Q. When can my baby start using sunblock?

Now. Sunblock can be applied to newborns, although staying out of the sun (especially during peak hours of 10am to 4pm) is a better choice to avoid sun damage and sunburn.

The AAP previously recommended that sunblock be used only in infants over six months of age (because of the potential for skin irritation). However, the risk of skin cancer (1 in 75 over a lifetime) has outweighed concerns over potential skin irritation. Sunblock is critical because sun damage and sunburn at an early age is correlated with a higher risk of skin cancer later in life. Translation: use the sunblock on that baby.

Select a sunblock with a SPF of 30 or higher. FYI: Avoid sunblocks with the chemical PABA—sunblocks with PABA are more likely to cause skin irritation than PABA-free sunblock.

Other tips: try to keep baby out of the sun, especially from 10am to 4pm every day, apply sunblock liberally (at least a half ounce each time) and reapply frequently (every two hours and after swimming or sweating).

Both UVA and UVB sunrays can cause skin damage and cancer. The SPF factor refers to UVB protection only. But, obviously, it is best to cover for both UVA and UVB rays. Look for products that contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, oxybenzone, or Parsol 1789 to be certain of UVA protection.

What sunblock is best? Consumer Reports has a report on sunblock on their web site (consumerreports.com) that includes product tests and ratings.

The key to preventing sunburn is to RE-APPLY the sunblock frequently—and don’t buy the combo sunblock and bug repellent.

Old Wives Tale

Dark skinned people do not need to wear sunblock.

All humans who have skin need to wear sunblock. While it is true that darker-pigmented people have less risk of skin cancer, there is still a risk and prevention is easy.