Summer has arrived, so parents are reintroducing their children to sunscreen. But for one mother, a normal outing turned into every parent’s worst nightmare. Now this grieving mother is warning every parent.
It only takes one bad sunburn to learn that three minutes worth of preparation is much easier than weeks of painful, peeling, and crackling skin.
But not all sunscreens are good for you. As one mother from Botwood, Canada can attest, some sunscreens may actually be more dangerous than the sun itself.
Rebecca Cannon thought sun protection was better than no sun protection for her 14-month-old daughter, but that “protection” resulted in a horrifying second-degree burn.
Canon said she used Banana Boat Kids SPF50 in the aerosol can, which describes itself on the packaging as “alcohol-free” and offers “broad spectrum protection.”
Cannon thought her daughter would be safer with sunscreen, but that was hardly the case.
Cannon shared, “As the day went on, she got a little redder and redder and the next morning she woke up and was swollen, she was bright red, there were blisters starting to pop up.”
Cannon rushed her baby girl to the Emergency Room where Kyla was treated for horrifying second-degree burns — on her face!
Doctors explained that there have been other cases of burns caused by [sunscreen] and that it was also possible the sunscreen caused such a severe allergic reaction that that was the cause of the second degree burns.
On their website, Banana Boat describes this particular product as “perfect sunscreen that’s gentle on kids’ skin, yet powerful enough to provide protection.”
Cannon said that since sharing her story on the internet, she has discovered of countless similar cases. “I honestly don’t understand how it’s still on the shelves. I would have never — in a million years — imagined her to get a burn so severe from sunscreen,” she said.
A helpful article from MotherJones.com lists 2016’s best and worst sunscreens, as reported by the Environmental Working Group. The EWG rates sunscreens on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst:
The Best Beach and Sport sunscreens
– All Good Sunscreen and Sunstick, SPF 30 and 50
– All Terrain Aqua and TerraSport Sunscreens, SPF 30
– Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen, SPF 30
– Badger Sunscreen Cream and Lotion, SPF 25, 30, and 35
– Bare Belly Organics, SPF 34Beauty Without Cruelty, SPF 30
– Kiss My Face Organics Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30
– Nature’s Gate Face Sunscreen, SPF 25
– Tropical Sands Sunscreen and Facestick, SPF 30
– Releve Organic Skincare, SPF 20
– Star Naturals Sunscreen Stick, SPF 25
The Best for Kids
– Adorable Baby Sunscreen lotion, SPF 30
– All Good Kid’s Sunscreen, SPF 33
– All Terrain KidSport Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
– ATTITUDE Little Ones 100% Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30
– BabyHampton Beach Bum Sunscreen, SPF 30
– COOLA Suncare Baby Mineral Sunscreen, unscented moisturizer, SPF 50.
– Belly Button & Babies Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30.
– Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen, SPF 35.
– BurnOut Kids Physical Sunscreen, SPF 35
– California Baby Super Sensitive Sunscreen, SPF 30
– Goddess Garden Kids Sport Natural Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
– Jersey Kids Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
– Kiss My Face Organics Kids Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30
– Nurture My Body Baby Organic Sunscreen, SPF 32
– Substance Baby Natural Sun Care Creme, SPF 30
– Sunology Natural Sunscreen, Kids, SPF 50
– Sunumbra Sunkids Natural Sunscreen, SPF 40
– Thinksport for Kids Sunscreen, SPF 50
– TruKid Sunny Days Sport Sunscreen, SPF 30
The Worst for Kids
– On the 1 to 10 scale, the below products scored a 7 or higher (with 10 being the worst) because they made high SPF claims or had higher amounts of the additives oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate.
– Banana Boat Kids Max Protect & Play Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 100* (*This was the only product that got a 10.)
– Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Stick, Wacky Foam, and Sunscreen lotion, SPF 55
– CVS Baby Sunstick Sunscreen and Spray, SPF 55
– Equate Kids Sunscreen Stick, SPF 55
– Hampton Sun Continuous Mist Sunscreen For Kids, SPF 70
– Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunscreen Spray and Stick products, SPF 70
– Up & Up Kids Sunscreen Stick, SPF 55
Doctors are urging parents to do a “spot test” on their children before the unbearable heat ensues. This shouldn’t be a last-minute experiment as you’re running out the door to the beach. Do it after school or in the evening, by simply dabbing the sunscreen onto a small area of your child’s skin and watching to see if they have an allergic reaction.
Although little Kyla’s face will probably never look the same, thank God she survived. Please protect your children and share her horrifying story with every parent you know to help raise awareness about the dangers of sunscreen!
