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Sunscreen myths all parents should know
Posted Jul 9th 2007 12:00PM by Heather Craven
Filed under: Skin Cancer
When it comes to sunscreen basics there still seems to be some confusion over when and how much to apply to the arms and shoulders of our kids. Some parents believe that too much will be detrimental or that there are time when no protection is needed at all. Below is a quick rundown that reveals the truth about basic sun protection.
- All sun expsosure, even if it produces a tan, is harmful for the skin. Any sort of tan damages the skin. Over time the more sun exposure a child receives, the more likely he/she will develop skin cancer.
- An umbrella does not eliminate the need for further sun protection such as sunblock. The sun's rays are reflected by the ground and will cause a burn despite the fact that you are sitting in the shade. Shade is still a great form of protection, just don't forget to lather up with sunscreen.
- UVA rays do penetrate glass windows. This makes riding in the car a situation where sunscreen is still needed, especially for youn, delicate skin.
- Most adults and children get enough Vitamin D from sources other than the sun. So the myth that too much sunscreen inhibits the body's ability to produce Vitamin D is not applicable.
- Sunscreen is needed even when it is cloudy outside. Up to 80% of the sun's UV rays are able to penetrate cloud cover.
- Parents need to lather on the sunscreen just as much as kids. Grownups will still receive up to 75% of their sun exposure after they reach adulthood. It is imperative to cover up our children and then continue to protect ourselves for a life of healthy skin.
The above are just
some basic facts about sun protection, but when followed the likelihood for serious skin cacncer problems can be reduced or eliminated.
Tags: skin cancer, skin protection, SkinCancer, SkinProtection, sunscreen, umbrellas, urban myths, UrbanMyths, UV rays, UVA rays, UvaRays, UVB rays, UvbRays, UvRays
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1. Rickets (a devastating condition, usually in children, caused by insufficient vitamin D) is on the rise again. There are many news articles out there documenting that. This is a concern especially for darker-skinned children if they are lathered head-to-toe with sunblock. Some exposure to sun is healthy to both the body and psyche.
Posted at 2:26PM on Jul 9th 2007 by Jon