8 Reasons your Baby needs Sunblock too

Protecting your baby’s skin from the sun’s harmful radiation is extremely essential for their overall skin health and safety. Using a baby-safe sunblock such as Softsens SPF 30 Sunblock Lotion on your little one’s delicate skin is an important step in your baby’s skincare regime. Let’s learn more about why sun protection is extremely important for babies and why they need sunblock too.

1. Baby’s skin is much thinner and much more sensitive than an adult’s skin
A baby’s skin, being thinner than adult’s skin, is more permeable and thus tends to absorb more radiation, thus increasing the risk of sun damage. It is also extremely sensitive and thus reacts to even the slightest bit of skin irritation.

2 Your baby’s skin defenses are not completely developed, thus leaving skin more vulnerable to sun damage.
An infant’s skin defense system is still immature and continues to develop until your child is around 3 years old. Compared to adult skin, a baby’s skin has less amount of the pigment melanin, which is actually responsible for shielding the skin from UV radiation. This also means that their skin is also more prone to damage from exposure to sunlight and environmental pollutants.

3. Baby’s immunity too is not yet fully developed
A baby’s immune system is also still developing and so, their body is not fully equipped to fight off skin damage caused by the sun.

4. Sunburn and skin damage in infants can have lasting consequences
According to some studies, sunburn in infants can potentially lead to other skin problems when they are older, and can increase the risk of serious skin diseases at a later stage. This makes it even more crucial to protect your baby’s skin from the sun right from the start.

5. Sun damage can occur even when one is indoors, in the car or even on an overcast day
There are two basic types of UV (ultra violet) radiation: UVA rays and UVB rays. UVB rays affect the top layer of the skin and are responsible for causing sunburn, skin diseases, skin cancer and other skin cell damage. However, UVA rays can actually penetrate skin much deeper and can potentially lead to long-term skin damage, including premature ageing, fine lines, wrinkles and skin cancer. 95% of the UV rays that reach us are UVA rays whereas the other 5% are UVB rays. These UVA rays are always present whenever there is any exposure to sunlight, even on a cloudy day or even if you’re indoors and can even pass through windows.

6. Babies cannot easily regulate their body temperature
You may have noticed that babies do not perspire much as their sweat glands are not completely developed yet. As a result, they aren’t effectively able to regulate their own body temperature. So, they can either get overheated pretty quickly or become cold faster, depending on the temperature. This again leaves them more prone to sunburn and skin damage.

7. Basic sun protection is not always enough
Even though most parents are extremely careful about shielding their little ones from the sun, basic sun protection isn’t always enough. A mild and gentle baby-safe sunblock such as Softsens SPF 30 Water-resistant Sunblock that is enriched with powerful zinc oxide acts as a protective barrier between your baby’s skin and the sun’s rays. It helps prevent painful sunburn and offers broad-spectrum UVA & UVB protection for delicate skin. It also ensures that you and your little ones can enjoy the outdoors happily without any worries.

8. Good habits start young
Sun protection for one’s skin should be a lifelong habit. So, teaching kids about sun care from the beginning can help foster this habit all through their lives.

And that’s why your little ones need sunblock too! To know more about choosing the right sunblock for your baby, read our blog on ‘Sun safety tips for your baby’s protection’.