A Baby’s Skin Is No Match For The Sun Filed by KOSU News in
Health. June 6, 2011 A baby’s skin has got to be the most
velvety soft substance on earth. That delicate skin makes babies
and toddlers more vulnerable to sun damage, and to the chemicals
in sunscreens intended to protect them. But parents looking for
advice on how best to shield very young children from the sun
can have a hard time coming up with solid recommendations.
There’s a good reason for that; almost all studies on sun
exposure and sunscreen are done in adults. And baby skin is very
different than grown-up skin, according to a roundup of the
latest info in the journal Pediatrics. For one thing, the outer
later of baby skin is a lot thinner, and it absorbs more water
than adult skin. Infant and toddler skin also has less of the
brown pigment melanin, which helps protect the skin from
ultraviolet light. As children become older, their skin becomes
thicker and more pigmented, granting them more sun protection.
“What we have to realize is how lit