Bathing, Make-Up, and Sunscreen: Which Products Do Children Use?

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the hygiene practices and frequency of use of personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and sunscreen among children and adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional study with interviews about skincare conducted with caregivers through closed-ended questions. We included patients up to 14 years of age waiting for consultation in pediatric outpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis and applied the Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher’s exact test to compare the practices according to maternal schooling. Results: We conducted 276 interviews. The median age of the participants was age four, and 150 (54.3%) were males. A total of 143 (51.8%) participants bathed once a day and 128 (46.3%) bathed two or more times a day, lasting up to ten minutes in 132 (47.8%) cases. Adult soap was used by 103 (37.3%) children and bar soap by 220 (79.7%). Fifty-three (19.2%) participants used sunscreen daily. Perfume was used by 182 (65.9%) children, hair gel by 98 (35.5%), nail polish by 62 (22.4%), and some type of make-up by 71 (25.7%) - eyeshadow by 30 (10.8%), lipstick by 52 (18.8%), face powder and mascara by 13 (4.7%). Make-up use started at a median age of 4 years. Henna tattoo was done in eight children. Conclusions: The children studied used unsuitable products for their skin, such as those intended for adults, used sunscreen inadequately, and started wearing make-up early, evidencing the need for medical orientation.

Knowledge about, attitude toward, and practices in skin care among Thai adolescents

“…The most appropriate time to introduce photoprotection habit is during childhood, which is the period of greatest sun exposure 14,16 . Like many studies, although most (93.5%) of our study participants reported knowing the harmful effects of sunlight, regular use of sunscreen was low (27.4%) 7,14,16,17 …”

“…This can lead to irritant contact dermatitis and exacerbate underlying skin conditions, such as acne and rosacea. 1,[3][4][5][6][7][8] Our results showed that most adolescents had correct knowledge about skin cleansing, but some did not know the appropriate pH of the cleanser (37.8%) and the correct bathing duration (55.8%). Dissimilar…”

“…There is a wide range of choices, but these products may contain various chemical ingredients in the formulation that potentiate side effects, inflammation, and irritation 6 . Product selection is influenced by factors that include cultural, social, family, customs, traditions, education level, professional values, budget, and trends 1,7,12 …”

“…6 Product selection is influenced by factors that include cultural, social, family, customs, traditions, education level, professional values, budget, and trends. 1,7,12 Knowledge, attitude, and expectations also affected adolescent behavior relative to the use of these products. Many of the reasons given by respondents for the selection and use of skin care products in this study were appropriate and reasonable.…”

Preageing of the skin among Asian populations

“…37 However, the use of makeup and harsh skincare products, particularly among adolescents, could act as external damaging agents. 38 Sunscreen use is important in preventing or delaying photoageing by protecting the skin against UVR damage. However, real-world sunscreen use often falls short of what is recommended, and consumer compliance depends largely on preferences for product aesthetics and concurrent use with other facial products.…”