Child Sunscreen Concerns

"It [reaction to sunscreen] could be an allergy to a part of the sunscreen that's not a UV absorber. It could be to a fragrance or a preservative or some other compound used in making up a lotion or a cream."
"[Risk of skin damage from the sun] is worse than the risk of sunscreen use."
Dr. Cheryl Rosen, dermatologist, Toronto Western Hospital

Complaints about the sunscreen include an allegation that it caused 14-month-old Kyla Cannon in Botwood, N.L., to develop a facial burn and blisters. (Rebecca Cannon/Facebook)

The issue is that some sunscreens have been linked to reactions in children. Sunscreen use is widely recommended by health professionals to ensure that children responding to their freedom to be out playing in the summer sun, do not sustain damage to their skin through burns from penetrating rays hitting their tender, vulnerable skin. The concern goes quite beyond sustaining painful sunburns, and on toward the potential of subsequent long-lasting DNA damage.

"Overall, sunscreens are very safe" assures Dr. Jennifer Beecker, national chairwoman for the Canadian Dermatology Association's program for sun awareness. She stresses the requirement that parents be aware their sun-exposed children need a sunscreen coverage of SPF 30 or greater, but that sunscreen needs to be used discreetly, alongside other measures to protect from sun exposure. That children should be taught to use shade if available, and to be aware that the sun's rays are at their most piercing during the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., daily.

The merits of wearing clothing ensuring the least exposure to the sun's rays, when applicable, are not to be overlooked, nor is the use of a head covering and eye protection; hat and sunglasses. All of the above apply to infants under six months of age, with the exception of sunscreens for which research has never been undertaken relating to the safety of sunscreens for the very young. Parents of children who had experienced burns and blisters with the application of Banana Boat products alerted Health Canada to problems they had experienced.

Recently Health Canada had received 139 complaints concerning lotions produced by U.S.-based Edgewell Personal Care. A whopping 133 of those complains were conveyed to Health Canada since May 11, leading a spokesperson for the agency to note it had undertaken a review of the company's laboratory documents confirming a product meets specifications, called certificates of analysis. Their tests to date have identified no issues of concern with the products.

Which has led Health Canada to conduct screening of its own of Banana Boat samples to be able to identify "all drugs present, whether they appear on the label or not". All active ingredients in the products are also being analyzed, so a thorough investigation is being carried out. In its defense, Banana Boat Canada claims its products reflect a neutral pH range and thus cannot be the cause of chemical burns. They do posit that some people may be sensitive to a particular ingredient possibly triggered by sun exposure.

Health Canada says at least 14 of the complaints it received involve claims that using the sunscreen resulted in burned or blistered skin. (Charlene Fudge/Facebook)

Best practice, according to dermatologists, is to place sunscreen on a discrete portion of skin to determine whether it is tolerated, after which more can be tested on a larger area of the skin to clear the product of any possible doubts over whether a reaction would ensue with its use. Dr. Beecker also recommends that parents look for sunscreens that are free of fragrance, with fewer preservatives. One preservative in particular she advises avoiding is methylchloroisothiazolinone, known "to have a very high rate of allergy".

Which then naturally begs the question: if so, they why is it commonly used? A combination of vitamin E and acetic acid -- tocopheryl acetate -- is frequently contained by many cosmetic creams, which also has the potential to become a skin irritant for some people. As for "natural" ingredients such as aloe, chamomile and feverfew, these too are known to potentially be problematical when they act as "photo sensitizers", where their use for some people translates to being more susceptible to the sun's rays.

The risk of damage from prolonged, direct exposure to the sun's rays cannot be overstated. Skin damage has the potential to lead to skin cancer, including deadly melanoma, the seventh most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in Canada, a diagnosis that has risen over the past several decades.

Ryan Truman's parents say their 3-year-old son developed red skin and his face swelled up after using Banana Boat sunscreen. (Rory and Monika Truman)