7 Best Non Toxic Sunscreen for Toddlers

Taking your toddler out in the sun can be exciting and fun for them, but it leaves you, the mom and me the pediatrician, worried about sunburns. For us adults, the quick fix to avoiding sunburn is quickly putting on some sun screen.

For toddlers however, I’m very particular on what they put on their skin and how it could affect them. Getting the best non toxic sunscreen for toddlers is important to protect your child from sunburn while playing out in the sun and getting enough vitamin D, without having to worry about side effects and adverse reactions.

Keep reading to learn more about sunscreens and non-toxic options for your toddler.

Is sunscreen toxic?

What to look out for in sunscreen for toddlers

Best non-toxic sunscreen for toddlers

How to deal with sunburn in toddlers

Most of our regular everyday sunscreens are not toxic and safe to use as their constituents have not been found to be harmful. However, you should watch out for sunscreens that contain toxic chemicals like oxybenzone, avobenzone and parabens, as they may not be safe to use in the long-term. The key point here is reading the ingredient label to know what the sunscreen is made of before buying it.

Getting a good and safe sunscreen for your baby isn’t a straightforward process and may get you thinking if such a sunscreen really exists. The good news is that they do. All you need to do is look out for the following features of a non-toxic sunscreen before purchasing one.

Chose Mineral Sunscreens

Mineral sunscreens make use of minerals like zinc oxide or titanium oxide to prevent sunburn by acting as a barrier against ultraviolet rays. Chemical sunscreens on the other hand make use of chemicals to absorb the ultraviolet rays and break them down via a chemical reaction. Some chemicals (e.g. oxybenzone) used by chemical sunscreens are toxic and may cause health challenges in the long term. In all, mineral sunscreen is the safer option.

Avoid sunscreens with very high SPF value

The Environmental working group (EWG) recommends that sunscreens that claim to have SPF values higher than 50 be avoided, as no sufficient evidence has shown any benefit associated with increased sunscreen SPF values. The FDA has also advised that sunscreen manufacturing companies limit their SPF values to 60.

Avoid sunscreen sprays

The EWG has also advised against sunscreen sprays, as some of these sprays contain a toxic chemical called benzene.

Also, the sunscreen spray may not leave enough sunscreen on your skin to protect you from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, hence sunscreen lotions are recommended.

Applying sunscreen on your toddler can be a lot of work as they can get wriggly and make it almost impossible to completely get sunscreen on them. It helps to involve your toddler in the application process by giving your child a sunscreen stick to apply on her body. To your toddler, it will feel more like a coloring game. You can then fill up the places your toddler missed so they won’t have any areas of sunburn.

It also helps to make the application of sunscreen a routine before going out. Over the years, i have found that kids do better with routines, something they can predict and expect to happen. With time, your toddler will get used to sunscreen application and become less fussy over it.

Sunburns on your toddler’s skin can happen for reasons such as; not applying sunscreen at all while in the sun, not applying enough sunscreen while in the sun or applying a fake or substandard sunscreen.

Once you notice your toddler has sunburns, you should take the following steps:

Take your toddler out of the sun

Give her a cool bath or dab her skin with a damp towel

Use lotions or skin gels that contain aloe vera to soothe your toddler’s skin

Keep your toddler well hydrated

Do not pop blisters if present on your toddler’s skin

Take your child to see a doctor as soon as possible

A non-toxic, toddler-friendly sunscreen is a must-have for every mom living in sunny areas. As your kids grow, they will love to explore and play outside in the sun which is good for them and helps them get a good dose of vitamin D. However, while they play in the sun, you have to protect them from the harmful ultraviolet rays which could cause sunburn in your toddler. That is where sunscreens come in, and it is important to know the one that is safe for your toddler to use.