You slather sunscreen on your baby to protect him - but according to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group's 2009 study of some 1,572 sunscreens and other sun-blocking products, four out of five either contain harmful chemicals or offer too little protection.
The good news: It's easy to find safe sunscreens. Especially when it comes to picking a product for your child, EWG recommends:
- Look for products that contain at least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as active ingredients
- Stay away from those containing oxybenzone benzophenome-3, which can cause health problems
- Avoid spray and powder sunscreen products, which can be inhaled
- Avoid sun protection containing fragrance, which can cause allergies
- Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30
Among the widely available sunscreens that EWG says are safe and effective for babies are: