Written by Dr. Kit Cheung
With all the information available in the modern world, a lot of knowledge about health care is easy to find. One of the things that we all understand more and more is the importance of sun protection. Excessive UV rays accelerate skin aging and increase the production of melanin, which causes discoloration. Although UV rays are effective in producing vitamin D and absorbing calcium, Hong Kong is on the edge of the subtropical zone and is exposed to more sunlight each year than the upper northern hemisphere (e.g., Canada and Europe), so even if you do use sunscreen, you are still exposed to a lot of sunlight.
Don’t children need sunscreen?
Adults, especially women, are aware of the importance of sun protection. These include applying sunscreen regularly, replenishing sunscreen regularly, and avoiding outdoor activities during the sun’s strongest hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). In addition, you can also use a wide-brimmed hat and wear long-sleeved clothes. However, have you ever heard parents say, “Only adults need to use sunscreen, not children! Many parents think that children do not need sunscreen. There are three reasons for this:
- Children need more sunlight to be healthy.
- Sunscreens are chemicals that are not good for children’s delicate skin.
- It’s not a big deal for children to get more sun exposure, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.
In fact, this is not the right way of thinking. First of all, children basically do not know how to protect themselves or how to avoid the sun, so they are “high-risk individuals”. Moreover, children’s skin is thinner and more tender than adults’, so they are more prone to sunburn and sun spots, and therefore need more protection. On the other hand, Hong Kong and China have longer sunshine hours than Europe and North America, so they already have enough exposure to the sun, so as long as they have normal outdoor activities, they do not need to worry about not getting enough UV rays or not getting enough Vitamin D.
Choosing the right sunscreen
As for the chemical nature of sunscreens, we should know that there are two types of sunscreens, chemical and physical. The former needs to be absorbed by the skin before it can have a sunscreen effect, while the latter reflects sunlight on the skin’s surface. Therefore, if you are worried about the harmful effects of sunscreens, you can choose the physical type, such as zinc oxide. Also, parents should not forget that clothing itself is the most effective sunscreen, so a broad-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt and long pants are very important.
What will happen if I don’t protect myself from the sun?
- Generally, pigmentation and freckles, especially on the nose and cheekbones, can be caused by repeated sunburns.
- Sensitive skin due to repeated sunburns.
- Uneven skin color, especially if sweat spots are present at the same time.
- Roughness of the skin.
- Epidermal microvascularization and cherry nevi.
When parents understand the importance of sunscreen, they will no longer tell others, “Kids don’t need it!
