Top 9 Kid-Friendly Sunscreens of 2024, As Recommended by Dermatologists
Sunscreen will not be optionally available, particularly for teenagers. In reality, it’s essential for all youngsters over six months of age, no matter pores and skin tone, consultants say. “It helps stop harm from the solar that goes past the painful results of sunburn, together with elevated danger for pores and skin cancers down the road,” says Dr. Rebecca Carter, a pediatrician on the College of Maryland Kids’s Hospital and affiliate professor of pediatrics on the College of Maryland College of Drugs.
Go to your native drugstore and also you’ll discover many secure and efficient sunscreen choices on the cabinets. It would really feel overwhelming to see the various SPF scores, utility varieties, and formulation. That can assist you decide the very best sunscreen on your baby, we spoke to dermatologists about what to search for and, importantly, find out how to correctly apply it. We additionally rounded up expert-recommended sunscreens for teenagers to think about.
How we picked the very best sunscreens for teenagers
As a way to compile the very best sunscreens for teenagers beneath, we spoke to 4 dermatologists who suggest the next elements to remember:
Formulation: It is best to follow a mineral sunscreen — often known as a bodily blocker — that has zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as a substitute of a chemical base. A mineral sunscreen received’t take up into the pores and skin, however relatively sits on prime of it like a barrier, which helps keep away from irritation. The sunscreen must also be labeled noncomedogenic, that means it received’t clog your baby’s pores.
SPF safety: Solar safety issue, or SPF, measures your stage of safety towards a sunburn, consultants informed us in our information to sunscreen. Your baby’s sunscreen ought to have a minimal SPF 30 safety, although SPF 50 or increased is good, based on our consultants.
Consistency: Search for lotions and lotions, which consultants say are the simplest to make use of in your baby as they supply a better quantity of protection when in comparison with spray sunscreens. Stick sunscreens are additionally really useful, however they might be tougher to lather onto your baby’s pores and skin.
Finest sunscreens for teenagers
The entire following sunscreens for teenagers have been really useful by our consultants and align with their steering.
Finest youngsters sunscreen total: Blue Lizard
Blue Lizard Children Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
Blue Lizard’s mineral sunscreens are a favourite amongst our consultants. “I really like the ‘sensible cap know-how’ that helps to show youngsters about UV rays — the cap or bottle turns pink in dangerous UV mild,” says Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York Metropolis. The sunscreen is water- and sweat-resistant for as much as 80 minutes and presents SPF 50 safety. It’s additionally freed from each parabens and fragrances, making it a safer wager for teenagers with delicate pores and skin, based on the model. This stick model can be accessible as a mineral-based lotion, which incorporates a chemical ingredient along with mineral filters, based on the model. If you happen to’re searching for a mineral sunscreen particularly for infants, Blue Lizard presents a stick and lotion type.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Stick | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest youngsters sunscreen lotion: Banana Boat
Banana Boat Children 100% Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
This Banana Boat sunscreen has the Nationwide Eczema Affiliation’s Seal of Acceptance, which suggests it’s appropriate for individuals, together with youngsters, with eczema and delicate pores and skin. It’s fragrance- and oil-free, so it received’t depart a greasy really feel after making use of it, based on the model. It’s additionally extremely rated, with a 4.5-star common ranking from over 1,000 opinions on Amazon. If you happen to’re searching for a sunscreen that’ll take up extra shortly into the pores and skin, Banana Boat additionally presents a youngsters sport sunscreen that’s waterproof for as much as 80 minutes.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Lotion | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest youngsters sunscreen stick: Neutrogena
Neutrogena Children Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
Neutrogena’s Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Stick is a favourite of King’s for teenagers as a result of it has a hypoallergenic components and it’s freed from fragrances and dyes, which helps stop irritation in your baby’s delicate pores and skin. A stick sunscreen can be nice for noses, faces, and even the scalp, which many individuals are likely to neglect about, based on our consultants.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Stick | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest hydrating youngsters sunscreen: CeraVe
CeraVe 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
CeraVe’s merchandise are oil-free, fragrance-free, and appropriate for delicate pores and skin in each youngsters and adults, based on our consultants. The mineral-based sunscreen has hyaluronic acid, which helps retain the pores and skin’s pure moisture. Since it will possibly depart a white solid, the model recommends completely massaging the cream on one small space of the physique at a time about quarter-hour earlier than solar publicity. If you happen to don’t need to undergo the effort of rubbing this sunscreen on a toddler that doesn’t sit nonetheless, King recommends the stick model of this sunscreen that goes on clear.
