While it might seem like a trip to the beach would be the same as going to enjoy the sun poolside when it comes to sunscreen, it’s not quite. Mineral sunscreen for kids needs to be applied every two hours or so to keep them protected, but there’s an additional element at work here – chlorine.
You see, if you’re going to the pool, it’s going to have chlorine in it – and for a very good reason. Without it, bacteria like salmonella, legionella and E. coli can take hold and then you’re in a world of trouble, as it can lead to life-threatening illnesses.
However, it’s not so kind to your skin, as it has a nasty habit of stripping it of essential oils, which leads to dryness. It’s not good for the integrity of sunscreen either, as we’re about to see.
Chlorine is an Enemy of Mineral Sunscreen For Kids
While there are sunscreens that are created to resist water – allowing kids to play in the pool and not get sunburn – they’re not so great at repelling chlorine. A good water-resistant sunscreen will protect your child’s skin from UV rays for anywhere between 40 and 60 minutes, but with chlorine in the mix, this figure goes down even more.
This means that you need to have an almost constant eye on how long they’re spending out in the sun – especially when they’re splashing about in the shallow end.
It may feel like you’re nice and cool in the water, however, it’s probably the worst place you could be in terms of UV intensity. The water actually amplifies the rays, which surface glare making things even worse. It’s why so many kids playing around the pool end up with sunburn at the end of the day.
Swim & Rinse – That’s the Solution!
In order to counteract the effects of chlorine, what you should be doing is getting your kids to shower after each dip in the pool. This will allow the chlorine to be washed away, meaning you can revert back to following the standard rules that apply to mineral sunscreen for kids when in the water.
Remember, though, it needs to be a brand that states it is ‘water resistant’, or it will simply be lost the moment they get in the pool. Also be aware that there’s no such thing as waterproof sunscreen – no matter how convincing the marketing is.
Using Mineral Sunscreen For Kids the Right Way!
When you use mineral sunscreen the right way and pay attention to all the variables at play, you stand a good chance of preventing sunburn for your kids. However, if you take a lackadaisical approach and just hope for the best, it won’t be long until your children have to suffer the misery of burnt skin.
If you take anything away from reading this article, it should be that the sun should be respected – always. It pays no attention to what you’re doing, emitting harmful UV rays every second of every moment of daylight.
Follow the rules laid out here and all they’ll remember about this Summer in years to come is the fun they had with their siblings. Now that’s something worth focusing on the subject for.
