July 2007
Sensors: A quick look
Can stickers for kids make sunscreen reapplication a no-brainer for parents?
Name of product: Huggies Little Swimmers Sun Sensors
Price we paid: $4.99 for 24 stickers
What it is. A set of UV-sensitive water-resistant stickers that can be affixed to a child's skin or clothing, they're supposed to alert parents when a child's sunscreen might be wearing off by changing colors to signal prolonged exposure to the sun. Once the fish-shaped stickers switch from their initial bright yellow hue and pattern of tiny orange suns to a dark, solid orange, that's your cue to reapply sunscreen, hustle them into sun- protective clothing or find a shadier locale. To work properly, the sensors have to be placed on a "blank" spot of the skin that has not had any sunscreen or lotion applied to it, facing upward, and continuously exposed to direct sunlight. When reapplying sunscreen, the old Sun Sensor sticker must be removed, and a new one applied.
We tested the Sun Sensors by placing the stickers on a large piece of cardboard on the roof of our Yonkers, N.Y., building, one sunny spring morning. Left in direct sunlight, the stickers turned dark orange after 30 minutes, though the orange sun pattern remained somewhat intact. After one hour, they changed to a deep red, and the sun pattern was no longer visible. We set out three more sets of stickers at hourly intervals and got the same results. Therefore, we concluded that the sensors changed color--indicating it was time to reapply sunscreen--in less than an hour. A child thoroughly covered by an SPF 15 lotion should be protected by the sunscreen for about 5 hours. If he or she is active and perspires, or goes swimming, the sunscreen would need to be reapplied even sooner, but the American Academy of Dermatology generally recommends doing so every two hours or immediately after swimming.
To see how Sun Sensors performed in cloudy weather, we left the stickers out on a hazy, humid day a few hours before a thunderstorm
struck. Within 75 to 90 minutes the stickers turned dark orange and the sun pattern disappeared. Since UV rays can be reduced
by as much as 68 percent on cloudy days, this further suggests that Sun Sensors change color sooner than a reapplication of
sunscreen might be needed.
What we liked. Stickers that make kids want to wear sunscreen, or that make re-applying it "fun," are a good thing. The Sun Sensors also adhered to skin well, staying put during a 30-minute swim and a 15-minute dishwashing session (not a recommended use, but a pretty tough test).
What we didn't like. At 21 cents per sticker ($4.99 for 24), the Sun Sensors aren't cheap. And they're perhaps a bit too sensitive: On a sunny day the stickers went from yellow to deep reddish-orange in less than 60 minutes--signaling a need for extra sunscreen before it might actually be necessary.
Price we paid: $4.99 for 24 stickers
What it is. A set of UV-sensitive water-resistant stickers that can be affixed to a child's skin or clothing, they're supposed to alert parents when a child's sunscreen might be wearing off by changing colors to signal prolonged exposure to the sun. Once the fish-shaped stickers switch from their initial bright yellow hue and pattern of tiny orange suns to a dark, solid orange, that's your cue to reapply sunscreen, hustle them into sun- protective clothing or find a shadier locale. To work properly, the sensors have to be placed on a "blank" spot of the skin that has not had any sunscreen or lotion applied to it, facing upward, and continuously exposed to direct sunlight. When reapplying sunscreen, the old Sun Sensor sticker must be removed, and a new one applied.
We tested the Sun Sensors by placing the stickers on a large piece of cardboard on the roof of our Yonkers, N.Y., building, one sunny spring morning. Left in direct sunlight, the stickers turned dark orange after 30 minutes, though the orange sun pattern remained somewhat intact. After one hour, they changed to a deep red, and the sun pattern was no longer visible. We set out three more sets of stickers at hourly intervals and got the same results. Therefore, we concluded that the sensors changed color--indicating it was time to reapply sunscreen--in less than an hour. A child thoroughly covered by an SPF 15 lotion should be protected by the sunscreen for about 5 hours. If he or she is active and perspires, or goes swimming, the sunscreen would need to be reapplied even sooner, but the American Academy of Dermatology generally recommends doing so every two hours or immediately after swimming.
CR's Take
The best--and cheapest--bet for parents is to simply apply sunscreen properly in the first place and to pay attention to how long a child has been in the sun. That means making sure you use enough sunscreen on your little one--up to an ounce depending on your child's size--to cover all exposed skin, and applying it 30 minutes before heading outside. Then you could probably just set your watch, PDA or cell phone to remind yourself to reapply sunscreen to the child's skin every two hours.
What we liked. Stickers that make kids want to wear sunscreen, or that make re-applying it "fun," are a good thing. The Sun Sensors also adhered to skin well, staying put during a 30-minute swim and a 15-minute dishwashing session (not a recommended use, but a pretty tough test).
What we didn't like. At 21 cents per sticker ($4.99 for 24), the Sun Sensors aren't cheap. And they're perhaps a bit too sensitive: On a sunny day the stickers went from yellow to deep reddish-orange in less than 60 minutes--signaling a need for extra sunscreen before it might actually be necessary.
