Sun Safety

Summer fun tends to mean more sun exposure. Here are some tips from Dr. Joseph to keep your family safe in the sun!

First off, if you can, limit sun exposure! This may mean staying inside between 10AM-4PM when the UV rays are at their strongest or looking for shadier areas when enjoying the outdoors.

Sun protective clothing is a great option, especially when you may be outside for a long time. I also recommend hats with at least a 3-inch brim—not only do they protect the more sensitive skin on the face, ears, and neck, they are also totally adorable!

What about sunscreen? We’ve all stood in the sun protection aisle staring blankly at huge selection of options! I recommend products containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient as they have proven to be safe for kids and offer great protection from the sun. Choose products with SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30. I always recommend avoiding products with added fragrance as these can be irritating to sensitive skin. I find the mineral stick sunscreens super convenient, especially for younger kids–they don’t have to be rubbed in as much and have less risk of dripping into the eyes. Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin at least 15 minutes before going outside and be sure to reapply about every 2 hours, or after kids have been in the water.

Don’t forget about the eyes! Sun exposure puts our eyes at risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and even sun burn on the eyes (aka photokeratitis). Encourage your kids to wear sunglasses with UV protection. Lots of brands make sunglasses even down to newborn size!

Now that you’ve got all the info you need to protect your family from the sun, go out and enjoy this especially hot DC summer!