The sun is one of the best friends of children and their health, a source of feel-good happiness that warms the skin and the soul. However, the children’s skin is very delicate and it must be protected properly from the sun on holiday and whenever spending time outdoors. Their thin skin is fragile and defenceless and certainly more at risk than that of adults, which is why it is essential to be extremely careful when exposing children to the sun, preferring the early morning and late afternoon, when UV rays are less strong. For additional protection, they should wear light-coloured breathable clothing, hats with visors and CE-marked sunglasses, which meet European safety and effectiveness requirements.
However, all these precautions must be used in combination with sunscreens specially formulated for children. Protecting your kid’s skin is especially important because children have very low levels of melanin, the dark pigment that protects them from sunburn and makes them tan.
The MammaBaby® sunscreens have a very high protection capacity. They are formulated according to the best principles specifically for the sensitive skin of children to protect against the negative effects of ultraviolet UVA and UVB radiation. Sunscreen must be applied again frequently to maintain protection, especially after perspiring or after getting wet or dry.
YOUR CHILD’S SKIN AND THE SUN
The advice is always to keep unprotected children out of the direct sun, shunning the middle of the day in all cases and avoiding prolonged exposure because this is a major health risk.
SPF is the Sun Protection Factor and understanding it is useful. The number indicates the sun exposure time before starting to burn. It takes a certain time to get sunburned if exposed without protection. Having determined the minutes, multiple by the protection factor to obtain the number of minutes of protected exposure before you start to get burned. For example, if a product with a protection factor of 10 is applied to a skin that starts to burn after twenty minutes, you will have 20 x 10 = 200 minutes.
However, these values are only theoretical. In reality, there are also other factors to consider, such as the skin type and UV intensity of the location, as well as the time of day when one is exposed to the sun. In addition, SPF is a value that indicates protection against UVB, not UVA, radiation. So, alone it does not protect from the full spectrum of the sun’s radiation. For this reason, when buying sunscreen, it is important to ensure that it can screen against both UVA and UVB. Read the labels carefully. In addition to the SPF, the label should state the letters “UVA” enclosed in a circle.
Our Albertino, Sole Baby SPF 50+ sunscreen given you all the peace of mind you need. The product is dermatologically tested for sensitive skin. It is water-resistant and PEG, colouring and paraben-free. It has an efficient, innovative and photostable filtering system (offering broad-spectrum protection from UVB-UVA radiation) and effectively protects the delicate skin of little ones from sunburn and sun rash in a natural way.
Crucially, the product together with Sole Mamma SPF30 sunscreen passed the ABICH TEST on sensitive skin, with flying colours. The product remained in contact with the skin for 48 hours without triggering any reactions.
That’s not all. The MammaBaby® Line sunscreens are packaged with the Bag-on-Valve system that in addition to being an excellent dispensing system also reduces the environmental impact. The special ecological and sustainable 360° dispenser allows easy and uniform application of the product even in the most difficult to reach areas, facilitating uniform protection and a gradual response of the skin to the action of the sun.
In the Bag On Valve system, the compressed air in the aerosol can is contained outside the bag and works as a propellant on the product inside. In contrast to conventional aerosol sprays, where the product and propellant are mixed, separating the two components offers several benefits:
- It is safe because simple compressed air is used, with no flammable or ozone-depleting propellants.
- The product can be dispensed in any position and this is particularly handy for children.
- Spray noise is reduced compared to normal spray nozzles.
- No chilling effect.
SKIN TYPE GUIDE
Taking skin type into account when choosing a sun protection factor is crucial. The skin classification is based on the melanin present and is important to understand the skin’s reactions when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It also illustrates the type of tan that can be obtained based on complexion.
Skin type 1
Very fair complexion often freckled. The hair is usually red or blond. The eyes are usually blue/green. Skin type 1 lacks melanin and therefore does not tan. The risk of severe (even permanent) sunburn and skin damage is high. The recommended protection factor in these cases is SPF 50+.
Skin type 2
Fair complexion with light brown or dark blond hair. The eyes are often light. Skin type 2 has a low amount of melanin and tends to take on a golden colour when it tans. The skin burns easily unless the appropriate protection is used. In this case, protection with SPF 50+ is recommended during the first three days of sun exposure, especially for the face and shoulder areas. Protection with SPF 30 is recommended from the fourth day onwards.
Skin type 3
The typically Mediterranean skin type 3 is the most common in Italy. Slightly dark complexion. Brown hair colour and eyes tending towards dark brown. This skin type has a high concentration of melanin, so it will develop a deeper tan that lasts longer than that of the previous skin types. The skin burns only if exposed to the sun for a long time and during hours not recommended for any skin type. Again, it is suggested to apply different SPFs, specifically a high or medium filter (SPF 30 or 20) during the first three days, while low protection can be used from the fourth day onwards.
Skin type 4
Olive complexion. Black or very dark brown hair. Very dark eyes tending towards dark brown/black. Skin type 4 have a high level of melanin and will therefore tan easily by sunbathing for a short while. These skin types burn very difficultly. However, protection from UVA and UVB rays is still needed, the recommended protection being medium (SPF 15) at least for the first few days.
Skin type 5
Typical of Middle Eastern populations, this skin type has an olive-brown complexion. The hair is black and the eyes are very dark. Although this skin type has a natural tan due to the high melanin content, it is always advisable to use protection, even if it is low (SPF 10).
Skin type 6
Dark complexion, black eyes and hair. This very dark skin type does not change colour with exposure to the sun, yet it is always advisable to keep ultraviolet rays at bay with a low protection level (SPF 10).