Avoid tanning parlors. Commercial tanning parlors can be hazardous and unsafe. Set a good example for your child. The same rules about protection apply to adults too. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, sunscreen should be applied generously and reapplied several times a day for maximum benefit, especially if a child goes swimming or is in the water.
Sunscreen works by shielding the skin from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
This should be done at least 30 minutes before going outside, so that skin has time to absorb it. If a child gets a sunburn, a mild lubricating cream or cortisone cream should be applied to relieve the discomfort, according to Hogan. You can ease the pain of less severe burns and redness with a towel soaked in cool water. In 1993, an estimated 9,100 people died from skin cancer. The most serious skin cancer is melanoma, which was diagnosed in about 32,000 people in 1993.