Even though summer is half way through, it is important to be reminded of safe sun practices (from the Environmental Working Group – EWG):
1. Babies under 6 months should always be protected from the sun with protective clothing, hat and shade. Babies over 6 months, toddlers, children and adults should always wear sunscreen when in the sun for more than 10 minutes.
2. When looking for a sunscreen follow the table below:
|
Avoid |
Look For This
|
|
|
Ingredients |
Oxybenzone
Vitamin A (reninyl palmitate) Insect repellent |
Zinc
Titanium oxide Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX
|
|
Products |
Sprays
Powders SPF Above 50+ |
Cream
Broad Spectrum Protection Water resistant SPF 30+ |
3. Always try to stay in the shade, wear protective clothing (hat, sunglasses and protective clothing) and avoid midday sun (between 10am – 4pm) when UV rays are the strongest.
4. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure, and reapply sunscreen often (at least every 2 hours) because sunscreen chemicals break apart in the sun, wash off and rub off. Definitely reapply sunscreen when coming out of the water.
5. Choose a good sunscreen. See EWG’s database of sunscreens with ratings based on safety and efficacy.
