Children's skin is extremely delicate and needs to be protected repeatedly to avoid unpleasant burns and the onset of sunburn . Even if we are running out of August, mothers, don't let your guard down! Let's see some simple basic rules for a correct approach to the sun for you and your children.
Sun baths against sunburn
When there are children at home, the days are marked by almost ritual times: early wake up, breakfast, morning by the sea or mountain, lunch, afternoon nap, snack, entertainment until dinner and finally night collapse. To be able to maintain these rhythms would be good for the whole family.
- Sun exposure early in the morning and late afternoon is already a guarantee of protection for children's skin. The rays, in fact, have a less direct incidence and are less risky.
- We never forget the correct creams with high sun protection . Those of the new generation with 50+ filter protect the delicate skin of children and at the same time promote pigmentation. It is important, however, to apply the cream several times a day and especially after the bath has been done, this is the correct use for all and the way to prevent the onset of unpleasant sunburn.
- If possible it is good to take a fresh water shower after swimming in the sea, to remove the saltiness that dries the skin very much and then apply the protective cream again. In the evening then you should not forget to use a soothing cream after sun or based on calendula and aloe, which regenerates the skin, deeply moisturizes and restores from exposure.
- We also help children's bodies to prevent the possible manifestation of sunburn through food . Foods rich in carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lycopene, stimulate the production of melanin, the first shield that our immune system puts in place to protect the skin: yes therefore to tomatoes, if you do not suffer from allergic forms, sweet potatoes, cabbage, dandelion, spinach, red lettuce, pumpkin, melon, apricot, peach. Carotenoid supplements designed for children exist on the market: in this case it is always advisable to seek the advice of a pediatrician to avoid a surplus of vitamin A.
How should sunscreens be for children?
If the sunburn surprises us
When you are not particularly wary of putting all the defenses in place from the beginning unfortunately the sunburn can become difficult to prevent and we see the formation of small red dots on the feet, along the front of the legs, on the shoulders and on the chest to which is accompanied by itching and burning.
For the delicate skin of children it becomes difficult to deal with this discomfort, because it involves avoiding exposure to the sun, using specific cortisone or hydrocortisone-based ointments and, in case of fever, medications must also be taken orally to stem the inflammation.
Alongside these pharmacological interventions we can associate some soothing and natural inflammatory remedies .
- It is important to remove the burning and itching first, so as to calm the child affected by erythema. Rice starch baths and compresses are a panacea because they are refreshing, calm the itching, decongest the reddened part and in the presence of blisters they dry the exudation. We can find flakes of rice starch in herbal medicine and pharmacy, just dissolve them in warm water and proceed with the compresses on the skin.
- It is good to hydrate the skin as much as possible with rich and emollient creams. Calendula is the remedy par excellence in case of burns and rashes. Performs a soothing, restorative and anti-inflammatory action . It is good to apply it to the skin of children several times a day to calm itching, burning and redness.
- In case of considerable sunburn it is preferable to use the hypericum oil extract . It is a powerful remedy against first-degree burns, ulcers, sores . Also in this case after bathing with rice starch it is advisable to sprinkle the body of the child with this oil and wrap it with a linen cloth, fresh, light and breathable so as to absorb the hypericum well. The soothing effect is almost immediate.
