Sunscreen Recommendations for Children

I use a sunscreen powder that comes in a super easy applicator brush package. It's by Peter Thomas Roth and can be found at Sephora stores or QVC.com online. It's just a powder you dust on so you can reapply it in 5 seconds whenever needed.....no sticky creams.

1 mom found this helpful

We use Aveeno Baby sunscreen. My 1 year old is so fair and last year I was concerned about her getting burned, but the Aveeno seemed to do the trick!

Look for sunscreens that are total sunblock. That is UVA and UVB protection. There were a lot more out on the market last year and YES, you do need to reapply at least once per day, but more often if they are sun sensitive.

I make my kids wear hats and sunglasses too. We also buy cheap surfer shirts when we get to the beach and they wear those over their swimsuits.

Have you ever checked out the sunbrella website?

Hi T., my medication makes me very, very sun sensitive. What I have found is no matter the strength of sunblock I use, most are neglectful in saying, "This product is best used 1 hour before going in sunlight." It takes time for sunblock to soak into the skin and therefore it working properly. So try rubbing it on your childrens sking an hour before they go in sun, and then repeat every couple of hours if they are in water.

T., after living in Florida for 22 years, my recommendation for sunscreen is Bullfrog. It is waterproof and they even have a spray for children. My husband and I went to the Keys (FL.) years ago before we had kids (he's fair skinned). We used Bullfrog the whole week there. When he went back to work, the guys asked, "I thought you went to the Keys for vacation". His skin was the same color as when he left. He still had fair skin and didn't even burn. We were mostly in the water too and it never washed off. Hope this helps!

i use the same stuff on my son that i do on myself. the oil of olay daily protection in 30 spf.

Hi T.
I have been a Consultant with Arbonne for 3 years and recommend our baby care sunscreen it is the BEST!! www.betsygrant.myarbonne.com ... try Arbonne Baby Care Sunscreen SPF 30 it provides great sun protection (broad-spectrum) it is formulated with SPF 30+ this lotion provides maximum protection for sensitive skin and Mom can use it too!
Did you know that if you put a sunscreen on your child with more than a SPF 30 then they go out in the sun their skin can burn from the chemicals that are in the sunscreen? My neice had a bad burn last summer and her Mom had been using a very high SPF which she kept reaplying ... my neice burned big time her Mom took her to the DR and he told her Mom never use anything higher than a SPF 30 ... be careful with what you pick out to use.... B.

Hey T., The sun block I use for my son is SPF 60 and it seems to work well. If your kids are still getting red faced you can reapply on their faces a little. Also hats are a good thing if you can get your child to wear them.

E. M

I have very fair skin and so do my boys. We live in the country and are outside almost every day. In the summer I like to use Avon SOS spray with sunscreen. It is very easy to apply and also keeps the bugs away. I usually reapply if we are outside for more than 3 or 4 hours. Hope this helps.

Nutrogena for sensitive skin in spf 30 works well on most, and since it's a physical sunblock (titanium dioxide), not a chemical one it won't irritate thier skin. You need to apply it at least once every 1.5 hours, probably every hour if they are sweating or playing hard, especially since you said they are very fair skinned.

M. and amara 8/25/01

I reaally don't know. The only thing i can suggest is to ask their doctor what he would reccomend you do the next you visit their doctor jus ask. It wouldn't hurt anything either he can say something to help or something that you've already tried.

Hi T.- isn't it amazing we're already getting to that time of year?

My sister is in Dermatology and she basically insists that we use Neutrogena UltraSheer SPF 55 with HELIOPLEX. It's lightweight, oil-free, PABA free, UVA/UVB protection, etc. We use this day to day.

We also have a boat and are very active in the summertime, sometimes going out several times a week. For water play, we use a product line called Blue Lizard. It's an Australian sunscreen that comes in many different formulations- regular, sensitive, face, baby. You can now find it at some drugstores or dermatology offices. This has the same protection as the Neutrogena, but it stays on much better. My sister says that Australian sunscreens have to pass much stricter guidelines than American sunscreens. These sunscreens are more expensive, but they're worth it for our family. Both of our kids have fair complexions, and even by the end of the summer, they have hardly any suntans.

You have to reapply ALL sunscreens, especially if the kids are sweating or swimming.

Good luck!
J.

I love the continuous spray sun screen. It is so easy to apply. After a couple of hours I would re-apply if they have fair complexions.

We use Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50 spray-on sunscreen. We even use it on ourselves :) Our pediatrician recommended it.

I'm a mother of 4 and we have a pool and the only thing that I found that works is the coppertone sports but I do reapply several times throughout the day. You need to reapply to dry skin and let it soak in before they return to the water though because it may sting when the get right back in. I live in Arkansas so we have about the same climate, Good luck. P. S

I live in Louisiana too. Can you imagine, sunburns already. I am a big fan of Coppertone Water Babies continuous spray. If your kids are getting really sweaty or wet, you may have to reapply every two hours. That is what I try to do. My daughter is more sensitive to the sun than my son so I have to apply hers more often.

blue lizard is the best. you can buy it at cvs...about 12 dollars but my dr says it is the only one to buy. i have also heard that waterbabies is good too?

