Hi Momaroos!
My sister and her family are visiting us this summer in Florida from Korea. We're planning on taking them to the beach, theme parks and the pool. I was wondering what sunscreen do you use on your kids?
I told my sister to pack as lightly as possible and leave the toiletries at home. I want to make sure that we get the kiddies sun screen to protect their pale skin from the harsh Florida sun.
Do you have any recommendations for protective sun gear or products? I often see kids with swimsuits that look like short-sleeve turtle necks on. What's that all about?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Submitted by Momaroo reader
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I really love the spray sunscreen. I use the waterbabies SPF 50 and then get the sticks for the face. You have to get the mist though because the spray lotion is gross.
California Baby Sunscreen is supposed to be very low on the toxicity scale (you can get it at Target). They were out of it when I went last time, so I got Aveeno Baby Sunscreen SPF 50 for my fair skinned little guy. So far we haven't had much opportunity to try it out because it's been rainy a lot this year so far!
I use the water babies on myself (funny I know, but as the child of a British/Scotch woman and a Scotch/Irish man, I know AAAAALLLLL about sunburns). Anywhere between a 50 and a 75, all depending on what time of day you go to the beach (I seriously seriously recommend the 75 after 1100). I know it seems super fun to stay out on the beach all day, but from the hours of 10-2 (some will even tell you 4, but 2 is okay as long as you apply the sunscreen before you get back out there), stay indoors or in the shade for the kids sake. Besides, thats the hottest part of the day, so who really wants to be outdoors?
And those turtle neck things you're talking about? Go to walmart or target and buy the underarmour short sleeve look alikes (the walmart or target brand work just as well for cheaper). I wear one if I know I'm going to be in the water more than out because the water reeks havoc on the sunscreen after a while. They work well for both boys and girls.
Also, make sure you get a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. Its very important it have both.
The sticks are useful for the face because it minimizes the risk of getting sunscreen in the eyes.
Remember to pack the water! Reapply the sunscreen as directed! And if they get burned, milk of magnesia for afterward (it always worked better than aloe for us, you apply it just like you would aloe, liberally, and let it dry. it pulls the heat out of the sunburn) and children's advil (or adult advil if they are big enough) to minimize the inflammation.
Look for sunscreens WITHOUT Vitamin A (can accelerate skin cancers) and oxybenzone (a hormone that leaches into your skin). Most have these two ingredients though, so you'll want to look for an all-natural sunscreen or an old-school kind with zinc oxide or titanium as the main ingredient. The database http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/ is a great one to see how each sunscreen ranks in toxicity.
The turtle neck shirts you are seeing are called rash guards. They are great for sun protection.
I also recommend using a non chemical sunscreen such as Burts Bee or Neutrogena Pure and Free. It's usually got zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingrediant. It's not toxic to the liver like the chemical sunscreens.
Hats & sunglasses are good to have too.
I heard bad things about the ingredients in Water Babies, so i bought Neutrogena Pure and Free and it's 60+ SPF. I think it works great and my little one does NOT have a tan...which i am very proud of! And the more coverage from the swimsuit, the less you have to apply sunscreen when they get in and out of the water. Hats are good, but my little one rarely keeps it on. She loves her sunglasses though. Good luck!
I do not use sunscreen on myself or my little ones because it stops the vitamin D from getting into the skin. Plus I think the use of sunscreen to prevent cancer is a load of hogwash. Do some research and inform yourselves before lathering you kids with chemicals.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/05/26/summer-sun.aspx
http://products.mercola.com/summer-survival-kit/
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - sunscreen is an absolute must if you are at the beach with a child as fair skinned as mine. I don't however put sunscreen on him every time he goes out to play. All day at a place with no shade, beach and pool however, he gets it on. If I didn't he would have sun poisoning.
@sugartomyhoney@xanga - I am very fair skinned (yay for British heritage and being a red head) and I have never used sun screen, and I burn very easily.
There are chemical free sunscreens that will not harm you or children. If you look at the 2nd link I posted there are much better alternatives then the junk sold in stores.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - I'm going to check it out right now. :) thanks