Sunscreen is a friend to fair and dark complexions alike, protecting its wearers from sunburn and other forms of skin damage. So why would schools and camps ban kids from carrying the stuff without a doctor’s note? After a recent story of a mom horrified that her two daughters were severely sunburned after a school field day, claiming no adults gave them sunscreen or provided shade, these policies are getting closer scrutiny.

USA Today says the mother who complained of the sunscreen policy at her kids’ school has prompted a change at that school, after a state law was tweaked to give schools some leeway on how they handle over-the-counter drugs.

Sunscreen rules turn out to be common and are usually the result of state and local rules that prevent kids from bringing any drug, including non-prescription drugs to school. Sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs and are treated like aspirin.

Policies vary, with some treating sunscreen application at a school as they would any other fragrance product, and forbid its use or distribution to avoid allergic reactions.

But one expert from the  American Academy of Dermatology says allergy concerns shouldn’t be an issue, telling USA Today: “Sunscreen allergies are no more common than allergies to soap. Are schools going to take soap out of their bathrooms?”

Adults can also get in trouble for inappropriately touching children if they help apply sunscreen, which is why it’s often forbiden at camps for staffers or even other kids from coating it on each other.

If you’re worried about your kids, make sure to check with the school or camp on their sunscreen policies before sending them off into the hot summer sun. Sunburn is fun for no one.

Sunscreen forbidden at schools and camps [USA Today]

 

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