SPF ranking: 30 | Water-resistance: 90 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Lotion | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest waterproof youngsters sunscreen: Babyganics
Babyganics Child Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Carter recommends this mineral-based Babyganics Sunscreen Lotion as a terrific possibility. It has SPF 50 safety and a mineral base containing each zinc oxide and titanium oxide. The sunscreen is supposed to be hypoallergenic and tear-free.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Lotion | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest powder youngsters sunscreen: Brush on Block
Brush on Block Children Mineral Powder Sunscreen SPF 30
This brush-on sunscreen powder comes really useful by King as a result of you possibly can throw it in your bag for simple reapplication. “The powder format is really easy to use, so youngsters received’t complain about goopy sunscreen — there’s no scent and it’s translucent,” she says. “The comb is mushy and brightly coloured, so it’s enjoyable to use.”
SPF ranking: 30 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Powder | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest youngsters sunscreen for very delicate pores and skin: Aveeno
Aveeno Children Steady Safety Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
Our consultants cite Aveeno as a high quality model when searching for a youngsters’ sunscreen, particularly if they’ve delicate pores and skin. Particularly designed for teenagers, this mineral sunscreen lotion has skin-soothing oat and received’t trigger irritation or stinging, based on the model. The lotion additionally has a non-greasy and fragrance-free components.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Lotion | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest pocket-sized youngsters sunscreen: Supergoop!
Supergoop! Sunnyscreen 100% Mineral Stick SPF 50
Carter says Supergoop’s mineral sunscreens, that are particularly made for teenagers and infants, are a terrific possibility to think about. Advisable for teenagers six months to three years outdated, this stick sunscreen is light, hydrating, and sufficiently small to slot in your pocket. The model additionally presents a light-weight spray model of the sunscreen.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Mineral | Consistency: Stick | Perfume-free: Sure
Finest youngsters sunscreen with no white solid: La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Children Mild Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50
You probably have an older baby or don’t thoughts a chemical sunscreen, this La Roche-Posay lotion, which is really useful for teenagers six months and older and designed for the face and physique, is one among King’s favorites. Because it has chemical filters, it’s simpler to mix and received’t depart a white solid on their pores and skin, says King. It additionally has glycerin to assist maintain their pores and skin moisturized, based on the model.
SPF ranking: 50 | Water-resistance: 80 minutes | Sunscreen kind: Chemical | Consistency: Lotion | Perfume-free: Sure
What’s the most secure sunscreen to make use of on youngsters?
Dermatologists informed us sunscreens ought to have a minimal of SPF 30 to supply an sufficient quantity of safety, no matter age. “[But] I believe SPF 50 or increased is best, as most individuals placed on a a lot thinner layer of sunscreen than the sunscreen producers suggest and use for his or her testing to quantify the SPF stage,” says Dr. Jennifer Mancuso, a pediatric dermatologist on the College of Michigan Well being.
Simply as importantly, you need to search for a youngsters’ sunscreen that’s broad spectrum, that means it’s “defending towards UVA, which causes tanning and pores and skin getting old, in addition to UVB, which causes sunburns and pores and skin cancers,” says Mancuso.
Mineral sunscreen vs. chemical sunscreen
Follow mineral (often known as bodily) sunscreens relatively than chemical ones, the latter of that are absorbed into the pores and skin and might be extra irritating, says Carter. “For infants and younger youngsters, it’s sometimes really useful to make use of mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — these are extra secure and fewer irritating or allergenic for delicate pores and skin,” says Mancuso.
Some sunscreens labeled “mineral-based” might include some chemical parts, however are nonetheless appropriate for older youngsters, says Carter (simply be certain that to examine the components record). Nevertheless, infants and younger youngsters between six months outdated and two years outdated ought to use mineral-only sunscreen to keep away from any potential irritation on their delicate pores and skin, says Dr. Karan Lal, a board-certified dermatologist and committee chair of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
As a result of mineral sunscreens have a tendency to go away extra of an unpleasant white sheen on the pores and skin, some individuals might want to make use of chemical sunscreen. Older youngsters, youngsters, and adults needs to be effective to make use of chemical sunscreens as a final resort, our consultants say. Nevertheless, the FDA says that energetic components in chemical sunscreens, like oxybenzone and octinoxate, should be studied extra earlier than they are often deemed secure and efficient by the group.
