking out your sunscreen, the brand will never matter.

And if you know how to put on the sunscreen, your kids  will always be protected.

Definitions

Let’s start with the terms we are seeing on the bottles

UVA and UVB -

These are the sun’s rays - The damaging radiation that we are trying to block. You will see UVA and UVB. What are the differences?

UVA - The damaging rays that penetrate to the deeper layers of our skin that cause aging  - an easy way to remember is  A is for AGING. UVA rays are all around us all the time. They are the ones that are hard to escape. They are not filtered out through the windows of the car.

They do not cause sunburn but they do darken our skin and cause wrinkles and age spots. They can cause cancers over time. This is why we should get in the habit of wearing sunscreen every day year round as a part of our morning routine.

UVB - The damaging rays that cause sunburn - remember Bis for  BURN. They penetrate and damage the superficial layers of the skin that cause most skin cancers over time. These do not just cause damage on a sunny day. You can receive damage from UVB rays through clouds, in winter, from snow as well. Be very careful with  the reflection on the beach as the rays are intensified.  

SPF - This stands for sun protection factor.  This is a number that gives a broad interpretation of how long your sunscreen will protect you from ultraviolet B rays. This is a confusing number that doesn’t really make a lot of sense.

The sunscreen is given a # rating that doesn't seem to correlate with anything. Theoretically, an SPF of 30 means that this gives you 30 x the protection that you would have if you had no sunscreen on. So, if you could stay out in the sun for 20 minutes without getting burned, then you would get 600 minutes of protection - or 10 hours  with this sunscreen.

Now we know that NO sunscreen provides 10 hours of protection.

Another way to look at it is in the  percentage of the sun’s rays that are filtered out by this number. For example,  an SPF of 15  filters 93% of the sun’s UVB rays.  With an SPF of 30 - 97% of the sun’s UVB rays are filtered.  People tend to think that the protection doubles with the number. There is  not a relative increase in protection  With SPF of 50,  only 98% of the rays are filtered.

See how confusing this is? 

Let's make it even more confusing. 

What most people do not realize is that the SPF is only taking into account the UVB rays. There is no protection from UVA rays with this number. That tells you that there are sunscreens that only filter the burning rays and not the aging rays, which we know are incredibly harmful as well.

It is recommended that you use at least a #15 but most doctors and dermatologists recommend a #30. 

The danger with SPF is people think that by increasing the SPF they can stay out in the sun longer. I will just put an SPF 100 on my kids and we are good all day. 

But increasing the number just gives a false sense of security. It doesn’t give any extra time protection.

And remember,  SPF doesn’t give any UVA protection at all. You could have a sunscreen with a high SPF but very little UVA protection. 

The FDA is considering banning SPF factors higher than 50. It is recommended that consumers only use SPF between 30 - 50 for all people.

There is very minimal difference in protection above 50 and SPF doesn’t measure UVA  so there could still be damage from UVA rays.

Broad Spectrum

This means that a sunscreen has both UVA and UVB protection in the correct proportions established by FDA. This is what you need to look for. This is a category that is closely monitored by the FDA.

A sunscreen must meet certain criteria to be able to be called Broad Spectrum. A sunscreen must have at least ⅓ UVA protection to UVB protection to be called Broad spectrum. In higher SPF factors (above 50) they often will not meet this ratio.

Water Resistant

Have you noticed that sunscreens don’t say  “Waterproof” anymore?  That is because no sunscreen can claim this. All sunscreens will come off in water. The FDA banned this wording.

They are now called Water Resistant. On the front of the bottle you will see Water Resistant and below this 40 minutes  or Very Water Resistant and  80 minutes. The FDA requires the company to disclose the amount of time that the sunscreen is protective in water.  

Did you notice that this is not very much time? Pay particular attention to when your child goes into the water with these sunscreens because once this time is up, your sunscreen is no longer active or protective.  

After this time is up or after swimming, bathing, toweling off or sweating, the sunscreen needs to be reapplied. Without reapplying, your child will become sunburned. 

