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Experts warn about the care that should be taken with regard to exposure to the sun, especially for children and babies, and the use of sunscreen is not allowed for babies under six months of age.
The recommended by pediatricians is to protect you from the sun and wear light cotton clothes that do not adhere so much to the external heat. It is ideal to avoid exposing the child to the sun before it reaches six months, as the baby’s skin is still very thin and sensitive. The best time to sunbathe the baby and before 10 am and after 6 pm, where ultraviolet rays are of low intensity.
How to choose the ideal baby sunscreen?
When the baby is six months old , its skin already has characteristics very similar to the skin of an adult. There is not so much risk of intoxication when using sunscreen for babies , as their skin already has the ability to expel harmful chemicals to their skin.
The best option to buy is to choose an appropriate sunscreen for babies , which does not have allergic components. However, it is always good to check on the label of each product if the indication of the hypoallergenic filter is indicated, which is an indication of allergy reduction.
The physical sunscreen is the most suitable for the age group of children from six months to two years of age. They are products in the form of cream that provide protection against irradiation and are even safer because they are not absorbed by the skin.
Only after two years of age, the child will be able to use the protectors with chemical filters, usually represented by the acronym FPS. The choice of factor 15 sunscreens for indirect exposure to the sun and factors 30 to 50 for more intense exposures is indicated.
Ideal Sun Exposure Time To Avoid Sunburn
Every care is little when it comes to the baby’s skin, and bathing time in the sun should be restricted to ten to twenty minutes a day, being enough. The ideal is to expose only your child’s legs and arms, protecting the little face.
It is recommended not to leave the baby only in diapers and without clothes , the correct thing is that he is protected, his skin is very thin and sensitive and can burn easily. The correct thing is that they are not exposed directly to the sun.
The application of sunscreen must be carried out thirty minutes before exposing the child to the sun and must be done completely protecting the entire body, such as face, trunk, limbs, ears, neck, back of hands and feet.
For lips, use a stick protector . It is important to be aware of the reapplication of the product, which should be carried out every hour or when the child is in the water for a long time.
Sunburn in Babies – What to do?
When sunburn occurs , the correct thing is to resort to the help of the pediatrician, depending on the severity or not, only he will be able to indicate the best treatment. The aspect of the skin that is burned by exposure to the sun, becomes very red and very hot, in the most severe cases , blisters, swelling and fever appear . Depending on the severity, there is a need for hospitalization.
Offer plenty of fluids for the baby and if you are still breastfed, abuse breast milk . This process prevents dehydration caused by long exposure to the sun. To help refresh the skin, it is advisable to apply a cloth diaper soaked in fresh water, taking off the excess and applying it slowly to the affected region.
Bathing with warm water also helps to refresh the skin, but avoid cold water or ice , as the cold can burn your baby’s skin even more. Also do not use products that contain oil on the child’s skin, these can further aggravate the problem and still prevent heat and sweat from being released by the body.
The best cream for sunburn is water based or Aloe vera ideal for babies, ideal when the skin starts to peel. Beware of creams and lotions that contain camphor or very strong fragrances.
The skin usually starts to peel between three to ten days after the burn , do not be alarmed this is part of the healing and care process. At this point it is essential not to expose the child to the sun again.
There are a multitude of creams that help with skin regeneration such as bepantol, aloe vera cream or natural options such as natural cold marigold tea that can be applied with compresses to soothe and refresh the skin. But do not medicate your child on your own, consult your pediatrician so that the treatment is as correct as possible, thus avoiding harming the treatment and the recovery of your child’s skin.
The baby’s skin is very sensitive and deserves extra care , as it can burn even on a cloudy day, due to the fog and UV radiation. These days the sunscreen should also be used, in the same way that it is used during exposure to the sun. And the child should be protected with light clothing and also drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
See also: Baby Sunbathing – What is the Importance?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
