Get Your Body Healthy

I’d like to start by emphasizing one very important point to remember – for babies who are six months old or less, please keep them in the shade as baby clothes are inadequate protection and you should not put sunscreen on a baby’s skin.

We all know how important it is to protect our adult skin from too much exposure to the sun and it is especially important that babies and children are adequately protected. One could say the Victorians had it right as it was unfashionable to have a tan in those days. But later, and before we knew so much about skin cancer and the aging effect of the sun, having a tan was not only considered fashionable it was also regarded as being healthy.

But living permanently in a climate where sunshine is the norm soon reveals the real strength of the sun and just how rapidly burnt skin can happen. Anyone who regularly needs to be out in the midday or afternoon sun soon adopts the habit of wearing a sun hat, sun glasses, protective sunscreen or whatever else it takes to avoid skin burns.

This is especially important for babies and young children as their skin burns much more quickly than an adult. The best protection for very young babies is to keep them out of the sun altogether. Even while in the shade babies can get burnt by reflected sunshine so keep them dressed and provide a parasol or canopy over the stroller.

A lot of people think that if they cover up with a T-shirt or blouse that that will be adequate protection from the sun however the amount of protection they afford very much depends on the color and the fabric. The best everyday clothing to protect your child and yourself from the sun’s harmful rays is made of closely woven material in dark colors not the white T shirt that you slip on at the beach.

You should also bear in mind that the head needs it’s own protection. A hat with wide brims can keep sunlight away from the neck, the face and the ears. Damage to eyes can be avoided by making sure your child uses sunglasses.

Although there are more and more suppliers of sun protective clothing for children these can be expensive and there is not a huge choice. There is a product called Sun Guard which you add to your normal laundry load along with your usual detergent and it provides up to UPF30 on everyday clothing. It provides protection for up to twenty washes.

But not every part of the skin can always be covered by clothes and hats. The skin that is left exposed needs to be covered by the right-strength sunscreen. As awareness of the sunburn problem has increased, so have the varieties of products available. Even sensitive skins are catered for. Babies over six months old and children need a product with SPF15 or greater, according to leading dermatologists.

One key factor for both children and adults is to make liberal use of sunscreen. Put it on half an hour before you’re going out into the sun and re-apply it every couple of hours. Reduce the interval if you’re swimming. Cover all exposed parts including the back of the neck and the feet, even underneath the straps of your swimsuit. Remember, though, that none of this applies to babies who are six months old or less – they should be always in the shade.

There is nothing worse than seeing adults and children who are lobster red or even worse blistering because they stayed too long in the sun without adequate protection. Not only is it painful it is very dangerous as research has shown that over exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer. If your child or you does get sun burnt stay in the shade until the burn has healed.

Finally, remember that even though we benefit from stronger teeth and bones that the sun gives us, due to the resultant Vitamin D that is produced in our bodies as an aid to calcium absorption, we only need just a few minutes to obtain that benefit.

Tags: babies, baby, children, family, health, Skin Care, sun screen, sunburn