The local pool is open and we have bought our passes and packed up our towels snacks, water and have moved in for the summer!

With the summer sun high in the sky, we all have one thing on our mind for our little ones: sunscreen. While some sun exposure is beneficial to your health, long periods of “getting cooked” in the sun is not so good.

That big ball of fire is our primary source of Vitamin D, which helps us absorb calcium that keep our bones strong and healthy. Too much sun can cause skin damage, eye damage and skin cancer. 

Standing at my local drugstore, I am drowning in options for suncreen. Do I get the spray, or the cream with the zinc (that’s hard to spread on the skin). Or do I get the non-greasy formula, or sweatproof, maybe the long lasting so I don’t have to reapply too often.

Or how about the SPF 75? But if the SPF 75 is so great, why are the stores even offering the SPF 30 version? Does that mean the person who buys the SPF 30 has a higher risk of cancer because the SPF is too low? Too many questions and way too many options.

So I did my research. What matters most in sunscreen is the level of protection from the UV rays. When standing in front of an entire wall of sunscreen options concentrate on the SPF – Sun Protection Factor – numbers on the bottles.

Sunlight contains 3 types of UV rays- UVA, UVB and UVC. Here is a simple and short explanation via – KIDSHEALTH.org

UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma. Because UVA rays pass effortlessly through the ozone layer (the protective layer of atmosphere, or shield, surrounding the earth), they make up the majority of our sun exposure. Beware of tanning beds because they use UVA rays as well as UVB rays. A UVA tan does not help protect the skin from further sun damage; it merely produces color and a false sense of protection from the sun.

UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and effects on the immune system. They also contribute to skin cancer. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is thought to be associated with severe UVB sunburns that occur before the age of 20. Most UVB rays are absorbed by the ozone layer, but enough of these rays pass through to cause serious damage.

UVC rays are the most dangerous, but fortunately, these rays are blocked by the ozone layer and don't reach the earth.

What type of SPF should we as parents get for our kids? Is a higher SPF always better?

My theory has been that you take the SPF number and multiply it times 10 and that number is how long you will be safe from the suns rays. 

For example: SPF 30 X 10 = 300 minutes of sun protection.

If you are in the water or sweating experts recommend reapplying every one to two hours. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that all kids — regardless of their skin tone — wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

If your child has a risk of developing a skin allergy avoid Suncreens with PABA - para-aminobenzoic acid. This nutrient stains clothes and has been knows to cause skin allergies. It’s not a very common ingredient any more but you can still find this is some sunscreens instead look for a sunscreen with the active ingredient titanium dioxide (a chemical-free block).

While researching, I did not come across any recommendations for specific brands of sunscreen but the overall advice was reapply often. Every hour recommended highly.