Sun Protection for Children

Sun damage in childhood is one of the most important causes of skin cancer in adults. Not only is children's skin more vulnerable to damage by the sun's rays, but people on average get 80% of our lifetime sun exposure by age 18. Bad sunburns in childhood risk the later development of malignant melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer). The less dangerous forms of skin cancer are due to long term, regular sun exposure. People who work or play outdoors and overexpose themselves to the sun will develop wrinkled, freckled dry skin and eventually skin cancers. People who vacation at the shore, or lay out on weekends will risk melanoma. Read more...

Picnics, baseball games, pools, and beaches -- parents and kids are gearing up to head out for fun in the sun. But too many parents still aren't adequately protecting either themselves or their children from the sun's harmful rays.

A new study shows that although parents are aware that sun exposure is dangerous, kids wearing sunscreen spend much more time in the sun than kids who don't, even though sunscreen provides only partial protection. What's more, many parents still emphasize the importance of that tanned look. Read more...