Baby

The FDA does not have a category for BABY but you will see this listed on bottles. This typically means the ingredients are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These are the most gentle and least likely to cause allergic reactions.

For any baby over 6 months of age or a young child,  this would be your sunscreen of choice. There is nothing special about this product that makes it only useful for babies. Anyone can use this.

Remember sunscreen is not recommended for Babies under 6 months. Remember that babies have a larger body surface area than adults and older children do (We discussed this in an earlier article about protecting your child from the heat. If you missed it check it out here Hot Tips to Keep Your Child Cool This Summer ) They also have a thinner outer layer of skin and less mature skin functioning.  

We know that with adults and older children, the sunscreen does not penetrate past the outer layer of skin.  But because of the immature nature of young babies skin, they could absorb more of the chemicals in the sunscreen deeper into their skin layers than an adult would. This could cause them to get more absorption of the chemicals into their system and allow them to get toxic effects from the sunscreens.

Until their skin has developed maturity which is at least 6 months, babies should not use sunscreen. If they cannot be protected by staying out of the sun and by protective clothing , then you  should only use enough sunscreen to protect areas that cannot be covered. You never want to put sunscreen on a baby's  hands where they can lick it or put it in their mouths.

Sensitive

This is not an FDA category either. But it will also most likely include these same ingredients  - zinc oxide and titanium dioxide -  as for babies. It will also likely exclude any dyes, perfumes, fragrances, oils, or irritating substances and will say hypoallergenic on the bottle.

This will be a good choice for anyone who has had an allergy to sunscreen products in the past or anyone with sensitive skin. 

This is an important product  because sunscreen reactions are very common.

Now. Was any of that a surprise? I think some of it probably was. I know I found some of that surprising. And helpful. 

Categories

Now, Let’s talk about the two main categories of sunscreens. You will see this on the ingredients label. Some bottles will advertise them on the fronts of the bottles.  

This is important to know in deciding what product to choose- especially if you have a baby or a sensitive family member or allergy.   

Sunscreen protects your skin in one of two ways - by blocking or deflecting the sun’s radiation or by absorbing the sun’s radiation.

Physical/Mineral 

The products that block or deflect the radiation are called physical or mineral products and they are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. You are probably familiar with these. You have seen the life guards with the white cream on their noses. Or lips.

Traditionally these were  thick and white and harder to rub in. Through newer technology, there is a form that has micronized particles or nanoparticles which make them smaller and help to rub the cream in.

This process helps  to spread the sunscreen more easily and more evenly, which allows  better protection. Because we know, if the cream isn’t spread evenly, you get missed spots and you will get sunburn.

In the past people with darker skin had problems with the zinc oxide leaving white spots on their skin, but the newer technology has helped with that.

This type of sunscreen is less irritating and causes less allergic reactions and is the best choice  for babies and people with sensitive skin.

You may find these as single ingredient  products - either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide alone  or combined.

Chemical

The second type which absorbs the sun’s rays is called chemical sunscreen.

These types include avobenzone, oxybenzone and some other secondary types such as PABA or  retinyl palmitate. These are the most widely used in sunscreens.

These sunscreens come in a variety of forms, are clear or white and tend to go on easier.

There are sunscreens that use just the chemical products, some combinations of chemical products or combine the chemical and physical products.

Are sunscreens safe?

When researching sunscreen you may hear some consumer groups raising issues about safety with some of these products.

According to some of these groups,  Oxybenzone has been associated with hormonal problems. Now, in my evaluation of these claims, I found that the FDA approved this sunscreen in 1978.

And according to all of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Associations, as well as the FDA,  oxybenzone has never been shown to cause any hormonal problems in humans,  despite being tested for this.

It is approved for use in ages 6 mos and over. These skin cancer and dermatology organizations report that in the 40 years of use, there have been  no serious  problems associated with  this product, including hormonal problems in humans. They report it to be safe for use.

Oxybenzone is  however, associated  with allergic skin reactions in some people. If you or your child breaks out in a rash after using this sunscreen, or has sensitive skin,  I would not choose this sunscreen and either switch to another chemical sunscreen or choose a mineral sunscreen instead.

