We all know that the sun has beneficial effects on our body. But if we take it in excess or without adequate protection it can also be harmful, especially for children's skin because it is more delicate.
It is on the beach, above all, where children spend the day entering and leaving the water and exposed to solar radiation, where we must pay more attention to ensuring that their skin is well protected.
In theory they should never be exposed directly to the sun, but, since keeping them seated under the umbrella is impossible,
hats and t-shirts are essential. In recent years, t-shirts made of special fabrics have become fashionable to be used on the beach and are ideal for protecting the child without being disturbed to play.
Even so, the application of
a good sun cream with a protection factor that is as high as possible is necessary. It is better to use a special cream for children since its texture is lighter so that it is easier to spread and the skin absorbs quickly and also because they can be used on the face and body. It is important to check on the packaging that they are broad spectrum, that is, that they cover against
UVA and UVB rays because not all do.
Of course, it is not worth using the cream that we have left over from last year, the creams have a limited duration that is specified on the packaging with the symbol of a jar and a number inside.
For the protector to be as effective as possible, it should be applied at least half an hour before we expose ourselves to the Sun so that the skin has time to absorb it and to be perfectly protected. The amount of product must be abundant: never less than 20 ml of cream for the whole body and there are some areas that should be especially emphasized such as the scalp, neck, ears, cheekbones, nose, shoulders, the upper area of the thighs, and the instep of the feet, an area that we do not usually think about and that is very prone to burns.
At least every two hours you have to repeat the application, before if the child is sweating a lot and after each bath, even if the cream is waterproof.
It is also necessary even if it is cloudy , since the clouds filter infrared radiation, but not ultraviolet rays, which are also reflected in the sand and even if it is in the water since , like clouds, the water does not filter the rays ultraviolet, it only eliminates the feeling of heat.
Basically, and at the very least, this is what we must do to avoid the painful sunburns that can make children bitter, and by extension us, beach vacations.
Recommendations for the summer period. Ministry of Health
And how do you get your son to let you put the sunscreen on him?
PLAYA DE VALENCIA
