Summer is here! For most of us, spending time outdoors is a welcome change from the last few months. Whether your family fills their days swimming, biking, picnicing or backyard sprinkling, sunscreen is a must! But before you go out and spend a mini fortune on creams, sprays, sticks, lotions and gels, let’s talk sunscreen basics.

Who should use it:

• Everyone age 6 months and up
• Under 6 months:
  • Avoid being out in the direct sun; shade is ideal!
  • Wide brimmed hats and protective clothing should be worn.
  • You can apply a baby-friendly sunscreen to small, exposed areas. Specifically, I recommend Blue Lizard Sensitive sunscreen.

When to use it:

• Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outside.
• Reapply after swimming, sweating or every 2 hours (whichever comes first!)
• Use sunscreen on cloudy or overcast days, too.

Where to apply it:

• Apply a generous amount to all sun-exposed areas.
• Don’t forget ears, noses, shoulders, tops of feet and behind the knees!

Why use it:

• Sunscreens can prevent sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer. Those are enough reasons for me!

What to look for:

Following the American Academy of Dermatology’s recommendations, sunscreen should be:

1. Broad Spectrum– This means it protects against both harmful UVA and UVB rays.*
2. SPF 30 or higher– Though there is limited benefit to SPF greater than 50.
3. Water Resistant – This sunscreen will stay on wet or sweaty skin for 40 or 80 minutes before needing to reapply.

What you should know:

Mineral blocks are the best. These sunscreens contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as their protective ingredient. (Yes, zinc oxide, the ingredient in diaper creams!) Sometimes these are still visible on the skin after rubbing them in. That’s ok! Mineral blocks work very well, are super safe and gentle to sensitive skin.

Try to avoid sunscreens with the ingredient oxybenzone. Its safety is under question by the FDA.

Typically sprays aren’t recommended because they tend to apply unevenly. However, I do carry a spray to the beach for reapplication only. Have you ever tried applying lotion to wet, sandy skin? It’s the worst!

For faces: I love sunscreen sticks! They’re easy to apply and are less likely to get into eyes. So, I usually pick up a few sticks for faces and a few lotions for everywhere else.

What I suggest:

My favorite sticks are:

• Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby
• Aveeno Baby Natural Protection

Lotions that I recommend are:

• Blue Lizard
• Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection
• Coppertone Kids Tear Free Zinc
• Cerave Baby Mineral

What else to do:

• Cover up! Dress your kids in sunglasses, hats, long sleeve swim shirts and sun protective clothing.
• Opt for UV blocking umbrellas. The sun can burn right through a lightweight blanket if used as a sun cover.
• Avoid staying outside in direct sunlight during the sun’s peak times (10am-4pm).
• Check expiration dates on last year’s sunscreen. They may not work as well if they’re expired.
• Don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours or after getting wet.

Stay sun safe to prevent sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer. A little effort goes a long way. Enjoy the long summer days ahead!

*Broad spectrum refers to UVA and UVB rays:

UVA rays penetrate the skin deeply, primarily causing skin to tan and wrinkle prematurely; they also leads to the development of skin cancer.

UVB rays are those that are responsible for sunburn to the superficial layer of skin and the main culprit in the development of skin cancer.