Sun Safety Facts

We at sandpailkids.com recognize the importance of fun and healthy outdoor activities. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends these ten simple precautions to take to help protect you and your family.

1. Seek the shade, especially during the sun's peak hours (10:00am-4:00pm)
2. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
3. Cover up with clothing, especially a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
4. Avoid tanning parlors and artificial tanning devices.
5. Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements.
6. Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens can be used on babies over the age of six  months.
7. Teach children good sun-protective practices.
8. Examine your skin from head to toe once every month.
9. Have a professional examination annually.
10. Avoid tanning and especially -- do not burn! One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma.

These tips and more can be found at www.skincancer.org/prevention/index.php and for more kid friendly info and activities go to www.skincancer.org/children/index.php.

Sunscreen Facts

UVB- Primarily responsible for sunburn and suntan. Long term exposure leads to premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.

UVA- Primarily responsible for premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.

High SPF sunscreens don't necessarily offer broader or better protection. SPF only indicates the amount of UVB protection a product provides and does not indicate how much if any UVA protection is provided. The consumer needs to understand that the specific formulation of the sunscreen determines the amount of protection provided. Zinc Oxide products (6% or higher) provide very photostable UVB and UVA protection.High SPF products typically contain high levels of organic chemicals that can increase the potential for irritation and aborption, especially in children.

Its not gonna work if it doesn't stay on...

No sunscreen is "waterproof/sweatproof." Sunscreen should always be applied to dry skin. All sunscreens start to come off during activity; it is important that sunscreen be reapplied after towel drying. Products labled as "waterproof" in the united states have completed an 80-minute still-water bath test. Products labled as "very water resistant" in Australia retain their SFP after 240 minutes in moving water. The FDA has asked for volentary removal of the use of "waterproof" and "sweatproof" labels.

No such thing as complete protection...

No sunscreen offers complete protection against the sun. Therefore products using the term "sunblock" are a misnomer as they allow some UV to penetrate the skin. A product that contains Zinc Oxide does provide blocking (reflective) capabilities but even Zinc Oxide, unless applied as a paste, allows a little UV light to penetrate the skin.