The sun is in full force here in Cyprus and it is so important to protect our children in the sun. I am not going to sugar-coat it – too much sun can lead to sunburn, skin damage, eye damage, skin cancer, and a weakened immune system. Here are my suggestions on how to protect our children from the sun.
Have Fun in the Shade
Babies and children have very delicate skin so try to keep them in the shade or under an umbrella. Keep in mind, this may not always offer full protection and sunscreen should still be worn. UV rays are the strongest from 10.00 to 16.00 and try to limit sun exposure during this time when possible.
Cover Up & Wear Sunglasses
We can now find swimwear that has UVA protection built-in. I also highly recommend sunglasses and hats. For the most protection, buy a hat that has a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck.
Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure. Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection.
Apply Sun Protection
A good sunscreen should protect your child from the sun but be gentle on their skin. Most sun damage occurs early in life so it’s critical to avoid sunburn in children in order to prevent skin cancer in the future.
If your child is younger than six months of age, please do not use sunscreen. When it’s not possible to keep your baby out of direct sunlight, shade, clothing, and hats are the most important ways to provide protection.
Sunscreens labelled ‘for babies’ or ‘sensitive’ are less likely to cause skin irritation. Always test the sunscreen on a small area of your baby’s skin to check for any skin reactions.
Sun Protection Recommendations for Children
We should all be using broad-spectrum sunscreen no matter the age which blocks both UVA and UVB rays. The higher the protection the better.
If you feel more comfortable applying a thick layer on all exposed skin then do it but the newer SPFs do not require this.
As I mentioned above, sunscreen is not recommended for babies who are 6 months old or younger. For newborns, keep them out of the sun during midday and using protective clothing if they have to be in the sun.
- Sunscreen Reapplication – sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
- Sunscreen Expiration Date – Check the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than 3 years. The shelf life may be shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures.
Tried & Tested Sun Protection Products
All 3 products below are excellent. I prefer Ultrasun as I have the reassurance of the once-a-day formula even if I chose to re-apply. I have been using Ultrasun for 15 years and I use it on the whole family.
Please use a broad-spectrum SPF of 50 or 50+ on your children and give them the ultimate protection!
ULTRASUN SUN PROTECTION KIDS SPF 50+
Ultrasun is my favourite sun protection brand. For my daughter, we use Ultrasun Sun Protection Kids SPF 50+.
This formula combines the very high protection of Ultrasun Extreme SPF50+ (another favourite of mine) with an additional active, Celligent®, which helps to protect the fragile DNA in children’s skin. Fast-absorbing, non-greasy, non-sticky UVA (95%) and UVB (SPF50+) sun protection gel with GSP-T for Infrared protection. Suitable for any age, created with children aged 3-12 in mind.
Ultrasun is a once-a-day-formula however with the Cyprus sun being so intense, I do reapply every 3-hours. The brand suggests one more reapplication in the intense sun as their proven formula locks with the skin and degrades at a slow rate. In any case, it is better to be on the cautious side with our little gems.
LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS INVISIBLE KIDS MIST SPF50+
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Kids Mist SPF50+ is a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers SPF50+ protection with a patented, Mexoplex® filtering system to help defend against UVA and UVB damage. With an invisible fresh texture, the mist doesn’t leave an unpleasant greasy or sticky texture, with no white marks. The water, sand and sweat-resistant formula offer long-lasting protection with fast, mess-free application. Suitable for children’s sensitive skin with a non-perfumed formula.
CARROTEN SUNCARE INVISIBLE SPRAY SPF50
Carroten Suncare Invisible Spray SPF50 – Kids Wet Skin invisible suncare spray SPF50 provides broad sun protection. This transparent spray can be used on wet or dry skin, thanks to special, softening emollients. Ιts formula contains Provitamin D, helping enhance children’s sensitive skin resistance, against UV radiation. I love the fact that this can be used on wet skin. Trying to get my daughter out of the sea or pool to dry off and then apply sun protection is a challenge as most parents know. This allows me to top-up her protection without disrupting her water play-time too much.
Where to Buy
This article is not sponsored. By clicking on my affiliate links, you help support my work.
To buy from Lookfantastic International, click here.
To buy from Lookfantastic Greece, click here.
To buy from BeautyBay, click here.
If you are in Cyprus, you can now buy Ultrasun online and your order will be home-delivered via ACS. Save 20% by using my code 20CHRIST and save 10% on duo packs by using my code 10CHRIST. Click here to buy.
