Almighty Dad | A stay at home dad blog

It’s summer time.  Kids are outside all day playing at the pool or running around the neighborhood.  And that makes it a good time to talk about sun protection.  Kids aren’t conscious of their time in the sun and can easily get burned if parents are not on top of it.  The good news on this topic is that most parents these days are pretty well aware of the sun’s damaging effects.  Most of the kids I see in the park these days have hats on, and I assume that their parents apply sun screen to them also.  However, concerning sun screens, some are better than others.  Certain brands are simply not effective while others are excellent.  There are other things parents should be doing to protect their kids other than applying sun screen.  Parents might apply sun screen but they forget to reapply it, or maybe they apply sun screen properly but they neglect to put a hat or proper clothing on their child.  This topic is one that I have personal experience with.  I am 34 years old and I have had 3 non-melanoma cancers surgically removed from me.  I’ve talked to several dermatologists and have learned quite a bit about the sun in the past three years.  Here is what I know.

1. Clothing

A t-shirt is ineffective protection against the sun.  A white t-shirt provides a UPF rating of 2-5 depending on the thickness.  So if a child is at the beach and he looks like he’s been getting too much sun, a t-shirt is not going to help.  There is a product on the market which can add significant UPF protection to clothing.  It’s called Sun Guard.  It’s easy to use and it makes every piece of clothing protective.

2. Hats

A baseball cap is some protection, but not good enough.  Kids really need to have a wide brimmed hat with a string to keep it attached.  I bought my kids hats once that didn’t have a string and they just didn’t stay on their heads.  The kids would simply take them off to avoid the inconvenience.  Like I said before, kids don’t care about the sun.  Make sure the hat stays on their heads.  Tilley makes great hats for kids and adults.

3. Safe Hours to be in the Sun

The most dangerous times to be in the sun are between 10am and 4pm.  After 4pm the sun is low enough in the sky that the Earth’s atmosphere provides a decent barrier against UV rays. When the sun is high in the sky UV rays don’t have much atmosphere to travel through and are thus more deadly.  Try to avoid being in the sun in the middle of the day.

4. UV index

It’s a good idea to check the UV index on The Weather Channel every day before going to play.  The Earth is protected from radiation by the ozone layer and other variable conditions in the atmosphere.  Therefor the UV index changes daily depending on location, not just latitude.  It’s handy to check daily. 

5. Beach and Pools

The sun reflects off of water and amplifies the damaging effects of the sun.  People burn more rapidly at the beach or at the pool.  Take special caution and keep an eye on the kids when visiting the beach or pool where a burn can happen quickly.

6. Sun Beds (not kid related)

This tip is not kid or family related but it’s worth mentioning anyway.  Don’t be a dumb ass. Get out of the damn bed.  It’s terrible and it’s deadly.  I’m tired of telling young women that they are throwing away their beauty by tanning.  Youth is wasted on the young.  “First exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75 percent”.

7. Car

This tip is one that few people seem to consider.  Driving in the car is not a protection from the sun.  I had UV film added to all my car windows so we don’t have to worry about radiation.  But, most people don’t do that so the alternative is to buy sun shades for the back seats.  Children really can get seriously burned while in the car.  It’s something to consider.

8. Sun Screen

This is the last tip on my list because it is the one that I generally try to avoid.  If all my other advice is followed then sun screen becomes a moot point.  However, Sun screen comes in handy on occasions when being in the sun is unavoidable.  It is interesting to note that the United States does not regulate claims made by sun screen manufactures.  Therefore, at least in the US, SPF ratings mean almost nothing.  Parents need to take the time to check ingredients.  Look for sun screens that are either manufactured in Australia and regulated by the Australian government (Blue Lizzard is a good one) or check the bottle for  Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide (which together block both UVA and UVB rays).  Chemical blocks like benzophenone  and octinoxate may not be as safe for sensitive skin.  It’s also good to be aware of sunscreens with BHT which some people say is quite bad for kids (a claim that has not been conclusively proven).

Sun protection is something to take seriously.   There are many good ways to protect ourselves and our kids from the sun.  The clothing we wear, the hours we spend outside in the middle of the day, and our choices of sun blocks all contribute the the overall effectiveness of our sun habits.  Summertime is when everybody wants to go to the pool or beach.  It’s time for families to take picnics together and play Frisbee in the park.  Summertime is fun time.  It is wise to make the most out of that fun by not having to make a trip to the dermatologist afterwards.

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