I also would not use this type of sunscreen in a young child as a first choice but stay with a physical sunscreen.  I have personally seen reactions to this type of sunscreen before.  

PABA is another sunscreen which has been associated with allergic reactions and is not put in a lot of sunscreens any more. But if you have sensitive skin or have an allergic reaction, I would look for this ingredient on the label. Again, I would not use a sunscreen with this ingredient due to its high association with reactions. 

Consumer organizations have reported that Retinyl Palmitate, which is a secondary product used in chemical sunscreens has been reported to increase skin cancer in humans. However, dermatologists report that it is a  type of vitamin A found naturally in the skin.

Another type of vitamin A, a retinoid, is  actually used  to treat skin cancers and other types of aging in the skin. This product has not been shown in any definitive studies to cause any problems in humans.

.

Dermatologist and skin cancer specialists say that the benefits of protecting your skin from skin cancer far outweigh any risk of unverified reports of any of these products and you should continue to use these sunscreens to protect your family’s skin.

But if you have any doubts or any concerns at all, there are very good alternatives. Read the labels,  avoid those products, use avobenzone in the chemical category or use the physical category with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

It is not acceptable to forego the  use sunscreen out of fear of chemical use. The dangers and risks of sun exposure are well known and proven. 

So, You know the ingredients and facts.

How do you keep your child from getting sunburned ever again? 

Choose a product that includes these features: 

Broad Spectrum (UVA AND UVB)  

SPF 30-50

Water Resistant Lotion

Current  Expiration

First of all make sure that your product is not expired. The FDA requires that all sunscreen products have an expiration date of 3 years.

But any number of things can affect a product's life span -  Including  being in the heat ( and where do you keep your sunscreen? In your pool bag, or beach bag - in the heat!!)   

So, to be on the safe side, at the end of the season, throw your sunscreen away and get a new bottle every year. Or if it is discolored or is thick and clumpy, throw it away and get a new bottle. Don’t take a chance that the sunscreen’s active products are no longer effective.

Apply the Sunscreen Correctly

Apply 15 - 20 minutes before you go into the Sun

Now I know that we all have heard this before but this makes the difference between getting a sunburn or not. It takes that long for the skin to absorb the sunscreen and for the product  to start to protect the skin.

If you apply the sunscreen when you are in the sun, in 20 minutes, most people have already gotten sunburned - especially young children. You have to remember how these products work and how children's skin functions and it will all make sense. Take the time to do this!! I promise. It makes a difference. 

Use enough of the product 

This is one of the biggest mistakes parents make that lead to kids getting sunburned. You know how you always have that patch of sunburn on some odd place on your body? This is why. Most of us never use enough sunscreen.  It takes an ounce of sunscreen - that is a golf ball size amount- to cover an average person’s body. Or a shot glass full.vThat is a lot of sunscreen and much more than people think they need. Most people just don’t use enough. 

Put it on bare skin   

Why is that important? When that little bathing suit gets wet it is going to get droopy - and then that strip of skin that is now showing along the waistline of the shorts is going to get scorched. Or maybe you didn’t think they would take their shirts off and now their little back and shoulders are bright red and painful. Be prepared -  put the sunscreen on before the clothes. It is very hard to get to all their skin with the clothes on. 

Don't miss those "most missed" places 

You know those places - the  neck, ears, tops of feet, tops of the little bald head, the face.  

Do not use a spray sunscreen   

I know. I hear you groan. Parents love the sprays.  Children are little moving targets and it is easier to hit them with a spray. But, they do not work!

Sprays do not provide a thick enough coverage. The sprays are very spotty in their coverage and are known to miss spots. (Because the spray is going all over the place not necessarily on the skin)

The professional organizations are highly against the use of sprays.

( Honestly, deep down, you knew they weren't working all that well, didn't you?)

 Haven't you wondered why they have that spot of sunburn here and there despite you spraying them down with that sunscreen?)

