The good weather has arrived, the holidays are about to do it and with the summer we go out much more outdoors and the little ones are much more exposed to the sun. It is important, for everyone, but especially for the little ones, that the skin is protected, and on many occasions we have talked about how to get it in an appropriate way. But, Why is the skin of babies and young children so sensitive?
The child's skin has special characteristics that make it more vulnerable, since it has less protective capacity than adults. This lower defense capacity is determined by:
- The stratum corneum or skin surface is still very thin and poorly compacted. The skin of the newborn is 40 to 60% thinner than that of an adult. This is why a newborn is more susceptible to infections, skin irritations and loss of water.
- The melanin production (melanogenesis) is underdeveloped: melanin is our first defense against the sun, as it absorbs dangerous UV rays before they cause serious skin lesions. The clearer your child has the skin, the less melanin you will have to absorb UV rays and protect yourself against the harmful effects of the sun. The darker your child's skin, the more melanin you will have to protect yourself. But both light skinned and dark skinned children need to protect themselves from UV rays because any level of tanning causes skin lesions.
- The skin of babies and children presents a lower defense against reactive forms of oxygen, free radicals. A free radical is a molecule (organic or inorganic) that can be formed in the atmosphere by radiation. They are also formed in living organisms (including the human body) by contact with oxygen and act by altering cell membranes and attacking the genetic material of cells.
- Before 3 years of age, the operation of the thermoregulatory system is poorly developed, which facilitates heat stroke. In addition, before 8 to 9 years of age, the epidermis is poorly keratinized, weakly pigmented melanocytes and the lipid film is thin and poorly resistant. Therefore, intensive protection is indispensable from the earliest age.
- An adequate sun protection based on the characteristics of the child's skin is also very important to protect the activity of the cutaneous immune system (Langerhans cells, keratinocytes ...) that are inactivated when subjected to the effects of solar radiation.
This is why photoprotection is so important, more for the little ones with light skin. Although we must remember that not all specialists agree on whether to put sunscreen on babies under six months, since they believe that at that age creams can cause skin irritations, since this is much more sensitive and delicate than that of an older child precisely because of the points we have listed above.
In any case, consider the recommendation that these products do not contain PABA and follow our common sense when it comes to exposing the little ones to the most intense sun and the hottest hours for long periods of time, something that clearly What to avoid at these early ages.
In short, it is about immaturity of skin functions which makes babies and children more vulnerable to the effects of the sun and makes them a favorite target of their harmful effects and heat. Sun protection and good hydration are the best allies against these harmful effects.
