Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US, and it only takes one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double a person's chance of developing melanoma later in life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
Because babies are much more prone to sunburn than older kids, it's especially important to protect them from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
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In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Dr. Megha Tollefson, a Mayo Clinic pediatric dermatologist, offers tips for keeping babies safe outdoors.
"Sunburns can be very painful," explains Tollefson. "They can be a setup for infection if they're fairly severe."
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Although sunburns are thought to be short-term concerns, there are also long-term risks to sun exposure.
"The more UV exposure a child gets — especially the younger in life that it starts — and the more sunburns they have, the higher their risk for skin cancer later in life," Tollefson says.
Sun protection in the first 20 years of life is the most crucial for protecting against long-term skin cancer risk.
For infants, it's best to avoid peak sun hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If that's not possible, keep the baby in the shade or put on long-sleeved clothing and a hat.
Tollefson also recommends using sunscreen on areas of exposed skin.
"We would recommend that, at that age, parents use the sunscreens that have physical blockers rather than chemical blockers because they're better for sensitive skin," she says.
Look for these ingredients when selecting a sunscreen for baby:
• Titanium dioxide
• Zinc oxide
Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours or right after swimming or sweating.
-by DeeDee Stiepan
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