Does My Infant Need Sunscreen For The Skin While Travelling To A Very Hot Place?

Posted on Thu, 10 May 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 10 May 2018 Answered on

Thu, 2 Nov 2023 Last reviewed on

Question : hi doctor, hope you doing well... I will be travelling with my infant (dob 2 march 18) next month which will be 3 Months old when we travel. I will be traveling from andhra Pradesh to XXXXXXX in flight and the weather is too hot...my question is.. does baby need sun scream for their skin... currently I m not applying anything on baby face or body... I massage her with coconut oil... then give her bath with Himalaya baby wash and then apply besan and haldi paste and wash her off..daily... what steps should I follow for baby skin care? especially in summers and while travelling?

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Sun screen lotions not advisable till 6 months please

Detailed Answer:
Hi...I understand your concern. But any type of sun screen lotions are not advisable till the baby is 6 months old.

Whatever you are practising currently is perfect.

The other option is applying baby powder and keeping the baby fresh by daily bathing at room temperature water.

Most importantly keep the baby well hydrated by breastfeeding alone and do not give water also (even if others insist and even if it's summer).

Usage of mildest soap like Tedybar and Spoo shampoo might help in keeping skin well moisturized.

Best regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar