Avoiding sun exposure for babies and wearing hats for children even on cloudy days are essential recommendations for reducing the risk of cancer in adulthood. But doctors regret that they remain under-implemented.
"We are not protecting children well enough from the sun," Sophie Mallet, a member of the French Society of Dermatology (SFD), told AFP. She has just issued a warning to this effect.
The organization usually communicates every summer about the need for proper sun protection. But this is the first time that French dermatologists are focusing on the situation of children.
This is a "public health issue," the SFD emphasized in a press release published Wednesday. It points out that children's skin is more fragile and cites studies showing that sunburn before the age of 15 doubles the risk of one day developing melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer.
A child should be exposed to the sun as little as possible until the age of three, dermatologists emphasize. Even older, avoid exposure between noon and 4 p.m. And choose to wear protective clothing, especially a wide-brimmed hat, even if the weather is overcast, because clouds let through the majority of ultraviolet (UV) rays.
However, a glance at public spaces reveals that children and babies often remain poorly protected, compared to these recommendations.
Certainly, "there is an improvement: we see a few more protected children on the beach, which we didn't see a few years ago," admits Ms. Mallet.
"But protection is all year round and every day," she warns.
On a daily basis, providing parents with the right information is therefore essential. But the message must also be conveyed to schools and institutions, such as daycare centers, which care for babies, who are the most vulnerable to the sun.
– Insufficient sunscreen –
"We get directives every year about the heat: circulars 'be careful with extreme heat', 'make children drink plenty'... But it's true that there aren't any about the sun," Véronique Escames, a childcare assistant and general secretary of the National Union of Early Childhood Professionals (SNPPE), admitted to AFP.
However, she believes that professionals, often with paramedical training, are aware of the issue, even if she admits that it is more difficult to get the prevention message across "when the weather is overcast."
Another factor that contributes to poor protection for children, according to doctors, is the belief that sunscreen can do everything.
Dermatologists recommend regularly applying sunscreen to children when exposed to the sun. However, they caution that this measure should be considered a supplement and does not fully eliminate the risks when exposing young children.
However, some sunscreen manufacturers promote products specifically designed for children or babies. Some observers believe this could cause confusion among parents.
"Sunscreen products display 'from the moment you leave the maternity ward' or 'from zero months': it's completely absurd," Céline Couteau, a doctor of pharmacy and cosmetology specialist who regularly conducts analyses of sunscreens, told AFP.
"They say not to expose children, but they're going to sell a product to expose them," insists Ms. Couteau, reporting that her tests regularly reveal that creams are less effective than the promised level.
The French food safety agency, ANSES, has also called for a ban on any labeling targeting "children" on sunscreens by the end of 2024. This suggestion was part of the ongoing revision of a European recommendation.
Asked by AFP, the Federation of Beauty Companies (Febea), which includes sunscreen manufacturers, assured that it also recommended keeping babies and young children away from the sun.
But "in the event of unavoidable exposure, sun protection is essential to protect exposed body parts," she insists.
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