Sunscreen - Bartlett,IL

The only one I would use if you have to, is Blue Lizard. It is the least toxic. It is hard to find, right now I cant find it in any stores but they do sell it online. If anyone else knows of a retailer who sells it in IL I would love to know where to go.

Hi,
I took my 4 month old to Africa in the middle of their summer, and my ped said it was ok to put sunscreen on - that it was better to risk that then the baby being sunburned or getting sun damage. She recommended the no-tears Banana Boat brand. I was careful to not have him in the sun too much though, and so didn't put it on every day or anything like that.
Wrt the 6 months rule, she said it's because there have only been tests done on babies older than 6 months, not younger.

However, I am feeling more aware of the nonsense that goes into sunscreens in general - check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com for their recent study on sunscreens, and their recommendations for safe ones which work, and there are ones for babies there too.

Another very good alternative is to put your baby in lightweight long-sleeved wear, or those uv-protective t-shirts/onesies. That's what all the kiddies wear in South Africa at the beach or by the pool!

I think the reason they say no sunscreen on very young babies is that they really shouldn't be in the sun, period. They are so tiny that a sunburn can do them serious damage (as in, overheating, dehydration, etc). It's best just to keep your baby in the shade. That said, we did take our younger daughter with us to Hawaii when she was 3 months old, and what I did was get a big, floppy hat for her so her head and shoulders were covered when she was out of her stroller. But most of the time I kept her in her stroller when we were outside, as it had a nice, wide cover on it so she was shaded from the sun. If you are going to be out by the pool a lot this summer, just keep her in the shade.

I didnt use sunscreen until recommended. Just keep her out of the sun. Its not safe for babies to be in the sun anyway, sunscreen or not.

I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old and I have put sunscreen on both of them under 6 months of age. My doc doesn't recommend sunscreen until 6 months, but said in situations where you know you can't avoid the sun it is better to put it on then risk the sunburn. Just avoid the hands, and bath or thoroughly wipe him/her down in the evening so that it is removed from the skin.

A young baby shouldn't be in the sun at all. Look into protective shade - onestepahead.com has some great SPF baby products, including a portable "baby bed" and a tent. However, having said that, my pediatrician insisted that using sunscreen on a child under 6 months is safer than risking a sunburn if the child is going to be in the sun! You might try a compromise by buying a safer, natural sunscreen such as Badger or California Baby, and remember to test it on a small patch of the baby's skin 24 hours before you rub it all over the body in case there is an allergic reaction. Buy SPF-protective clothing (onestepahead.com sells is, and Target and Babies R Us also have some in the beach-wear sections) and use the sunscreen only when necessary. Good luck.

I used Avenno Baby. I asked a pharmacist about what she would reccommend. I worked and took my son with me and everyday he was outside in the sun in a pool from 10-noon or noon until 2:30. I used it only on his face because I bought him a sunsuit and he wore a hat too, but I just didn't want him to get a sunburn. He never did, not even a tan. Good luck!

Our doctor said that it was fine but you need to use blue lizzard brand because there are no chemicals, etc in it.

My pediatrician said that it was mostly because they shouldn't be in the sun at all. Their bodies can't regulate their temperatures yet and it can be dangerous if they get too hot. But it also has to do with the absorption of the chemicals. If you must use sunscreen (I think if you are very careful about how much sun/heat they get, using some sunscreen is better than risking a burn) using a physical barrier instead of a chemical barrier is better. California Baby and Badger are both great like the other poster said. They are more expensive but much safer. Here is a recent article about which chemicals in sunscreens are safe and which aren't. I would really consider using the physical barrier kind at least until the baby is older.

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

Most sunscreen use toxic chemicals to block the sun, which a small infant could be more damaged by, although I don't like them for anybody, but it's better than getting burned if it's your only option. For an infant, they should just plain be kept out if the sun. They can get dehydrated, and sunscreen may give a false sense of protection because they do wear off, you might miss a spot, etc. Just keep the baby in the shade. Once I saw a woman with a baby in a stroller and it was clearly sunburned, crying, etc. One of the saddest things ever. If you had to use something on a little part of her body (nose, for example), use a physical vs chemical sunscreen. California Baby is a good brand . Sold at health food or whole foods. Use a sunhat on the baby.

I put California Baby on my son started at 4 months. I figured that was better than him burning! With an active 2 year old, and trying to fit activities in between baby's nap times, it's inevitable that we are going to be outside when sunscreen is necessary.

Way too many chemicals in sunscreen....especially for infants. There is a great website with lots of great information about sunscreen and other products that are not good for us that are commonly sold in stores. Check it out here:
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

I use organically based sunscreen from a company in Australia that uses only certified organic ingredients. Be happy to share my gem of a find in products from suncare to cleaning products to makeup!

K. M.
Wellness Consultant

I agree with most posters...California Baby or Badger only. I never use the typical brands such as Banana Boat etc....they are NOT sunblocks. They are sunscreens. And there is a difference. (California baby boasts that its a sunscreen but it is actually a sunblock). lOL

But yes, those two brands are okay to use on a baby under six months. We use California baby, which I buy at Target or online, on our 21 month old. Its the best!

I put California Babies on my daughter at 6 months, and she still had some skin reactions, but we were on vacation, so we just did our best. I would recommend getting some light-weight SPF clothes, or even just thin long sleeved shirts and pants/one piece cotton play suits, and a wide brimmed hat for baby. If he gets unbareably hot, keep him in the shade. One Step Ahead sells easy to carry sun umbrellas, pop up tents for shade, etc. Also, you can carry him in a sling and pull the fabric over him to shade him. Good luck. Summer can be challenging with little babies.

I don't know of anything ever happening that is of any concern. I would limit the sun, and use very little sunscreen on arms, legs and tops of her feet. I would just use a well covering hat, and don't put any on her face. And certinly a shirt covering her shoulders. If your actually getting her into a pool, just buy the shirt style 2 piece bathing suits for infants. They usually come with a hat.