5 Ingredients That Your Baby’s Sunscreen Should Not Have

Babies too need protection from the harmful rays of the sun. To get effective sun protection, they need sunscreen that blocks both UVA rays and UVB rays (broad-spectrum sunscreen). It is advisable to use a sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 for kids.

Broadly speaking, there are two categories of sunscreens – mineral and chemical. Mineral sunscreens protect the skin by blocking the harmful radiations of the sun with ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. On the other hand, chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin to filter and absorb UV rays and thus protect deeper layers.

However, while choosing a sunscreen for babies, mums should avoid certain ingredients. Here are some of the ingredients you need to avoid:

Ingredients That Your Baby’s Sunscreen Should Not Have

Mums should avoid these ingredients while opting for a sunscreen for their babies:

Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is usually the most common ingredient in chemical sunscreens. It accumulates faster than our body can get rid of it. It can also lead to eczema and other allergic reactions when absorbed in your little one’s skin.

Oxybenzone is also linked to endocrine disruption and affects hormones by blocking them and thus disrupts the body’s hormonal balance.

Octinoxate

Octinoxate is another common ingredient found in sunscreens. It produces free radicals that can cause long-term damage to your baby’s skin and cells.

Research also suggests that any sunscreen containing this ingredient when applied to your little one’s skin can lead to thyroid and behavioural alterations.

Paraben Preservatives

The presence of paraben in sunscreens can lead to acute and chronic side effects. It can cause allergic reactions, hormone disruption, along with developmental and reproductive toxicity.

This ingredient is not only harmful for children but also for adults due to the numerous hazards it can cause.

Nanoparticles (Zinc Dioxide/ Titanium Dioxide)

Nanoparticles can be risky when inhaled through sunscreens in spray forms. Your baby’s lungs have difficulty cleaning small particles, which might therefore, pass from the lungs into the bloodstream.

Soluble nanoparticles can also penetrate skin or lung tissues and can cause extensive organ damage.

Synthetic Fragrances

Mums should avoid sunscreens that contain synthetic fragrances as these might disrupt your child’s hormonal system when absorbed in the skin.

Synthetic fragrances contain hormone-disrupting phthalates and can lead to uneven breathing and asthma in babies.

Key Takeaways

While choosing a sunscreen for babies,It is advisable to choose a sunscreen that has been formulated with natural ingredients like chamomile oil, almond oil and non-nano zinc oxide and non-nano titanium zinc oxide. It also helps if these are dermatologically tested. 

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Your baby’s delicate and soft skin requires love, care, tenderness and gentleness, so use only the best, pure and natural products for your baby.