Sunscreen for kids: how often to reapply
Children's skin is thinner and more susceptible to UV damage than adult skin. A single bad sunburn in childhood roughly doubles the lifetime risk of melanoma. That makes the reapply schedule for kids stricter, not looser.
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The 90-minute rule for active children
For kids running around outdoors — at the park, the pool, the beach — drop the standard two-hour interval to 90 minutes. Children sweat more relative to body size, rub their faces and arms more often, and rarely apply enough product to start. Reapplying every 90 minutes builds in a safety margin that compensates for all of those factors.
Babies under six months: avoid sunscreen, avoid sun
Pediatricians broadly agree that babies under six months should not wear chemical sunscreen — their skin absorbs ingredients more readily, and the safety data isn't there. Instead: keep them out of direct sun entirely. Hat, lightweight long sleeves, stroller canopy. Mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide) on small exposed areas like the back of the hands is generally considered acceptable when shade isn't possible.
Best sunscreen choices for kids
Mineral (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) sunscreens are usually recommended for children — they sit on top of the skin instead of being absorbed, and they're less likely to irritate eyes if sweat carries them down. Look for 'broad spectrum' (covers UVA and UVB) and water resistance of at least 80 minutes for pool and beach days.
Make the timer the bedtime story
Set the smart sunscreen timer when sunscreen goes on, and let the alert do the parenting nag. Kids who get a buzz on a phone tend to listen better than kids who get told 'time to reapply' for the fourth time in an hour.
Related guides
Fitzpatrick Skin Type Guide
The Fitzpatrick scale classifies skin from Type I (very fair, always burns) to Type VI (deeply pigmented, never burns). Find your type and your sunscreen needs.
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