Proper sunscreen application a must to ensure children's safety outdoors
9:34 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2007
A day at the beach is no fun if you're sunburned. Dermatologist Rutledge Forney says, that's especially true for children.
"The best thing you can do is keep them out of the sun until they are six months old and really use the sunscreen," Forney said.
But with so many brands and numbers to choose from, parents might have a hard time deciding what's right.
"I always advocate as much sunscreen as possible, the higher number the better," Forney said. "You want to look for one that's not going to have things that your child will be allergic to."
Forney suggests buying a formula that is made for sensitive skin and has at least an SPF of 45. Don't forget to re-apply the lotion every hour or so.
"You really want to be able to feel that you've taken a cream and rubbed it into their skin, not that you've just sort of pushed a little bit across the top of their skin," Forney said.
Forney warns parents that chemical sunscreens need to be applied 30 minutes before going in the sun.
Sunscreens that contain metals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide provide immediate protection.
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