The best sun creams for babies and children with eczema – Manchester Evening News

Having a little one with eczema is hard enough, but finding a sun cream to protect their vulnerable skin can be a minefield.

As with eczema creams, finding the right sunscreen is a matter of trial and error - as what works with one child, won't work for another.

However, there are some pointers that families can follow to give them a better chance of finding the right one.

As part of Sun Awareness Week, we've been taking a look at the advice to follow.

The National Eczema Society (NES) says parents should consider the same things that you would when choosing an emollient - for example, it is recommended that you avoid fragrance and other ingredients that are commonly associated with sensitisation.

Ingredient labels on products will help you to avoid substances to which you have a known sensitivity, but you should always be careful and make sure that you test any new sunscreen, in advance of going away, by dabbing a test area on the forearm before applying it to the whole body, just in case it causes a reaction or stings.

It is recommended that you do this once a day for five days as sensitisation can take some time to develop. It is also recommended that you patch test creams that you have used in the past since the formulation, or indeed your skin, may have changed.

There are two types of sunscreen:

1. Chemical absorbers, which absorb UV radiation.

2. Mineral-based reflectors (usually titanium dioxide), which reflect UV radiation.

Many people with eczema seem to find that mineral-based sunscreens are less irritating to their skin than chemical absorbers.

The NES does not recommend any one sunscreen product as what suits one person does not necessarily suit another, but it does give a number of suggestions for mineral-based, unfragranced products which 'seem to suit many people with eczema'.

These include...

It is recommended that any emollient is applied half an hour before sunscreen.

This is to prevent the sunscreen from becoming diluted by the emollient and to ensure that the sunscreen keeps its protective properties.

If you are using a moisturiser that is greasy or oily, be careful not to overdo the application of the moisturiser as this can cause a frying effect in the sun.

A better solution may be to use a UV sun suit to minimise the need for sun creams.

Practical advice and tips

Swimming pools

When it comes to swimming some children's skin can face further irritation.

Dryness of the skin after swimming is likely to occur if the pH of the pool water is raised. Chlorine can also cause dryness, but since it is a bleach, and recent research in eczema has recommended diluted bleach as a way of reducing bacteria on eczematous skin, it is not all bad.

Suggestions for avoiding swimming-related skin problems

Avoid swimming if the eczema is flaring badly.

If swimming indoors, apply your usual emollient cream or, better still, an emollient ointment, before entering the pool. It is a good idea to put on more cream than you usually would, so that it acts as a good barrier to the water.

Apply emollients about half an hour before applying sunscreen this will prevent the sunscreen becoming diluted by the emollient and ensure that the sunscreen keeps its reflective properties and protects your skin. Try not to overdo your emollient when outdoors as it may produce a frying effect in the sun if it hasnt been properly absorbed.

As soon as possible after swimming, shower off using your usual emollient wash/oil/gel. Then apply more leave-on cream than usual. (If the pool showers use chlorinated pool water, it is best to go home and take a shower/bath immediately you get there.)

Information from the National Eczema Society. For more details call the helpline on 0800 089 1122, email helpline@eczema.org or visit http://www.eczema.org .

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The best sun creams for babies and children with eczema - Manchester Evening News