Chemical-free Sunscreen Protection for Kids
As it is still Skin Cancer Awareness Month ’round these parts, it’s only fitting that I pass along some great info that I received about SPF and how to use a low to no chemical sunscreen for your children. I’m all for using as little chemicals as I possibly can for both my booboo and myself.
The general consensus is that the higher SPF the better the protection, but according to an article by Lisa Cope (via Education.com) the best protection is not necessarily based on the SPF count:
“Here it is in plain English: You want an SPF of at least 15, but most experts agree that you don’t need to go higher than 30. Sunscreens with SPF above 30 don’t actually provide that much more protection, and it takes more chemicals to make them work. So keep it above 15 and under 30 and look for brands that offer broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. “
Well. I had no idea! Let’s read some more:
“Here’s the lowdown on sunscreen for your kids. Less is more. Less chemicals that is. Most dermatologists recommend a “chemical-free” sunscreen made with zinc oxide or titanium oxide. These ingredients stay on top of the skin, unlike chemical ingredients that get absorbed. “
Got that? Good. With that said, which sunscreens are out there that are chemical free? The article mentions 8 chemical-free options.
The best overall sunscreen for children, according to Consumer Reports, is:
Blue Lizard Baby SPF 30
The other recommendations the article mentions, ironically, have SPF’s higher than 30, but are said to be “chemical-free”:
Banana Boat Baby Sunblock, Tear Free
They also recommend Aveeno Baby (as I suggested last week):
To read the full article and to see full sunscreen recommended list click here.
(All images courtesy of Drugstore.com)
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POSTED IN: Baby Items, Just Spreading the Good Word..., Le Shop-ping, Skin Care
2 opinions for Chemical-free Sunscreen Protection for Kids
Woody Boudreau
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Grand sons used Banana Boat Spray SPF 50 for Kids and it did nothing . Now i see why it does not have anything that states CHEMICAL FREE
nor does it state that it has zinc oxide or titanium oxide, unless I just don’t see it on the label. I am a bit sight impaired.
Kat Eden
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Hi Pascalle,
Thanks for including our article! (I work for Education.com). Another thing I think a lot of us moms don’t know is how MUCH sunscreen we should use. I was blown away to learn from the Mayo Clinic that you should use a full ounce (a shot glass!) every time you apply. That means we should be going through about a tube/bottle per week per kid! That’s a lot more than I was using before I read that article.
Thanks again!
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