There are many brands of children’s sun screen that can be bought over the counter. The labels on the back of the containers list all the ingredients. Are you one of the parents who read the ingredients and find out what each one means? Or you like most people who just trust that they are safe? Well, they are not safe!! Here is a list of the active ingredients in children’s sunscreen:
Homosalate – Homosalate has been shown to be an antagonist toward androgen and estrogen receptors in vitro. There is also evidence that homosalate can break down into more toxic products.
Octinoxate – May be a hormone disrupter.
Titanium dioxide – Allergy to topical application has been confirmed.
Oxybenzone – Despite its photoprotective qualities, much controversy surrounds oxybenzone because of its possible hormonal and photoallergenic effects, leading many countries to regulate its use.
Octocrylene – This organic compound can penetrate into the skin where it acts as a photosensitizer. This results in an increased production of free radicals under illumination. Free radicals are known to induce indirect DNA damage, and an increased concentration of free radicals might have contributed to the increased incidence of malignant melanoma in sunscreen-users compared to non-users
Avobenzone – Avobenzone degrades faster in light in combination titanium dioxide.
Besides the active ingredients, there is always a long list of non-medicinal ingredients and to understand those names, you need a PhD in biochemistry. I searched all the names on Wikipedia and here is what I discovered: Ther are always some ingredients that are beneficial like vitamins A,C and E. One had aloe extract. However, they all contained parabens, a preservative that has been linked to breast cancer! Parabens stay in the body forever, so don’t delude yourself that babies don’t have breasts. Every one of the labels listed ingredients derived from the animal rendering industre like glycerin and anything with stearate in it. YUCK!
Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages: SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent. They may seem like negligible differences, but if you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference. And as you can see, no sunscreen can block all UV rays. One contained Phenoxyethanol which is a chemical preservative and is toxic to infants via ingestion, and can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, so make sure your child doesn’t put his hands in his mouth! Another one had Triethanolamine or TEA which off gasses formaldehyde and occasionally causes contact allergy. There was even one with a fire retardant???
Another greatly misleading term is SPF. SPF only measures the protection of UVB rays which cause sunburn. It has no effect on the UVA rays. While UVA rays don’t cause sunburn, they penetrate deeply into skin and increase skin cancer risk and they also cause wrinkles. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to 90% of skin changes associated with aging are really caused by a lifetime’s exposure to UVA rays. What you need to look for is one that provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Unfortunately, many sunscreens that say that they are broad-spectrum really aren’t or don’t block rays from the full UVA spectrum. To get good protection from UVA rays, look for sunscreens that list titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as one of their ingredients since they can be less irritating than avobenzone, a common UVA blocker.
And does the higher the SPF number mean that it is better? No! The sun protection factor (SPF) should be at least 15, but you generally don’t need to go higher than 30. SPF 30 blocks out about 98% of the UVB rays, which id more than sufficient. Over than that and you’re getting smaller and smaller amounts of added protection – which, in a chemical sunscreen, means a higher dose of unwanted chemicals which is not worth the 1% extra protection. No sunscreen blocks out 100%.
Lastly, use a sunscreen that is water-resistant. Even if you aren’t going swimming, if your child is outside, he will likely be sweating, so a water resistant might provide better protection than a regular sunscreen. Also make sure that it is hypoallergenic and fragrance free, especially if your child has sensitive skin.
Sunscreen Tips:
- Apply the sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before you go out in the sun. Don’t skimp. A number of studies show that people simply don’t use enough — and only get 10% to 25% of the benefit.
- Don’t forget the easy-to-miss spots, like the tips of the ears, feet, and the back of the legs. Since your lips can also get sunburned, use a UV-protective lip balm and reapply it regularly.
- No matter how long-lasting it’s supposed to be, reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, and more often if your child is sweating or getting wet.
- Pay attention to the expiration date on the bottle. Sunscreen loses its effectiveness over time.
- Apply sunscreen whenever you’re out during the day — and not only when it’s hot and sunny. On a grey, overcast day, up to 80% of the dangerous UV rays still make it through the clouds. And during the winter, exposure to the sun’s rays still can have damaging effects on your skin.
- Do not use a spray as your children can inhale the spray.
Sandie Epstein
