Both of my children have skin sensitivities. For my son it is the triple play that is classic for kids. He has asthma, allergies and eczema. When he was a baby his skin would get very dried out and his poor little cheeks would get so red they would have tiny cracks on them. We had to use steroid cream to combat this until the little guy was finally diagnosed and I was educated on how to take care of his most important organ. I was hoping that my daughter would not have to deal with the craziness that my little man does, however, we were not as lucky. Although she does not have the “triple play”, she does have eczema and very sensitive skin. Her skin is not as baby soft and smooth as most and I have to make sure that we are moisturizing and cleaning her skin often as she will react to any little chemical.
We spend a lot of time outside in the summer, like most families, so I thought it would be great to share my 5 Tips to Sun Safety for Kids with Skin Sensitivities.
- Wear proper protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses. We try to make sure that we are wearing breathable clothing that will dry relatively quickly and not retain much moisture. This goes for swim wear and general clothes. I am very particular about the fabrics that my kids wear and tend to put them in a lot of lightweight cottons and steer clear of polyester blends.
- Rotate in and out of the sun. The suns rays are damaging and that is not news. Allowing our skin a break every 10-15 minutes gives your skin a break. Locate some shade folks.
- Hydrate. During those breaks, make sure to drink a lot of water and push that habit with your children. Your body is largely built of water and for people with eczema and skin sensitivities, hydration is key. Making sure that you are internally healthy is just as important as being externally healthy.
- Take care of your skin year round. This should be obvious. I know that today my pictures and timing are for the summer, but honestly each seasonal change comes with different challenges. Make sure that you adjust your skin care routine to the season. In the summer we use sunscreen and shade and protective clothing, in the winter we lather up with lotion, in the spring and fall it is typically a combination of everything.
- Sunscreen. This is critical and for people with skin sensitivities it is even more important that you really make sure you choose the best option. Remember that you skin is your first line of defense for your immune system and that damage to it can be fatal in some cases. Knowing that skin cancer is more prevalent later in life due to sunburns sustained in childhood and that one in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer, it is critical that we protect our skin. I find it interesting that only about 20% of American’s use sunscreen with an SPF daily. For my family we are in that 20%. I make sure that my make up has SPF, as well any lotions that we use daily and that I have non-expired sunscreen in every bag, car and exit outside.
For our main sun protection I have recently switched over to Neutrogena products because they were just awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. They have really focused on using naturally sourced ingredients and designed a sunscreen technology called PURESCREEN® that forms a screen between the sun and skin to provide the best, lightweight, most sensitive, protection.
- The Neutrogena® Sensitive Skin Sunscreen SPF 60+ with PURESCREEN® technology, goes on smooth and light and provides superior protection with a high SPF.
- One of my favorite products is the Pure & Free Baby Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 60. This item is in my purse and is so easy to put on my kids. I like the wide bar to allow for quicker application and good coverage. I also like that it is made for babies with sensitive skin in mind.
- The Pure & Free Liquid Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50. I have been using it under my make up because it is not oily and does not clog pores, in addition it is sweat-proof!
I am eager to try out the other Neutrogena products because of how great they have been on our sensitive skin. There have been less breakouts, rashes, and skin issues and absolutely no sunburns so far this year. I could not be happier with the switch and hope that everyone will follow my tips for sun safety and product recommendations. Please make sure to also check out Neutrogena on their website, Facebook and Twitter.
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