The Characteristics of Infant Skin
* Infant skin produces less melanin than adult skin and will burn more easily.
* Childhood is an especially vulnerable time for ultraviolet rays exposure. Children can get up to three times as much sun exposure in a year as adults.
* Most lifetime exposure to the sun occurs before the age of 18 years, and it is estimated that regular sunscreen use during childhood and adolescence would reduce the lifetime incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers by 78%.
* As much as 80% of UV-induced photoaging may occur in the first two decades of life. Therefore, preventive measures should begin as early as possible.
PHOTOPROTECTION FOR INFANT
* Minimize sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10am and 2pm.
* When children go out, be sure they are wearing wide-brimmed hats and loose, protective clothing, such as long-sleeve shirts and long pants.
* Apply liberal amounts of sunscreen lotion regularly when outdoors. Use sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15, which allows the child to remain in the sun approximately 15 times longer before burning than if no sunscreen were applied.
* Although solar radiation is much more significant in summer, it is still present (though less visible) on cloudy days and in winter. Therefore, to avoid damage to an infant’s skin, sunscreen lotion should be applied throughout the year under all weather conditions.
* Avoid chemical-based sunscreens on infants and young children, as chemicals may be absorbed through the skin.