Summer is here and many of us are enjoying the sunny weather – whether at home in the garden, out and about in the city, or traveling. Nevertheless, we should not underestimate the effect of UV rays on the skin, and especially with our children, we should ensure adequate sun protection! To still be able to enjoy holidays and hot summer days with your little ones, as a boep founder, doctor, and mother of three, I’ll give you some tips on sun protection for children.
How long can children stay in the sun?
Children's skin is still significantly thinner than that of adults and usually has less natural UV protection. This means that children's skin, when not creamed, can generally get sunburned more quickly. Repeated sunburns in childhood should absolutely be avoided, as they increase the risk of developing skin cancer in later years.
Depending on skin type and age, the recommended duration children can safely spend in the sun varies. Infants and toddlers under 1 year of age should not be exposed to direct sunlight at all. They should stay in the shade as much as possible or be protected from direct sun with appropriate measures such as sun hats, umbrellas, and/or UV protective clothing.
Even after the first year of life, your child should take regular breaks in the shade, and particularly intense sun exposure (e.g., on air mattresses) should be time-limited. The natural protection of the skin of many older children is around 10 minutes, so with the additional use of sunscreen with SPF 30, the child should not stay in the sun for much longer than 5 hours a day (10 x 30 = 300 minutes, 300/60 = 5 hours).
But to avoid despairing about this, the following applies: In the early morning or late evening hours with a low UV index (1-2), a child can sometimes stay in the sun for a short time without sun protection, because this is also important for the body's own vitamin D synthesis. With a higher UV index (from 3) and longer stays in the garden, at the beach or in the swimming pool, we recommend that you wear additional protective UV clothing and headgear in addition to adequate sun protection, even on cloudy days. The local UV index is displayed in your weather app and shows you when it makes sense to apply sunscreen.
Which UV filter for children?
Mineral UV filters (e.g., zinc oxide, titanium dioxide), unlike chemical or synthetic UV filters, do not work directly on the skin cell. Instead, they form a protective layer on the skin that acts like a barrier. This means mineral sunscreens protect immediately after application and do not require any waiting time. For this reason, I prefer mineral sunscreens as sun protection for babies and children.
Which SPF is right for my child?
The choice of the right sun protection factor depends on the skin type and the time spent in the sun. For your kids, I recommend using a mineral sunscreen or sun milk with at least SPF 30 or SPF 50. The sun protection factor indicates how much the skin's natural protection time is extended. Assuming your child can stay in the sun for 10 minutes unprotected without their skin turning red, this time is extended to 300 minutes, or a maximum of 5 hours, with an SPF 30 sunscreen.
In our blog post "When to use which sun protection factor" you will find an overview of the different skin types as well as a simple formula for calculation.
How do I maintain sun protection?
It's important to remember that regular reapplication maintains, but does not extend, the protection. Reapplying sunscreen is especially important when sweating heavily or after being in the water (even with "waterproof" sunscreens). This is because even with sunscreens advertised as "waterproof," protection can be reduced by as much as 50% after being in the water and then toweling off.
For sun protection for children after the first year of life: It's best to apply cream to the child directly before daycare. Here you'll find more tips on sun protection in daycare.
O U R E X P E R T
Dr. med Michaela Hagemann I boep founder, doctor & mother of 3