Continuously requested questions
What’s the finest kind of sunscreen for teenagers?
Lotions and lotions are the simplest sorts of sunscreen for teenagers as a result of they supply essentially the most protection, based on our consultants. Stick sunscreens are additionally a terrific possibility as a result of they’re straightforward to use, and your youngsters will sometimes have enjoyable making use of it themselves, says King. Nevertheless, you need to be capable to visually see what areas are coated by a stick sunscreen — in any other case, in the event you can’t inform the place you utilized it, you danger UV publicity and solar harm, says Carter.
Although spray sunscreens are a preferred selection for older youngsters and teenagers since they’re quick and simple to use, our consultants don’t suggest them since you’ll hardly ever get a great quantity of protection over their entire physique (on prime of presumably being inhaled within the utility course of). If you happen to do use a twig sunscreen, be certain that to spray it first into your hand (away out of your kid’s face and eyes) as a substitute of spraying straight onto your kid’s pores and skin, which helps shield their lungs and guarantee you could have full management over protection, says Carter.
How a lot sunscreen do your youngsters want?
Children, particularly youthful ones, might must depend on adults to use and reapply sunscreen. Lal recommends following the “9 teaspoon rule”: 1 teaspoon for the face and neck, 1 for the torso, 1 for the again, 1 for every arm and a couple of teaspoons for every leg. And identical to adults, sunscreen on youngsters needs to be reapplied each two hours, says Lal.
There are a couple of methods to gauge whether or not your baby is utilizing sufficient sunscreen. Initially, you need to visibly see a coat of sunscreen on the pores and skin with white streaks to ensure there aren’t any gaps in pores and skin protection earlier than rubbing it in, says Carter. You must also undergo bottles of sunscreen inside a few weeks in the event you’re utilizing it daily on a number of members of the family, our consultants say.
How typically must you reapply your baby’s sunscreen?
All sunscreens have a tendency to scrub off when swimming or sweating, so it’s essential to reapply your baby’s sunscreen each time they get moist. This nonetheless applies to sunscreen merchandise labeled as “waterproof” (which suggests your baby’s protected for 40 minutes of exercise in water or whereas sweating) or “very waterproof” (that means they’re protected for 80 minutes), says Mancuso. “It might assist to set an alarm in your telephone to remind you to reapply it,” she says.
Can youngsters use the identical sunscreen as adults?
Sure, youngsters can use the identical sunscreen as teenagers and adults so long as they’ve mineral-based formulation with broad-spectrum SPF 30 safety or increased, based on our consultants. Some older youngsters, teenagers, and adults might want a better SPF chemical sunscreen that doesn’t depart a white residue on the pores and skin, however Lal recommends solely utilizing grownup sunscreens labeled as pure mineral-based on younger youngsters.
Different solar security suggestions for teenagers
Whereas making use of (and reapplying) sunscreen all through the day does supply an essential layer of safety for teenagers, there are different steps you possibly can (and will) take to maintain your youngsters secure from the solar’s dangerous rays. Our consultants suggest the next solar security suggestions:
- Keep away from taking your baby out throughout peak UV hours. “Search shade each time attainable and keep away from extended solar between 10 AM and a couple of PM when the solar is strongest,” says Lal.
- Go for protecting clothes and accessories. This consists of UPF clothes, which is able to supply full protection, like lengthy sleeves and sun-protective rash guards, together with wide-brimmed hats and UV-blocking sun shades after they’re exterior, says King.
- Guarantee there’s at all times a coated space. “I like to recommend buying a child tent to make use of on the seashore to assist their youngsters keep protected throughout downtime,” says Lal.
Meet our consultants
Dr. Hadley King is a board-certified dermatologist in New York Metropolis.
Dr. Rebecca Carter is a pediatrician on the College of Maryland Medical Heart and assistant professor of pediatrics on the College of Maryland College of Drugs.
Dr. Jennifer Mancuso is a pediatric dermatologist on the College of Michigan Well being.
Dr. Karan Lal is a board-certified dermatologist and committee chair of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
Why belief NBC Choose?
Mili Godio is an updates editor at NBC Choose who has coated a wide range of youngsters’s wellness subjects, together with electrical toothbrushes, bikes, and rolling backpacks. For this piece, Godio interviewed 4 dermatologists and researched dozens of sunscreens for teenagers available on the market.
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