Sun protection and kids… the facts

  • One blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma later in life.1
  • Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.2
  • According to one US study, 22% of children burn in their first summer and 54% burn or tan in their second summer.
  • An infant’s skin possesses little melanin, the pigment that gives color to skin, hair and eyes and provides some sun protection. As a result, babies are especially susceptible to the sun’s damaging effects.
  • Most pediatricians recommend that parents avoid the use of sunblock on children under the age of 6 months for the following two reasons:
    • Infants and children have what is called a high body surface to volume ratio. What this means is that proportionately babies have more skin for the size body as compared to an adult. Sunscreens are made of chemicals. On the older child and adult, the chemical exposure is relatively minimal because the body surface ratio is smaller than a baby. Therefore, babies get a higher "dose" of chemicals than do those older. While this exposure would most likely not cause any problems, the likelihood of an adverse reaction is greater.
    • Babies have a mildly impaired mechanism to keep cool by sweating. In addition, they have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated due to heat. Sunscreen can somewhat impair effective cooling by perspiration, so placing it on an infant could be detrimental.

  • The following children are considered to be most at risk with respect to sun exposure:
    • Children with moles on their skin, or whose parents have a tendency to develop moles
    • Children with very fair skin
    • Children with light colored eyes, in particular blue-eyed children
    • Children who have a family history of skin cancer

  • There are two main types of sun block, chemical and physical.
    • Chemical sunblock blocks UV rays by penetrating the skin.
    • Physical sunblock sits on top of the skin acting as a reflector while others absorb the UV as it hits the skin, stopping the rays from penetrating into the skin. Physical sunblock that contains titanium or zinc is generally better for babies and children because fewer chemicals are absorbed by the body.

1Lew, RA, Sober AJ, Cook N, Marvell R, Fitzpatrick TB. “The Sun exposure habits in patients with cutaneous melanoma: a case study.” J. Dermatol Surg Oncol, 1983; 12:981-6
2“Cancer Epidemiology in Older Adolescents & Young Adults”. SEER AYA Monograph Pages 53-63. 2007