The sun is precious for children, but due caution is needed.
Despite having a number of melanocytes equal to adults, in fact, their organism is still not able to correctly produce melanin, the substance that is activated when the skin is exposed to the sun, protecting it. It must also be considered that children have thinner skin than adults, so they are more sensitive to UV, which can easily penetrate deep.
Furthermore, the hydrolipidic film that naturally covers the skin and other body protection systems, such as thermoregulation, in their case, are only partially developed; this leads to a higher risk of dehydration . Finally, it is necessary to remember that sunburn in children increases the risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers in adulthood.
For these reasons, children up to 12 months should never be exposed to direct sunlight, as their skin is very delicate. Furthermore, one should never forget the application of a sunscreen with a very high protection (50+) based on physical filters (example: zinc oxide), which protects against the action of UVA and UVB rays.
