to ask how often you put suncream on your DCs...

[whoneedssleepanyway]

was on holiday with BIL and his family and his wife told me she puts factor 30 suncream on their DS (2) everyday in the morning, she uses that once a day stuff so she then knows he is safe all day, year round.

I had to admit that I don't put suncream on my DDs (2 and 4) every day, I put it on if we are on holiday or are out in the sun on a hot day in this country but day to day I don't. They are always covered up if we are out in the sun with hat/ t shirt etc but I don't use sunblock unless it is especially hot and sunny or we are out all day.

AIBU? My SIL can be a bit PFB but am wondering now having read in the paper this morning that a t-shirt is only equal to SPF5 whether I should be more careful...

[Imnotaslimjim]

with DS, its when we are out in the hot sun all day. He has an olive complexion so doesn't burn easily. DD, we have to put it on every day and make sure she wears long sleeves and a hat. Sher is a red head and blisters within an hour of being in the sun as she's so pale

[pinkmagic1]

Not every day, only on holiday or if it is a very hot day here and we are going to be outside for a long period of time. Mine are both olive skinned though so may feel different if the were pale with fair hair and blue eyes, however daily, even in winter is being a bit precious imho.

[pjmama]

If we were on holiday in a hot country, I'd probably put cream on exposed bits (arms, face, legs, neck) as a matter of course every day - simply because the sun would obviously be stronger than we're used to. At home in the UK though, if we get a nice sunny summers day I usually just play it by ear. I like to give them a bit of time in the morning to soak up some vitamin D before it gets too hot, but would apply cream over the hottest part of the day, then probably relax a bit more later on. I think you can usually judge yourself if it's feeling hot enough to burn. I'd only slather them head to toe if they were going to be paddling/swimming, and then I'd probabaly have UV suits on them.

[bamboobutton]

i only put it on if we are going to be out in the sun during the hottest part of the day and only if we are going to be out for more than 30 minutes.

ds and dd have had suncream on about 4 times so far this year.

[NewbeeMummy]

anytime dd goes outdoors esp in warmer weather, we'll put that maximum factor kids stuff on, and reapply every few hours.

But she is blonde and very pale skinned

[RunsWithScissors]

Funny thing is, with the advent of the big push to protect yourself the occurrence of rickets has gone up.

Ideally you should have about 15 min of exposure to the sun at least three times a week (without sunscreen). That's how your body processes bit D.

I'm similar, if out early/late in the day, or for just a short while I don't bother too much with sunscreen. Do prefer to use clothing anyway as much easier/less messy with a "helpful" 2nd old :-)

[KD0706]

On holiday I put on cream regularly through the day.
At home I have cream in my change bag and if we're sat in the sun I stick some on.

Certainly not every day.

But then I do live in Scotland so there's less need here I'm sure!

pjmama does suncream inhibit vitamin d absorption? I didn't know that. Definitely a reason to not apply it every day as a matter of course.

[RunsWithScissors]

advice on sun exposure

Looks like I underestimated, looks to be around 20min/5 times a week

[itisnearlysummer]

I hate the feel of suncream. I hate the way it is sticky/slimey. I just hate the way it feels. I hate applying to the children. I loathe it. In fact I would rather stay indoors than use it.

Could anyone recommend a good suncream that they find doesn't have this effect?

Thank you!

[itisnearlysummer]

Sorry for the hijack by the way. I just hate it so much!

[suzikettles]

I used it as a matter of course on ds when we were on holiday - although he usually got some exposure without cream running around outside in the early morning.

At home, I'll put some on him if we're outside for a long time on a very sunny day - eg in the park for a couple of hours. My rule of thumb is if I'm putting it on then he gets it too. His skin is (luckily) far, far less sun sensitive than mine.

The nursery put it on if they're going outside in summer, but I wouldn't put any on before he left for nursery. I guess that'll have to change for school as, reading on here anyway, they won't do this.

Like the previous poster I hate suncream. I get that it's a necessary evil but oh I hate it so, so much. If I get even the tiniest bit in my eyes then that's me with red streaming eyes for the rest of the day.

[suzikettles]

We live in Scotland btw, so not too many days where it's needed - and I'm very keen to make sure he gets enough vitamin D.

I however have been severely burnt on a cloudy day with occasional showers (red hair, turquoise skin).

[meditrina]

The Australians are way ahead of UK in their advice on sun safety. It's particularly important in children and infants.

