Allergies are on the rise, and there are now an incredible 50 million Americans who suffer from an allergy of one form or another. [1] Allergies and allergic reactions tend to develop in childhood, and children are more sensitive to allergies, particularly to environmental allergies, than their grown up counter parts. There are thousands of different types of skin allergies, so it is difficult to detail them all, but skin allergies are incredibly common, affecting around 13% of under 18s in the country. [2] The most common of these allergies occur as a reaction to plants, fragrances and chemicals used in cosmetic items, metals, dust mites, animal hair and latex. Despite these huge number of childhood allergies, many Americans still insist on smothering their children in chemical laden and artificially developed products, particularly in the summer months when it becomes increasingly important to apply sun lotion to our children every day. Conventional sunscreens can irritate allergy prone skin making it feel dry, itchy and very uncomfortable. For many parents who find their children are suffering with discomfort and potential allergy symptoms when their sunscreen is applied, it can be tempting to simply avoid the issue and not apply sunscreen. However this would be a grave mistake in light of the latest research, which suggests that applying sunscreen every day reduces the risk of melanoma (known to be the most deadly kind of skin cancer) by an incredible 50 percent. [3]   Signs of a Conventional Sunscreen Allergy Do you suspect that your child is suffering from a sunscreen allergy? If they are suffering from symptoms such as sore red skin, skin swelling, itching around the area where the sunscreen has been applies and blisters that are filled with fluid when their sunscreen is applied then it is highly likely that an allergy to the chemical laden sunscreen that has been applied could be the problem. Whilst it can make summer seem a little more difficult, an allergy to sunscreen doesn't have to keep you from having fun in the sun this summer. There are all-natural solutions for all children, many of which are particularly ideal for children with proven skin sensitivities: the use of organic and natural sun lotions is certainly on the rise in the United States as awareness of the importance of protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays, as well as the dangers that chemicals can pose to the skin, continue to increase. The US is home to the largest market for natural & organic personal care products in the world. [4] The best thing is that whilst conventional sun screens shouldn’t be applied to children under the age of one because of the chemicals that they contain, all-natural sunscreens are so gentle, skin safe and kind that they can even be applied to babies. The arrival of summer is always an exciting time, but it can also be a very stressful time if you have children with sensitive skin and a multitude of allergies. Long lasting chemical sun screens can only serve to make that more difficult thanks to the reactions that they can cause, but at last there is a solution that will work for everything, and put the sunny disposition back into those sunny days.   ================ References [1] “Allergy facts”, American College of Allergies, Asthma, and Immunology, http://acaai.org/news/facts-statistics/allergies [2] “Trends in allergic conditions amongst children”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db121.htm [3] “Daily sunscreen use cuts melanoma risk in half, study finds”, Skin Cancer Foundation,http://www.skincancer.org/news/sunscreen/daily-sunscreen-use-cuts-melanoma-risk-in-half-study-finds [4] “The United States market for natural and organic personal care products”, Organic Monitor, http://www.organicmonitor.com/310260.htm Post written by Anne Southern Anne worked in business management in the healthcare industry after studying literature. On becoming a mother, she took a step back and decided to indulge her love of writing.