Mom and Pop Place Blog

I get asked about sunscreen a lot, especially this time of year.  Mostly questions like “How come Mom and Pop Place runs out of sunscreen every spring?  Why don’t you plan ahead?”  I have no intelligent answer for that question, so I’ll focus on a different question: “What kind of sunblock do you use on your kids?”  People are looking for advice on how to deal with sun exposure with their young kids.  Everyone wants to protect their little ones from sunburn.  But what about Vitamin D?  And what about scary sunscreen chemicals?

There are two basic kinds of sunscreen.  There are chemical sunscreens that contain a compound like oxybenzone that absorbs UV rays.  There are also physical sunscreens that contain a compound like titanium dioxide that scatters the UV rays.    We only offer non-chemical sunscreens like California Baby at Mom and Pop Place.  There are some concerns about the safety of the chemicals in chemical sunscreens, especially in children.  Their tender skin absorbs everything you put on it.  And what their skin doesn’t absorb, they end up sucking off their hands!  I like California Baby because it contains natural, organic ingredients for sensitive skin.  It has no PABA or oxybenzone or octyl-methoxy-something.

SPF is a measure of how effective a sunscreen is.   The number tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning.  So, if you normally burn after 10 minutes of sun exposure, an SPF of 30 will allow you to stay out for 300 minutes (5 hours) before you burn.  Most experts admit that anything  SPF 30 or above is pretty much the same.  SPF 100 offers no more real protection than SPF 30.  In fact, many countries prohibit marketing anything with an SPF above 30 because it’s so silly!  High SPFs really just give people a false sense of security.  They figure that if they use a SPF 60, they don’t have to worry about wearing a hat or staying out of the sun at high noon.  So, they stay out all day without re-applying sunscreen and they get exposed to more UV rays than if they had just used regular SPF 30 (but used it right).  Sunscreen is only effective if you use it right.  You should apply it before sun exposure and you should re-apply it every couple of hours throughout the day.

The question “What kind of sunblock do you use on your kids?”  is a tough one for me.  My kids are pretty dark-skinned and they don’t use sunblock unless we are spending the whole day at the beach.  I use sunblock on my face and shoulders if I’m out longer than a few hours, but I don’t tend to burn very much.  I love the sun.  I think kids should spend more time outside in the sun.  I’m afraid that our society has developed this pathological fear of the outdoors.  I agree that we have to protect ourselves from dangerous sun damage.  But, we NEED the sun.  We need it to make Vitamin D, which actually protects us from skin cancer.  Ironic, huh?  All this sunscreen usage is leading to Vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to higher rates of cancer.

When it comes to sun protection, I think a little common sense is the best tool.  Go ahead and use sunblock (the right way), but don’t forget that hats and sunglasses and stroller umbrellas are important methods of protection too.  The sun’s UV rays are strongest between 11AM and 2PM.  Perfect time for a nap inside, out of the sun!

By all means, let your kids play outside.  Let them get a little tan! Let them get covered in mud!  Let them crash their bikes!  Outside play has so many health benefits for kids.  I’m hard-pressed to believe that they are ever better off in the house, hiding from the sun.