There is also concern about breathing in the sunscreen chemicals into the lungs. Just because a product is safe for the skin does not mean it is safe to be inhaled into the lungs. The FDA has not banned them but they have  concerns about their use and they are cautioning against the use of sprays.

Sunscreen Sticks are not recommended  

These are also not recommended for the same reasons. They do not provide good even coverage. 

Do Not Use Combo Sunscreen/Insect Repellant Spray

Insect Repellant coverage may be needed but combo products are not recommended. Sunscreen must be reapplied often and you do not want to reapply insect repellant coverage that often due to toxicity. If you need both products apply them separately. 

 Reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours 

This is where most children are getting sunburned. Most people are not reapplying the sunscreen often enough. You may do all of the steps above perfectly and your child may get horribly sunburned at this step.

No sunscreen on the market lasts longer than 2 hours. We see that the water resistant sunscreens are only rated for 80 minutes at the longest. Just a little more than an hour.

People have been very confused about the duration of sunscreen by the SPF ratings. In order for sunscreen to protect from sunburn (and long term skin damage) You must reapply it at least every 2 hours for it to be effective.

And of course, you may need to be re-applying it more often depending on the product or activity -  including immediately after swimming and when sweating and after drying off.

Use lip protection  SPF 30

Lips are delicate and can burn too. Protect the lips well and of course this needs to be reapplied every 2 hours as well. 

Mistakes

Research shows that people who get sunburned either didn’t use enough sunscreen, didn’t reapply the sunscreen or used an expired product. After reading this, did any lightbulbs go off for you? Did you find some areas that you have been missing?  Maybe it could have been all three?  Or some of the other mistakes? 

I know that in applying sunscreen to my boys, I have probably made all of those mistakes at some point in time. (Seriously, 4 squirmy boys? I am sure I skipped at least one altogether at one point!) 

That is ok. It is a new summer and you are armed with all the facts now.

And of course, you know that there are other ways to protect your child from the sun besides using sunscreen, right? Just in case, let's review those once again. 

Other ways to protect your child from the sun

 Dress in Protective Clothing

Light weight long sleeved/long pants  protective clothing

Sun Safe swim wear with Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF)  - Swim shirts, rash guards, bathing suits that cover more skin such as one piece suits and longer swim trunks, beach cover ups

Hats - with a 3 inch brim or baseball style to shade the face and eyes

Don’t Forget the Eyes - Sun damage can affect the eyes as well. Children should wear sunglasses that block 99-100 % of UVA & UVB rays. Dark sunglasses are not the same. 

They should have impact resistant lenses for safety reasons. Beware of sunglasses that say “block UV rays” and do not specify which kind or how much.  

Have a place to get out of the sun  

Remember we talked about taking Shade Breaks in our previous Hot Tips to Keep Your Child Cool article. Use beach umbrellas, tents, any shade or even go inside for a rest.

This is a good time to reapply sunscreen, take a water break and check to make sure no one is overheated. 

Avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day 

Remember the sun is the hottest between 10 am and 2 pm. Stay out of the sun during those hours whenever possible. 

Keep your young baby out of the sun and covered up

Sunscreen should not be used on babies under 6 months.  If they cannot be protected than they should only use enough to protect areas that cannot be covered.  

Never put it on their hands where they can lick it and put it in their mouths. Use only a mineral sunscreen ( zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) for these babies and wash it off as soon as possible. 

Be a good example by wearing your sunscreen and protecting your skin

You know that children learn far more by what we do than what we say. They watch you to learn what you really believe to be important. 

People always have some myths about the sun. Here are some that I have heard that may answer a few last questions before we start to wrap up. 

Myths  

I don’t have to put sunscreen on my child because we have dark skin.

 People who have darker skin can still burn and babies and children have less melanin at birth and are at much greater risk than adults.

While people who have darker skin are less likely to develop skin cancer, they are still at risk and are usually diagnosed in the later stages of skin cancer when it is more difficult to treat. EVERYONE is at risk for burning and skin cancer and needs to protect their skin

I need to let my child build up some tolerance to the sun or they will burn when they go out.

