There aren’t many places in the U.S. that have more sun and active people than Austin, Texas. That’s why PMT turned to dermatologist Jennifer Aranda. She said the most common sun-related skin problem for children she treats is sunburn.
“The damage that leads to skin cancer starts in childhood, so it is important that to teach children good sun protection habits at an early age. Adequate use of sunscreen can help minimize the occurrence of sunburns” — Jennifer Aranda.
There are many sunscreens that are specially formulated for babies and children and for those with “sensitive skin”. Aranda said that the key distinction is that “some of these sunscreens tend to have ingredients that are physical (as opposed to chemical) sunscreens, such as zinc oxide.”
Sunscreen makers continue to release sunscreens with higher and higher levels of SPF (sunscreen protection factor), Aranda suggests using anything with an SPF 30 or greater and that you need to apply it 20-30 minutes before going outside. Apply it at least every 2 hours. While spray sunscreens can make it easier to use, it is harder to tell if it is evenly applied and that can lead to missed areas getting sunburned. No matter what the claim is on the bottle, no sunburn can provide 100 percent protection from harmful rays.
Be extra careful near water, snow and sand “because they reflect the damaging rays of the sun,” Aranda cautioned. She works at Lakeway Dermatology just outside of Austin.
Pucker up! Lips can get burnt too. Become good friends with a lip balm that contains sunscreen. Another factor Aranda emphasizes is a healthy diet rich in vitamin D — salmon, tuna and other fatty fish are good sources. But even if you get your get a healthy dose of vitamin D. Oh yeah, and don’t live like Snooki in a tanning bed, because Aranda said there is no “safe way” to tan.
– Griff Simmons
