Keep Your Kids Safe This Summer

My name is Lisa Palmer, co-founder of Tropic Sport, mineral sunscreen. More importantly, I’m a mother of twins, Jack and Katie. Like many families, we spend a lot of time outdoors, playing sports, surfing, and going to the beach. A lot of time outdoors means we spend a lot of time in the sun, so we take sun safety very seriously.

Palmer Family, circa 2009

As we head into summer, with the warmer temperatures and sunnier days, we wanted to take a minute to remind you about TropicSport mineral sunscreen. As a parent, I know it’s almost impossible to get our kids to wear sunscreen, especially teenagers, right!? We have the opportunity to change that. We can start teaching our children how to protect their skin, and why it’s important. Sounds pretty dramatic, I know, but it’s really that important. Here’s why:

#1: Just 5 sunburns before the age of 20 can increase the risk of melanoma by a startling +80%.Not surprising, youth athletes tend to be at an even higher risk due to more time outdoors. Did you know: Skin cancer is truly an epidemic - 1 person dies every 54 minutes.

#2:80% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate clouds and fog – Kids need to wear sunscreen everyday even on cloudy days.

#3: Throwing on a T-shirt isn’t enough: Kids feel protected from the sun when they put on a shirt, but in reality they’re not giving themselves much more than an SPF of 4 with a T-shirt.

#4: Higher SPF isn’t better. SPF 30 protects against 97% of the sun’s harmful rays, SPF 50 is 99%. Many athletes think they need 70, 80 or even 100. The reality is that higher SPF provides only 1% additional coverage, but more importantly, it adds toxic chemicals to the body that are dangerous.

#5: Mineral sunscreens are safer than toxic chemical sunscreens.  Tropic Sport uses non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect you and your family from the harmful impact of the sun, while 90% of sunscreens use chemicals. These harmful chemicals are under scrutiny by the FDA as they are known to absorb into the skin and cause endocrine disruptors.

As a parent, you should take every precaution possible for your children. By teaching them about the importance of sunscreen, you will protect them from uncomfortable sunburns and prolong their life. Teach them that it’s important to wear sunscreen every single day. Teach them how to properly apply and reapply sunscreen. And, lastly, teach them the ingredients they should be watching out for in their sunscreens. Not all sunscreen brands can be trusted, but we, at TropicSport, pride ourselves on being 100% healthy, safe and effective for all ages and all oceans.