No Sun for Babies: Words of UV Protection Wisdom from Northside Hospital’s Dr. Kounalakis
On May 1st we launch our latest program, No Sun for Babies, which will be an ongoing initiative. Throughout the month of May, which happens to be Melanoma Awareness Month, we’ll be distributing UPF baby hats and UPF clothing to parents and their newest arrivals in a co-branded drawstring backpack with a co-branded garment tag providing sun-protection tips and a link to an educational landing page for further information. One of our partners that will aid in facilitating this distribution is Northside Hospital located in Atlanta, Georgia. We caught up with Dr. Nicole Kounalakis from Northside for a quick conversation outlining the importance of protecting infant skin from the sun’s UV rays.
Why is it important for kids to protect themselves from the sun?
Even just a few serious sunburns as a child can predispose them to form skin cancer in their adult years.
What can parents do to help facilitate this care and instill the lifelong lesson/routine of practicing proper skincare?
Serve as a good role model by making skin safety a part of both your and their daily routine.
What do you appreciate about an organization like IMPACT Melanoma existing to help spread awareness of the dangers of the sun and providing proactive skincare tips and measures?
We all need frequent reminders to protect our skin. IMPACT Melanoma promotes enjoying the outdoors while making skin safety a priority.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month. What are you doing to call it in and see it through?
I spend as much time as possible with my children outdoors during these warm months. We review how this a special time to both appreciate the sun and protect our skin from it.
You’ve (North Side Hospital) partnered with IMPACT to help facilitate the new No Sun for Babies campaign. What excites you about this initiative? Why is it important?
We are sending newborns home with their very first tool to protect their skin! By emphasizing skin protection in their first days of life, we hope this will provide a lasting lesson for both parents and children on how to care for their skin.
What are your top five tips to practice safe skin health now and forever? (For parents and children alike.)
- Seek shade—avoid the sun midday.
- Cover up—understand the clothes that can protect you from the sun’s rays
- Wear a hat
- Wear sunglasses—by protecting your children eyes, you can avoid cataracts in the future
- Apply sunscreen—at least SPF 15, broad spectrum with both UVA and UVB protection. Apply sunscreen generously 30 minutes before going outdoors. Reapply every two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
For more information about No Sun for Babies click here.
