Eva explained to us a few days ago what are the types of photoprotectors that we can find in the market and something fundamental, how to choose the most suitable for our baby.
But in addition to knowing how to choose the most suitable sunscreen, it is equally important to apply it correctly so that its result is really effective. The best cream is useless if we do not use it well.
A recent survey has revealed that only 12.4% of the people consulted apply the sunscreen correctly, which is worrying, and even more so when we talk about the health of children's skin.
Let's see what should be taken into account for a correct application of sunscreen in children:
- Pediatricians do not agree on whether it is convenient or not to apply sunscreen cream to babies under 6 months. Some claim that there may be a risk of irritation or poisoning, while others believe that the baby's delicate skin is very susceptible to sun damage and should be protected with a high factor.
Check with your pediatrician and if you advise against it you should take other measures to protect the baby from the sun such as umbrellas, t-shirt, hat, avoid exposure at central times of the day, etc.
Before applying the cream to the entire body, you should test it in a small area of the child's skin in case any component could cause some irritation or allergic reaction.
Apply the cream 30 minutes before sun exposure (ie at home before going to the beach or pool) so that it can be absorbed. Also at home there are fewer distractions being able to apply the cream without trying to escape every two seconds.
It is better to replace cream after each bath, although really most of the creams we find today are water resistant while maintaining protection even after a bath. Just in case, reinforce but with dry skin.
Also reinforce the application after two hours of sun exposure. An application for a whole day of beach or pool is not enough.
Do not skimp on cream. Experts recommend applying two milligrams per square centimeter of dry skin, but since it is complicated (if not impossible) to do calculations when we apply cream to children, it is enough to spread a thick and uniform layer on dry skin with care of Do not leave us parts without casting.
Apply protector in areas that we usually forget such as the nose, the ear pavilions, the shoulders, the insteps, the scalp and on the back of the knees and legs.
Apply very carefully near eyes as some components of the creams can be irritating.
