It’s April, and summer is coming soon. The sun will only get stronger and stronger. Baby skin is delicate, and babies must pay more attention to sun protection. Choosing a suitable sunscreen for your baby requires our time and thought.
How can you provide adequate sun protection for a baby?
The sun in summer is very “poisonous,” and the ultraviolet rays are intense. Exposure of the skin to ultraviolet rays for a long time will not only cause tanning, sunburn, and accelerated aging but also increase the chance of cancer, so it is necessary to take sun protection measures. The safety of various sunscreen ingredients has always been controversial, and many chemical sunscreen agents have been proven to cause endocrine, allergic, and other problems.
Chemical Sunscreen
Let’s list a few chemical sunscreen agents that are commonly used in sunscreens today:
Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate is a chemical sunscreen agent. It is a highly effective UVB absorber that is less irritating to the skin but can interfere with the human endocrine system. It has been observed to affect estrogen in animal experiments.
Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid is a UVB sunscreen agent that can absorb a small part of the UVA band. Phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid can produce free radicals when exposed to sunlight, causing DNA damage and potentially causing cancer.
Oxybenzone is a chemical sunscreen. One of the most widely used chemical sunscreens, it can block UVB and some UVA. Oxybenzone is one of the more dangerous chemical sunscreens. It is highly absorbed by the skin, can penetrate the skin, cause allergic skin reactions, and may disrupt hormones. Animal tests have shown that oxybeOxybenzoneoxic is toxic to the reproductive system and interferes with normal development. Sweden has banned this ingredient.
The last one, OxybeOxybenzone, has been proven by many authoritative organizations to be a relatively dangerous chemical sunscreen. Even Sweden has banned the use of this ingredient. Many countries, including China, stipulate that as long as the product contains this ingredient, it must be listed on the product label. Marked. Pregnant women and infants are advised not to use sunscreen containing OxybeOxybenzone. Ordinary people should use it as little as possible.
If you only use sunscreen occasionally, chemical sunscreen is not a big problem. If you are using sunscreen for a long time or infants and young children, choosing a currently considered safe physical sunscreen is recommended.
Physical Sunscreen
Physical sunscreen is a physical barrier that blocks ultraviolet rays, including UVA and UVB. It usually contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, similar to diaper cream. Physical sunscreen only stays on the skin’s surface, is easy to clean, does not irritate the skin, and is a safer choice for infants and young children.
Give priority to physical sunscreens, which contain zinc oxide or zinc oxide + titanium dioxide; avoid controversial chemical sunscreen ingredients: oxybeOxybenzonezophenone-3 and avobenzone; avoid allergenic and irritating ingredients: ethanol, toxins Isothiazolinone, paraben preservatives, artificial flavors; avoid ingredients that may cause photosensitivity: such as cinnamate.
But don’t stop eating because of choking or not use sunscreen for your baby because you are afraid that “sunscreen is harmful.” Children’s skin is delicate and more susceptible to damage from ultraviolet rays and the scorching sun than adults, so they should pay more attention to sun protection.
Xiran Baby has sunscreen products specifically designed for babies. The ingredients are simple, mild, non-irritating, and more suitable for children’s delicate skin.
Principles of Choosing Baby Sunscreen
1. Choose physical or partial physical hybrid baby sunscreen products.
Physical sunscreen is a physical barrier that blocks ultraviolet rays, including UVA and UVB, and usually contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, similar to diaper cream. Physical sunscreen only stays on the skin’s surface, is easy to clean, does not irritate the skin, and is a safer choice for infants and young children.
Chemical sunscreens work within the skin, absorbing UV rays before they can cause damage. Chemical sunscreens are lighter in texture and have more potent sun protection effects, but they may cause allergic reactions and affect health when used on babies. Parents are advised not to use chemical sunscreens on babies under six months old. Although it has not been proven that the chemical ingredients in sunscreen may be harmful to babies, there is not enough research to make it safe for children this age.
More than 80% of sunscreens on the market are products that combine physical and chemical sunscreen effects. It is recommended that parents choose physical or physical mixed sunscreen products.
2. Broad spectrum sun protection UVA+UVB
Possible harm to the skin caused by UVA includes tanning, wrinkles, and aging, while UVB can cause sunburn, sunburn, or blisters on the skin surface, so we need to choose sunscreen products for our babies that protect against both UVA and UVB.
Note: Regarding UVA protection, different countries have different labels. The United States marks Broad Spectrum (broad spectrum sun protection) on the packaging, China and Japan use PA, and Europe uses circle UVA.
3. Baby sunscreen choose SPF more significant than 15
SPF is a global label used to identify the ability to combat UVB.
The SPF value indicates that the sunscreen prolongs the time that ultraviolet rays damage the skin. The difference in the defense against ultraviolet rays between sunscreens with high and low coefficients is more minor than imagined. SPF15 sunscreen can block 95% of rays, while SPF30 can block about 97%.
Sunscreen ingredients themselves have a certain degree of burden on the skin. The higher the coefficient, the greater the burden on the skin. Generally, SPF15 to 50 is enough.
4. The ingredients are safe, mild, and non-irritating, suitable for babies over six months old
Choose sunscreen products specifically for children. The ingredients are simple, mild, non-irritating, and more suitable for babies’ delicate skin.
When choosing a sunscreen for their babies, parents should pay attention to the usage recommendations and applicable ages marked on the bottle to avoid choosing unsuitable sunscreen products.
Babies under six months old should not be exposed to direct sunlight. If clothes cannot completely cover the baby, some physical sunscreen should be applied to a small area of the baby, such as the face, behind the ears, insteps, etc. Babies over six months old can apply sunscreen all over their bodies.
5. Don’t choose spray sunscreen
Spray sunscreen is easy to use and very popular among people. However, spray sunscreen poses a severe inhalation hazard, and it is easy to miss an area when applying it, causing sunburn.
6. It is not recommended to choose baby sunscreen containing mosquito-repellent ingredients.
When doing outdoor activities, sunscreen needs to be reapplied frequently. If you choose a sunscreen containing mosquito-repellent ingredients, you must use a product with only sunscreen function when reapplying. Otherwise, it may cause poisoning.
Conclusion
Choosing a suitable sunscreen for your baby is essential. The insights provided here give you the power to choose wisely. And if you want to select a contract manufacturer for your brand of baby sunscreen? Contact us! Creating your own sun protection collection has always been challenging.
Xiran Baby has over 15+ years of experience producing private-label baby skincare products to do your job of developing your unique line of sun protection products as smoothly as possible. We have unique formulas and can add the ingredients you want to use to make your product ideas a reality!