Here is the Australian Cancer Council's SunSmart page.

Here is their advice on use of sunscreen - right amount, apply 20 minutes before going out, reapply every two hours.

Here is their Vitamin D advice.

[Allinabinbag]

On if it looks like a sunny day, like today, as school won't apply and I don't want to send in a bottle for everyone else to use! Otherwise, no I don't put it on automatically, only if we are going out for a while on a hot day, which has not been often lately.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

itisnearlysummer I am just the same and use the L'Oreal or Garnier stuff that looks like water, HUGE improvement.

If we are on holiday dp does the kids, if they need doing here I just make sure I do it before we go out so I can wash my hands.

I use it on the kids when I think I need to, sorry that's not much help is it? They heve never burnt and I am not one for slathering it on all the time, though I would reapply every few hours on holiday if the weather is good as we camp, so they are in the sun from dawn to dusk.

[Nefret]

I don't put it on every day, only if it is very hot and they are going to be out in the sun for a long time. I also put it on when we are on holiday of course. My girls are olive skinned anyway so they don't burn in normal sunshine.

To be honest unless our child is extremely pale and burns with the slightest sunshine I think it is a bit over the top to apply sun cream every day in this country!

[SpecialFriedRice]

My 3yo DD is mixed race (black/white) so I don't know if she would actually burn or just tan. But I use it on hot clear sky kinda days. But I don't slather it on the second we leave the house. Provided its not the middle of the day I like DD to run around for a while without it so she can get her Vit D. Don't want her getting rickets!

So far this year I've used it maybe 5,6 or 7 times. Just on a couple of really nice hot days. I'm another one in Scotland so that affects how often I need to use it!

I'm sure I read somewhere that the darker your skin the longer it takes to get the Vit D due to the skins natural protection. That might be shite though.

[thumbwitch]

Suncream affects the body's ability to make Vitamin D from the UVB rays. so your SIL is being PFB in the extreme and may be risking Vitamin D deficiency in her child. Since Vitamin D is important in bone building because it aids calcium absorption, a lack of Vit D can contribute to weak bones. In children, this is known as rickets (making a comeback in the UK and Australia, possibly elsewhere) and in adults it is osteomalacia.

Vitamin D is a hormone and an antioxidant - we make the vast majority of our needs ourselves from the skin's exposure to UVB rays. The UVA rays are the ones that burn and cause damage; the Vitamin D and melanin are supposed to counter the damage. Melanin is the pigment in the skin that is produced when we tan. Fair skins produce vitamin D 6 times faster than the darkest skins, because they have to be efficient at it (maximising the potential from the weaker sun in the northern latitudes) - so fair skinned people need to be in the sun a lot less than darker skinned people.
The UK is at such a latitude that there is next to no vitamin D production between October and February, so using any suncream in that period is pointless.

Interesting point - although UVB rays are pretty much stopped by glass, UVA rays have better penetration of glass - which means that the protective vit D is not being made, no melanin is being produced, but you are still at risk of skin/DNA damage from the UVA.

I hate suncream but put it on DS if we're going to be outside in the middle of the day or for more than half an hour at a time with no respite, because we are in Australia and the sun is fierce here. But I won't put it on him otherwise - he needs the Vitamin D. I use a zinc oxide based cream that has no nanoparticles in it - I don't care if his skin looks chalky, I don't want dodgy chemicals getting inside his skin.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Itsnearly - I hate it too, with a vengeance. Ultrasun 30 (get it from Waitrose) has been a revelation for me, goes on easily, sinks in, doesn't just sit on the surface and best of all doesn't aggravate the exczema on my hands.

For those in between days I use Palmers Olive Body lotion with SPF15, no skin aggravation from that either.

[thumbwitch]

Another point that is less solid as a fact: there is a suggestion that lack of Vitamin D may contribute to Alzheimer's disease, something that is massively on the increase in Australia (not sure about the UK but the UK hasn't had the "slip slap slop" policy for as long).

We can get some vitamin D from our food but it's less efficient and less effective - primary sources are butter, margarine (both supplemented) and oily fish.

[thumbwitch]

Sorry - not "supplemented" - fortified.

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

Very rarely.

Loose floppy clothes, big hats and staying in the shade for my two, we live on the coast and they only really wear it if they're going in the sea. They're 10 and 12 and have never had sunburn, they are olive skinned tho which I suppose makes a difference.

I'd say we get through one bottle of suntan lotion over the entire year, probably less tbh.