 You never build up tolerance to the sun. Tanning does not protect you from burning or from skin cancer.  Every time you tan or burn you are greatly increasing your risk of skin cancer.

A few sunburns here and there are a right of passage of childhood. It’s not going to hurt them.

 Any sunburn  - even if just pink or red - damages the skin and puts your child at risk for skin cancer. One blistering sunburn in childhood can double your chance of melanoma. Just one sunburn every 2 years can triple your risk for melanoma later in life. You don't want to take that chance with your child's life. 

I only need to put sunscreen on my kids when it is really sunny.

The UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to our skin and eyes even on a cloudy day.

I use the tanning bed to get a good base tan so I won’t burn.

 There are more cases (419,000) of skin cancer every year attributed to tanning beds than lung cancer due to smoking. Tanning beds  use UV radiation just like the sun. They cause cancer and aging.

A tan does not keep you from burning. Despite what is advertised in the tanning salons,  you can get burned in the tanning bed.  If you want to look tanned, use a self tanner.

Oops we got sunburned  - Treatment for Sunburn

I hope now that you are familiar with all of this information none of your children will ever get sunburned again!

But I know that occasionally, we slip up and we can get a little too much sun. If that should happen, you need to know how to appropriately treat a sunburn. 

Here are Some Tips to Treat Sunburn

Babies under 1 year old with any sunburn

All babies under 1 need to  be evaluated by a health care provider. A sunburn could look innocent but remember how much more body surface area they have than adults.  So a sunburn is a medical emergency in infants.  

They can get dehydrated very quickly and their skin is their body’s defense, so infection can occur and as well as fluid imbalance. Let someone else decide if they are ok and how to treat them.

Babies over 1 year old 

Babies over 1 or any  child with sunburn with blisters, fever/ chills, is not eating, not  active or normal, or if they are in a lot of pain, go ahead and call your healthcare provider

All other children with basic sunburn 

Here are  some treatment recommendations

cool bath

Lightly apply a gentle moisturizer or aloe (unless it hurts to touch the skin)

No medicated creams such as hydrocortisone  or benadryl or any of the  “caines”

No alcohol to skin

May take ibuprofen or tylenol for pain if age appropriate

Increase Fluids  - Sunburn is dehydrating 

If blisters are present - do not pop them, blisters offer protection to your skin. As long as they are intact, they keep your skin from getting infection

If blisters pop - Check often for colored oozing, redness, swelling, smell, fever or pain-  call your healthcare provider 

Do not allow child to go back into the sun until the sunburn is gone

Now you know everything you need to know to keep your child from ever getting a sunburn again. Make sure that you share this information with everyone who cares for your child though. It doesn't do any good to know the information if grandma or your child care provider doesn’t use the sunscreen in their bag. (Of course, who knows what happens to that sunscreen at boy scout camp!!)

So, in review, you know how to choose a broad spectrum, water resistant,  SPF 30 sunscreen.

You know how to correctly apply it, using the right amount on bare, dry, skin, re-applying every 2 hours and checking your expiration dates.  And of course, you know how to dress your children to protect them from the sun and avoid sun exposure for your children and small baby.

 You are all set for a safe and fun summer and a lifetime of safe sun exposure.

Never again will you be at the mercy of the advertisers for choosing your sunscreen. You can confidently walk into the drugstore and choose the best sunscreen for your child, knowing that you can protect your children from ever having a sunburn again.  

You can now pass this information along to all of your friends at the pool and be the expert on sunburn. And, even though your kids may hate to stand still to get that sunscreen rubbed on them, they will thank you when they no longer get another sunburn. (I might would enjoy the beach more as an adult now, if I had that experience. I might give it another try!)

Come on over to the Private Facebook Community (you can sign up below) and let me know what your experiences and challenges have been with sunscreen and if you have found this to be helpful.

And as always, share it with some other parents who may find it useful. I look forward to hearing from you. After your trip to the pool, of course. 

Happy Summer,

LuAnn