Here Are 3 Ways You Can Protect Your Kids From Getting Skin Cancer
Skin Cancer occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells due to exposure to sunlight. The issue is not the sunlight, it’s the Ultra Violet (UV) rays that it contains.
This is not to say that you should stay out of the sun like a vampire. Early morning sunlight serves as an excellent source of Vitamin D, so staying away from the sun is robbing you of a natural health benefit. What you should try to avoid is the midday sun.
Studies indicate that UV rays are strongest when the sun is at its peak. This is usually between 10 am and 4 pm. They also show that even on a cloudy day, you can still be burnt by UV rays.
Experts say that children that experience sunburns are more susceptible to Skin Cancer. So you must protect your children. But if staying out of the sun is a challenge for most adults, imagine how much more it is for the little ones!
Don’t let the scientific evidence cause you to worry too much. The following best practices will put your fears to rest.
Have your kids use sunscreen
When it comes to UV Ray protection, your sunscreen is the simplest way to ensure safety. The chemicals in sunscreen reduce the amount of UV Ray exposure that your child gets.
As a parent, your job is to ensure that it’s applied properly but children don’t care much for safety so this can be a task. If you have several kids, it’s much harder!
If you don’t want the hassle, you should consider using a sunscreen spray. It goes on easy and evenly quickly!
Dress your kids in protective clothing
This might be the best alternative to sunscreen. Kids have to wear clothes to go out, so why not have them wear protective clothing? This seems simple enough but you probably won’t get your children to wear long-sleeved clothing during the summer.
Luckily, some hats and shirts have built-in UV Ray protection. While the technology is fairly new, some brands have swimwear with UV protection inside.
Teach your children how to protect themselves by practicing safety where they can see
Apart from new technology and trusted formulas, nothing is as powerful as a habit. You can teach your children how to stay safe through demonstration. Let them see you apply the sunscreen before going out. The more they see you do it, the more they’re likely to follow suit.
Children are quick learners, but they will do what they see and say what they hear without giving it a second thought. You have the chance to help them develop good habits at an early age.
Much more can be said about Skin Cancer protection, but there are enough tools and resources available to nip the disease in the bud. All we have to do is use it to our advantage!
