When Sun’s Out, Kids Can Take Cover Under Clothes, Lotions
What could be more natural than children playing in the sunshine? Or more risky?
By the time they reach age 18, most children will have received 80% of their lifetime sun exposure. One in 10 will eventually develop some form of skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Last year, 500,000 new cases were diagnosed; some of the patients were children.
Parents can protect their children from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays in one of two ways: clothing or sunscreen.
Jan Steinberg, an Arizona mother, developed a line of sunproof clothing out of necessity. Her red-headed, freckled-faced 2-year-old detested the sun-block creams and lotions she insisted he wear. She resorted to covering him in long-sleeved shirts to protect his skin.
When Steinberg discovered that a common cotton T-shirt provides an SPF--sun protection factor--of only 5, she searched for an alternative fabric. She found a tightly woven nylon that proved to have a 36 SPF.
She now manufactures a line of sunproof shirts for children and adults called Frogwear. The lightweight nylon tops can be worn in or out of the water. Steinberg hopes to have her $23 shirts in stores next year. Now, they are available only by mail order ((800) 328-4440).
The first sunscreen made specifically for children, Coppertone’s Water Babies, was introduced in 1988. A 4-ounce bottle with a 30 SPF sells for about $6.99. The field has since become crowded.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends 17 products developed solely for children. Most recently, high-end cosmetic and skin-care companies have entered the market. Estee Lauder’s Baby Block costs $18.50 for 4 ounces; Erno Laszlo’s Sun Defense Lotion for Babies is free with the purchase of a similar product for adults, priced from $20 to $25.
Many of the new children’s sunscreens claim to be specially formulated for their sensitive skin. They are usually free of fragrance and PABA, two ingredients that may be allergenic. And the lotion base contains less oil than some adult products.
Dr. Ronald Moy, a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and assistant dermatology professor at UCLA, has seen two children, ages 8 and 10, with skin cancer in the past year. Many doctors suggest that sunscreens with at least a 15 SPF be used on children and that they be reapplied every two hours, even the waterproof varieties.