We use Aveeno Baby, SPF 50 (?). It's really great. Neutrogena is also good, as it has Helioplex, which helps it last longer. The Aveeno seems to last but you do need to reapply occasionally, especially if it's hot and humid. They'll sweat if off fairly quickly. The Aveeno can be hard to find occasionally, so if Walmart doesn't have it, you can always try Walgreens/CVS. It's a littl emore expensive, but works and doesn't break out my daughter's sensitive and eczema-prone skin.

Hi T.,

Here is what we use and why:
Enfuselle® SPF 30 for Body - "Natural" Protection for a Sunny Day

Designed for all skin types, including the most sensitive skin, this patented, waterproof, oil-free sunscreen smoothes easily into your skin and absorbs quickly, without leaving a sticky residue. Soothing and moisturizing, it does not irritate the skin. Patented Vital-Repair+® contains antioxidant vitamins and botanicals. The formula offers UVA and UVB protection and adds an extra defense against premature skin aging.

You can read more about it at:
http://www.shaklee.net/thewrightplace/product/32519

You can get a good SPF 45 or 50 at Walmart. You need that for fair-skinned kids...with re-applications about every hour to 1 1/2 hours...depends on how much the sweat or swim. If they are swimming...definitely every hour.

Hi T.,

I have lived in Louisiana my whole life and have 4 & 6 year old girls. One is fair and the other is not. I use anything with an spf of 40 or higher. Coppertone makes a good one. I apply every 2 hours when we are out in the sun. The key to the sun block is reading how often it says to reapply. If you are doing something water related make sure you reapply. Make sure that you get something water & sweat proof. It will tell you on the bottle. I am fair skinned myself and have to make sure I apply every couple of hours or I turn red. Hope this helps.

BullFrog spray. My daycare recommended to me a few years ago. Its the only one they like to use bec it is easy to apply and really stays on and works. You can find it at Walmart...Target, etc. Good luck!

Bullfrog or sunblock at 45 strength. I'm a redhead so I understand. They didn't have that when I was little so now I am dealing with precancerous cells....not fun.
B.

You probably need to reapply more often. My son is very fair skinned, so I slather him down every hour we are outside. There are stickers that you can buy that turn a different color when you need to reapply sunscreen. I believe they are called sunspot stickers. Hope this helps.

Hi T.

I'm from Louisiana and I know what your going through. last year my little girls Dr. gave me a sample of (Aveeno Baby) is Continuous Protection sunblock lotion. It's also spf45 and uva/uvb protection and it's water-resistant. It also say on the back how and when to reapply I hope this helps you out.

H. from louisiana

First of all, make sure the sunscreen is not expired. If it's been in your cabinet for more than a few months, toss it. Also, if you buy it at a dollar store or something, it may be old and useless before you get it.

Personally, I use Coppertone stick for my kids faces (easier to cover without getting it in the eyes!) and NoAD spray for their bodies. I love the spray - I am much more likely to re-apply the sunscreen if it doesn't involve lotion! Don't forget to re-apply it every 2 hours!

My mom has skin cancer and my little ones are fair faced too. Hope these suggestions work for you!

I use coppertone baby and usually try to reapply every 1-1.5 hours. This seems to work really well. They also have those sticks for the face...awesome! Anyhow, hope this helps!

maybe you need to get a higher spf such as fifty if they are only out 3 hours you shouldn't have to reapply but kids do sweat so give them the water proof kind and if it is only their faces it may be chapping their cheeks i had this problem with my son at age 3 his skin was just too sensitive

Hi T.... I am very fair and so are some of my kids. I have had troubles in the past like you. Last year one of my sil told me to try Bullfrog brand.. they have it with bug repel and without.. it worked wonderfull and did not come off when wet.. hope this helps and good luck.
H.

What is most important in any sunscreen is to make sure it is broad spectrum protection, that is works to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. The UVA the Aging rays can damage the underlying collagen and elastin, where as the UVB are the Burning rays and can lead to freckles, age spots and eventually skin cancer. Also check to make sure the sunscreen does not contain any mineral oil. Mineral oil is a by product of the crude oil distribution. It has many synonyms.
I would reccomend the ABC Baby line of products from Arbonne International. They are Safe, Pure and Beneficial. I am an Independent Consultant with Arbonne and would be happy to send you a sample strip of the ABC line.
J.

my daughter had crazy skin sensativity and broke out in whelps from coppertone, aveeno, you name it. We had great success with the arbonne babies sunscreen. NO skin ittiration and it is waterproof with a 50 spf. It seemed to last a good 3 to 4 hours. A little goes a long way. I runs about $25 a tube but one tube lasts us a while. For every day we use either the eucerin daily moisturizing lotion with 15 from Walgreens or cvs but next time I am going to buy the suneffects lotion b/c it has 30 spf. I was looking for something just for everytday rather than the waterproof lotion for the beach. good luck.