Protecting kids from summer sun requires vigilance | THE MOM STOP

I’d like to think that I’m vigilant about protecting my kids against skin damage.

They’ve grown up wearing rash-guard shirts, having us apply and reapply sunblock, and hearing my husband and I talk to them about the risks posed by sun burns.

I am, after all, a walking billboard for what can happen if you get too much sun ― I regularly have moles removed “just in case” and I have an inch-long scar on my chin from where I had a skin graft from melanoma. And we also have an uncle and great-uncle who have also had melanoma.

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I’m thankful that skin protection has evolved in the last 50 years. Gone are the days of my mother’s childhood, when there was no such thing as sunblock and people slathered their skin with baby oil.

While tanning beds still exist, I’d like to think that more of today’s youth use self-tanners or spray tans rather than letting themselves bake in tanning beds the way my sister and I sometimes did as teens or college students.

I’d like to think that because of evolving technology and knowledge about the dangers of skin damage, my kids’ generation will be less prone to skin cancers or premature aging. But then, who knows? And, despite the best intentions, sunburns still occur.

As I write this, my family is at the beach on vacation with my mother, my sister and extended family. Each morning, my kids get their swimsuits on, I slather them with sunblock before they even leave the house. My son, who has blonde hair and unfortunately inherited my very light, sunburn-prone skin, wears rash-guard shirts and sometimes hats. And, of course, we reapply the sunscreen while we are out at the beach.

And still, after the first day at the beach and at the pool, my son realized his cheeks were reddened like tomatoes. My 9-year-old daughter’s shoulders were so beet-red that it hurt her to put on her pajamas that night.

Despite the best intentions, sunburns still happen. As parents, we just have to do the best we can in staying on top of preventing what we can.

Below are skin protection tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun when possible.

• Wear sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15.

• SPF refers to how long a person will be protected from a burn.

• Sunscreen performance is affected by wind, humidity, perspiration and proper application.

• Throw away sunscreens after 1–2 years (they lose potency).

• Reapply at least every two hours and each time a person gets out of the water or perspires heavily.

• Wear clothing with a tight weave or high-SPF clothing.

• Wear wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses with UV protection and side panels.

• Take breaks in shaded areas.

Lydia Seabol Avant writes The Mom Stop for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Parents, it's time to protect your kids from the sun | THE MOM STOP