Ahimsa MD is a health and wellness center that offers holistic pediatric and adult primary care. We help patients use an integrative approach to heal their bodies. This approach combines the practice of building the mind and body, plus traditional Western medicine. When caring for the children who live in Miami, Dr. Baid focuses on the skin. Prolonged sun exposure can result in sun damage, increasing the risk of skin cancer. It can also cause irritation, inflammation, peeling, and sensitivity, worsening certain skin conditions. That could also result in premature aging characterized by sun spots and wrinkles. At Ahimsa MD, we highlight some important things you must know to protect your child from the sun.
Choosing the Right Sunscreen for Your Child’s Skin Type
Applying sunscreen is one of the most effective ways to protect your child's skin from sun damage. However, getting the best sunscreen that matches your kid's skin type can be daunting. As experts in pediatrics, there are things we advise that you look at before selecting a good child's sunscreen.
Mineral vs Chemical Sunscreen
Sunscreens are usually mainly classified as chemical or mineral. Chemical sunscreens get absorbed into the skin, absorbing the sun's rays and converting them into heat. However, mineral sunscreens usually sit on the skin, creating a physical barrier to block the sun's rays. Doctor Baid recommends mineral sunscreens because they are full-spectrum, blocking UVA and UVB rays. Ingredients The ingredients in your child’s sunscreen could determine how comfortable it will be on their skin. Therefore, if your child has sensitive skin, choose active ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. They are less irritating than ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate. It also helps to ensure that the sunscreen does not contain parabens, alcohol, fragrances, harsh chemicals, or silicone that could cause more irritation. SPF Your child needs strong sunscreen to beat the Miami sun. Therefore, sunscreen should have a sun protection factor of 50 and above. It should also be water resistant, especially if your child is swimming.
Sun Protection Clothing and Accessories for Miami’s Strong Sun
Besides applying sunscreen, ensure your child has appropriate clothing and accessories for additional protection.
Accessories
The most common accessories to protect your child are hats and sunglasses. When choosing a hat, ensure its brim covers the face, ears, eyes, and back of the neck. Therefore, opt for broad-brimmed or bucket hats. When choosing sunglasses, look for the ones with UV-filtering capabilities. Most usually have protection category ratings indicating how well they block UV rays. Choose glasses in categories two to four. It also helps if they are kid-sized and have a soft elastic strap to keep them in place, especially with young kids.
Clothing
One of the most important things when choosing clothing is checking its UPF rating. It determines the clothes' effectiveness in protecting your child against UVA and UVB rays. Go for clothing with a UPF rating from 15-50. However, some factors affect the UPF rating.
Construction: Tight, dense clothes like canvas, synthetic fibers, wool, and canvas minimize the amount of UV rays passing through. UV radiation can quickly get to the skin if you can see through the cloth when you hold it up.
Color: Bright or dark clothes usually keep UV rays from your skin by absorbing or reflecting them away. That makes them better than paler colors.
Content: Clothes made with polyester, nylon, and satiny silk materials are adequate for sun protection because they reflect the sun's rays. Added dyes and chemicals also help improve the clothes' UPF.
Fit: Dress your child in loose-fitting clothes. Tight clothes can stretch, allowing UV rays to pass through.
Activity: Regardless of the clothes' UPF rating, activities that make them wet reduce their effectiveness. Wear, tear, and fading could also affect how well they block the rays.
Sun Safety Habits to Teach Children From a Young Age
Teaching your children how to protect themselves from the sun from a young age helps make them more independent and ensures their safety even when you are not around.
Reapply Sunscreen
Even if you use sunscreen with high SPF, reapplying ensures you maintain a strong barrier. Apply sunscreen on your child 30 minutes before going outside to give it time to kick in. When outside, reapply after every one or two hours. Even if sunscreen is listed as waterproof, constantly reapply after your child has been in the water to be on the safe side. Encourage them to wear sunscreen daily, even when the sun does not look or feel too hot.
Cover Up
Dress your child in long-sleeved clothes to cover as much skin as possible. Also, keep them in the shade, especially during the sun's peak hours, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The sun's rays are usually the strongest at those times, especially around reflective surfaces like water and sand.You can use an umbrella or stay under pool umbrellas/ trees. Children under six months should always avoid direct sunlight because of their delicate skin.
Monitor the Skin
Even with sunscreen and protective clothing, monitoring your child's skin helps you avoid any reactions on the skin. Look for moles, color changes, and irritation. Also, have medication for such reactions ready to avoid serious issues. If your child takes medications, always look at the side effects. Some might cause increased skin sensitivities. In case of severe symptoms, visit Ahimsa MD for urgent care.
Book a Free Consultation at Ahimsa MD, Miami
Ahimsa MD incorporates integrative care to help patients heal from within. This approach treats patients as a whole instead of only treating the symptoms. We also increase convenience and comfort by using concierge-style care in the office or home, ensuring you have one-on-one detailed communication with our holistic doctor. Dr. Baid is an adult primary care and pediatrics expert, making her a good doctor for the whole family. Contact us today to book a free consultation for you or your child.
Comments