Summer Sun Safety for the Entire Family

The summer season that children have eagerly awaited has finally arrived. It is now the time for your children to spend the day outdoors playing, swimming and participating in a wide array of sports activities. Although summer is a great time for children to spend outdoors, summertime is also when many children can develop sunburn from staying outside without any protection from the sun.

It is very important to make sure that you and your children know how to be safe from the sun this summer.

All About the Sun
The most exposure to the sun occurs during childhood. Over 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure takes place before they are 21 years old. By children using sunscreen regularly, they can lower their risk of skin cancer by almost 78 percent.

There are three types of invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays that the sun radiates to the earth. These include UVA, UVB and UVC rays. When these rays reach a person's skin, they cause tanning, burning and other types of skin damage.

UVA rays cause skin to age and wrinkle. These types of rays also contribute to skin cancer. UVB rays are also very dangerous for the skin. They cause sunburns, cataracts in the eyes and damage to the immune system. These types of rays can cause skin cancer as well. UVC rays are the most dangerous rays from the sun. These rays are blocked by the ozone layer, and therefore do not reach earth.

UV rays react with a chemical that is found in most people's skin. This chemical is called melanin. Melanin is your skins first defense against the sun. It helps to absorb dangerous UV rays before they can do serious damage. A sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what the skin's melanin can protect against.

Protecting Your Children From the Sun
All children should use sunscreen prior to going outdoors. There are many sunscreens that are available that are safe for children six months old and up. Use a sunscreen that offers UVA and UVB protection and that has a SPF of 15 or higher. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, and should be put on at least 30-45 minutes prior to going outdoors.

There are many other precautions that parents can take to protect their children from the sun. Here are some other tips to stop the sun from damaging your child's skin.

· Have your child wear protective clothing. This includes a hat, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Most clothing only has an SPF of five-nine, so don't forget to have your child wear sunscreen as well.

· Try to limit sun exposure when the sun is at its strongest. This is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

· Protect your child's eyes with sunglasses that have UVA and UVB protection. Make sure that the sunglasses that you purchase say that they provide 100 percent UV protection.

· Remember to still have your child wear sunscreen even when it is cloudy outside. The sun's radiation can penetrate through the clouds, and reflect off sand, water and concrete, causing your child to get sunburn.

· Infants have a thinner skin and an underdeveloped melanin. This makes it so their skin will burn more easily than older children. All babies under six months of age should be kept out of the sun whenever possible. If your infant needs to be outdoors, try and dress him in clothing that covers his body. This includes a wide brimmed hat to cover his face. Also try to keep infants under an umbrella. This will help to create shade.

· If your children are going to be in and out of the water, use sunscreen that is waterproof. Remember to reapply sunscreen when your children come out of the water.

Children and Sunburn
Children can easily get sunburn after spending a long day outdoors. Many kids are fine during the day, but later find out that they have developed sunburn. This is better known as an after-burn. It can be very painful and causes the skin to feel hot. A child may also experience itchy and tight skin. Burned skin will tend to peel about a week after the sunburn has developed.
Here are some tips that can help you make your child more comfortable if they do get sunburn.

· Try and keep your child out of the sun until their sunburn is healed. Additional sun exposure will only make the burn worse and increase the pain that your child is suffering from.

· To help relieve sunburn pain, apply pure aloe vera gel to the areas that are burned on your child's skin. This also helps to heal the skin quicker.

· Re-hydrate your child's skin by applying topical moisturizing cream. This can also help to reduce swelling.
If your child's sunburn does become severe and blisters develop make sure to contact your child's doctor.

Not only is it important for your children to follow sun safety rules, it is important for parents as well. Be a good example for your children by following the same sun safety rules as they do. By just remembering some of the tips listed, and using sunscreen, you and your family can be on your way to a sun safe summer.