Care For Children With Freckles
Children with freckles should be extra careful when they are exposed to the sun. Consequently, they are related to an important family component and to the great sun exposure of children who have fair skin.
This type of hyperpigmented spots are not malignant. In turn, these children require extreme sun protection, because due to their fair skin they have a greater risk of suffering from sunburn or other type of skin injury.
What are freckles?
Freckles, also called ephelides, are pigmented skin lesions that appear in early childhood and are associated with sun exposure in young children with fair complexions or red hair, according to publications by Human Molecular Genetics .
They are benign and small spots (1-2 millimeters), which appear most frequently on the face, chest and shoulders. However, they can do it all over the body.
Melanocytes develop a greater amount of pigment when exposed to the sun and, instead of causing a sunburn or a uniform tan, freckles develop in people with fair skin.
Caring for children with freckles
Those children with a predisposition to generate freckles or sun spots should take certain precautions when exposing themselves to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
There are different types of freckles, all around the same size. In addition, they are characterized by their uniformity and coloration one tone above the pigmentation of the skin.
Appropriate clothing
At times when one is exposed to the sun, the ideal is to wear clothing that covers the entire skin surface of our body. There are certain aspects that must be taken into account when thinking about how clothing can collaborate with the protection of the sun’s rays.
Clothes, when wet, protect less than dry completely. In turn, dark colors protect more than light fabrics.
Currently, there are garments that already have sunscreen. These garments even have a label that has the value of FPU (protection factor against ultraviolet radiation). The higher the FPU, the more protection the garment provides.
Wearing a hat for children with freckles
The use of wide-brimmed hats is another recommendation for the care of children with freckles. A publication in The British Journal of Dermatology endorses the use of this type of physical protection. The protection of the ears, nose, neck, eyes, scalp and forehead is done correctly with this method.
All these areas are susceptible to damage from ultraviolet rays, although sometimes they are regions of the body that are neglected when applying sunscreen.
Putting on sunscreen
The application of sunscreen is not a particular indication for children with freckles, but for the entire population. In turn, the sunscreen must have a protection factor greater than or equal to 50 and broad spectrum against UVB and UVA radiation. Thus, they are available in various presentations:
- You aerosols.
- Creams
- Lotions
- Gels
In children, the most friendly sunscreen presentation is in an aerosol. Because it is easier to place and spread, even to do it themselves.
Another consideration that should be taken into account is the expiration date of the sunscreen before opening it. Once opened, it must be consumed within a year ; after this period it should be discarded.
Staying in the shade at peak times
As much as for children with freckles, as for the rest of the people, those hours in which the solar exhibition is very intense should be avoided.
These times to avoid are between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. However, in those cases in which exposure in this period is unavoidable, the importance of sunscreen and its reapplication every 2 hours is reinforced.
On cloudy days or when the sun is not fully expressed, care must be the same as on a sunny day. This means that clouds do not block ultraviolet rays, but instead pass through mist and clouds. Snow, sand and water are surfaces that further enhance the effects of the sun’s rays.
Children with freckles should wear glasses with UV protection
Just as sunscreen and avoiding peak-hour exposures are useful measures for caring for children’s skin with freckles, so are UV-filter glasses.
Councils from the American Academy of Ophthalmology state that this type of lens protects the eyes and all the delicate structures that make them up. However, before buying them, you should check the label they have to confirm if they are effective in blocking UVA and UVB rays.
We hope these tips for caring for children with freckles will be helpful in preserving the health of your little ones.
