This blog was medically reviewed by Liz Placzek, MD, pediatrician and senior medical director of primary care at Children’s Minnesota.
Minnesota summers are loved by all, especially after the long, harsh winters. But that doesn’t mean we should forget about the importance of sun safety and keeping our kids safe while playing outside.
Sunscreen
The goal isn’t to stay indoors on beautiful sunny days, but to protect our skin the best way we can by using sunscreen. Being outside is actually beneficial to our overall health!
Why sunscreen is important for our health
Wearing sunscreen helps to prevent sunburn and melanoma, a type of cancer. Almost 90% of skin melanomas are caused by UV radiation, or sun exposure. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, even one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence increases your chances of developing melanoma later in life. Applying sunscreen is an important habit to develop when your kids are young.
Sunscreen tips
Below are a few sunscreen tips to keep in mind while your family is spending time outdoors.
- It can take sunscreen 20-30 minutes to start working!
- Chemical sunscreens need to be put on 20-30 minutes before being outside so it can absorb into the skin and start working.
- For physical sunscreen or sunblock, zinc oxide acts as a physical barrier and can start protecting the skin immediately. To get adequate coverage, anticipate using several ounces for every application.
- Reapply sunscreen every two hours.
- Make sure to also reapply after swimming, sweating or drying off with a towel.
- Lotion is the preferred formulation.
- When you apply a lotion, you can see the areas that will be covered.
- It’s harder to see this with sprays – making the layer of protection not only thin, but also uneven.
- Don’t use sunscreen on babies under 6 months of age.
- Instead, minimize their time in direct sun and use sun protective clothing.
New sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA
As of June 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new sunscreen ingredient, bemotrizinol, that has been long used in European and Asian sunscreens.
Before the approval of bemotrizinol, the active ingredients in chemical sunscreens were only good at protecting against UVB, wavelengths that causes sunburns, and not UVA rays, the wavelengths that cause premature aging and wrinkles. However, bemotrizinol can protect against both types of UV rays. It also breaks down slower when exposed to the sun and is considered non-irritating.
The approval of bemotrizinol means better sunscreen innovation and options for consumers. Families can expect sunscreen with bemotrizinol to be available for purchase later this year.
Tanning
A tanning trend called tanmaxxing is on the rise among teens and young adults. The social media trend encourages people to use tanning beds or go out during peak UV index hours to tan and achieve a ‘healthy’ glow. It’s important to know that this isn’t “health.” A tan is a sign of injury from UV radiation, and skin damage overtime can increase the risk for skin cancer later in life.
Tanning myths
With the rise of tanmaxxing, there has also been a rise in misinformation on its health benefits. Let’s break down some of the myths below.
- Myth 1: A base tan can protect our skin.
- False. A base tan cannot protect our skin from UV radiation and should not be used as a form of sun protection.
- Myth 2: Natural oils like beef tallow or coconut oil are safe substitutes for sunscreen.
- False. Oils do not provide protection from broad-spectrum UV radiation.
- Myth 3: Nasal tanning sprays are a good alternative to tanning.
- Also false. Nasal tanning sprays contain chemicals designed in a lab to boost melanin production to achieve a tan, but they are not FDA approved, and the safety of using nasal tanning sprays is unknown.
What to do if your teen wants a tan for vacation or an event
If your teen wants a tan for vacation or a special event like senior prom, a safe way to achieve this is through sunless self-tanning. Just remember, these don’t protect you from sun damage and UV radiation; it’s still important to wear sunscreen when outdoors!
