What's the best way to protect my children from the sun?

First of all, remember good sun protection is always a must and should become just as much a part of your children’s daily routine as brushing their teeth. Even on a cloudy day, up to 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UVA and UVB) can pass through the clouds and cause damage.

Here are sun safety tips you can use daily:

• Apply enough sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30 to cover all the exposed areas of the body. It takes about 1 ounce (enough to fill a shot glass) to cover the exposed areas of the body of an adult and a little less for a child, depending on his or her size. If you have any bottles of sunscreen left over from previous years, you are probably not using enough. Make “more is better” your sunscreen motto.
• It can take 30 minutes for a sunscreen to start working, so be sure to apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before heading outdoors.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours and after a dip in water, even if you are using a “water-resistant” product. Sunscreens rub, wash and sweat off easily. If your child is playing sports and sweating a lot, reapply more frequently.
• Protect your child from the sun by having him or her wear a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses and lip balm with an SPF. As for clothes, items with a tight weave provide the best protection. You can hold clothing up to the sun and see how much light comes through to check how well it blocks sun. A dry, white T-shirt typically only offers an SPF of about 7.
• Stay in the shade from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the sun’s peak hours.
• Remember the sun reflects from sand, snow, water and the pavement, so make sure your kids apply sunscreen all over (including the underside of the chin) to protect themselves from all angles.

There are so many sunscreen options, how do I pick the right one?

These are the recommendations I give my patients.

•  Broad-spectrum is best. Choose a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum coverage against both UVA and UVB light. These are the rays that cause sunburns, skin damage, cancer and wrinkles.
• Buy products that are water-resistant and with at least SPF 30. Anything above SPF 30 does not give you that much additional protection. The SPF number on the sunscreen bottle is a guide to how long you can stay in the sun without risking sunburn. For example, it takes about 10 minutes for unprotected skin to burn; whereas with an SPF 15 sunscreen, it takes 150 minutes to burn. Currently, the SPF number only refers to protection from UVB light.
• Look for products with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for infants, young children, and family members with sensitive skin and eczema. These ingredients physically block the sun’s rays from penetrating the skin, unlike chemically-based products that absorb the sun’s rays and dissipate them as heat. Products with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are also safe for people without skin sensitivities.

We're taking our 4-month-old baby boy to Hawaii. What's the best way to protect him from the sun?

Babies under 6 months of age should avoid all sun exposure and direct sunlight. Dress your son in lightweight pants and long-sleeved shirts and a hat with a brim. When you go out and about with him, apply a minimal amount of sunscreen (with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) to exposed areas such as his face and the backs of his hands.

Should my children be out in the sun more if I'm concerned they are not getting enough vitamin D?

Vitamin D is very important for good health and a lack of it can cause serious illnesses such as rickets – a disease that weakens bones. Sun exposure is one way of getting vitamin D and wearing sunscreen does decrease the skin’s production of it. However, intentional sun exposure is not the best option for your children’s health. Instead, talk to your doctor about adding more vitamin D rich foods to your children’s diet or taking a daily supplement.

My teenage daughter wants to go to an indoor tanning salon. Should I let her?

Teens, especially teenage girls, can be very attracted to indoor tanning because they see it as a quick and easy way to improve their appearance – and their friends are doing it, too. However, an indoor tanning salon is not a safe way to get a tan or to get more vitamin D. Tanning beds emit similar amounts of ultraviolet rays as the sun does and can cause equal skin damage and cancer. The bottom line is that there is no upside to indoor tanning beds or home-tanning equipment – your teen should definitely avoid both.

My child's skin is really dry. What type of moisturizer will help?

To avoid rough patches and discomfort from itchy and dry skin, moisturize twice a day, and if your child has eczema, it’s essential to moisturize often. Cream or ointment-based moisturizers are best. Creams that come in tubs or squeeze bottles tend to give better results than lotions that come in pump-based containers, as lotions are thinner than and not as effective as moisturizers.

You don’t need to buy products marketed specifically for babies. Instead, choose creams that are fragrance-free to avoid irritating your baby’s skin.

If your child still has dry and itchy skin, talk to your pediatrician about other treatment options.

What's the best way to ward off mosquitoes from my kids?

If you’re in an area that has lots of mosquitoes, dress the kids—and yourself—in long sleeves and pants. That’s the best preventive measure. For added protection, apply an insect repellent containing 10 to 30 percent DEET to exposed skin once before going outdoors.

Don’t put repellent around the eyes or mouths, and do not use DEET insect repellents on infants 2 months of age and younger.

If you don’t want to use repellent on your child’s skin, you can buy a clip-on repellent and clip it to your child’s clothes. You can also use a plug-in repellent for the bedroom or a mosquito net to protect your child from mosquitoes at night.