I’ve been wondering, are the rash guards all the kids wear today a clever marketing ploy, or do they serve an important purpose?
When I was a kid, spending long days in the Texas sun, there were no rash guards to be found, and most of us had skin that looked like the Coppertone girl’s. (Remember, the super-tan, pig-tailed, little girl whose dog was trying to pull off her bathing suit?) For the most part, parents today seem vigilant about protecting their kids from the sun’s harmful rays, which is vital for maintaining good skin health in their years ahead.
It turns out that many sunscreen products don’t effectively protect us from the sun’s harmful rays. Not only do some products leave our skin exposed to the sun’s harmful rays, but many brands also include harmful chemicals in their products.
In order to be effective, a sunscreen product needs to provide protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Until recently, many brands provided protection only for UVB radiation (the type primarily responsible for burns), but provided no protection from UVA radiation (the type increasingly implicated in melanoma incidence). The rash guards play an important role after all; they protect our skin from UVA and UVB rays. There are four of them in my son’s dresser, and his tan line is faint compared to the Coppertone girl’s.
Tips for safety in the sun for you and your little ones
- Look for products that provide protection against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays
- Avoid sunscreen that has the hormone disrupting chemical oxybenzone
- Don’t forget your lips! Search out a lip balm with UVA and UVB protection
Below is a list of the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Easy To Find Best Picks’ for sunscreen products. Also, check out the Safe Sunscreen Widget at the top the post.
- California Baby – any sunscreen
- Mustela – “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”
- Mission Skincare – “Face Stick”
- Neutrogena – “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”
- Blue Lizard – “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”
- Jason Natural or Earth’s Best – “Mineral Based”
- Solar Sense – “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”
- CVS – “Sport Sunstick”
- Coppertone Water BABIES – “Pure & Simple”
For additional information on Sunscreen Safety, and to learn about the results of the Environmental Working Group’s recent investigation into Sunscreen safety and effectiveness, visit www.ewg.org.
http://www.usfamilyguide.com/community.php?referralcode=460
I am always slathering my kids with sunscreen and never once thought about possible ineffectivness or even harmfulness. Thanks for the list of safe sunscreens.