Sun Protection in Children: Realities and Challenges

One of the main goals of all skin cancer prevention campaigns is to protect children from ultraviolet radiation. However, little is known about how sun exposure risks differ between adults and children or about how these risks are best managed. Children's skin is more susceptible to sun damage for a number of reasons, including certain anatomical and functional aspects in children under 2 years of age and habits that predispose to greater sun exposure during the first 2 decades of life. Oil-based emulsions containing inorganic filters appear to be safest sunscreens for children, although the addition of certain organic filters is necessary to achieve a sun protection factor of 50. Oxybenzone, and probably also octocrylene, should be avoided in sunscreens for children. Sunscreen use should be part of an overall sun protection strategy that includes avoidance of exposure to midday sun and the use of protective clothing and hats. The above considerations justify the implementation of primary prevention campaigns focused on sun protection education for children and the continuation of basic and epidemiological research into specific sun protection strategies and sunscreens for each age group. (C) 2013 Elsevier Espana, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.