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AIBU?

To hate the start of summer purely because of daily sun cream dramas?

114 replies

santsandpocks · 05/05/2016 08:13

They hate having it put on, I hate putting it on them. It's all such a faff

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santsandpocks · 05/05/2016 08:15

Posted too soon.

Am I missing something with it? What products do you swear by? I'm currently using soltan once on school age dc but it's horrible and thick. Little dc has sensitive skin. Any ideas?

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EatShitDerek · 05/05/2016 08:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Laquila · 05/05/2016 08:22

The Ultrasun Fanily Formula Once-A-Day one is good. Obvs is they get very sweaty, or go one after or whatever you need to reapply, but it gives you a head start!

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monkeymamma · 05/05/2016 08:26

Squirty spray ones. Also my eldest loved it even as a very little boy, would tell nursery staff 'I've got make up just like mummy!' My youngest (17m) is less cooperative but I do my best and then think 'ah well, at least he's getting vitamin d'. He's very olive skinned. Also I generally prefer to stay out for shorter periods/find some shade/put them in hats and long sleeved lightweight tops rather than stressing out too much about suncream (I assume you're doing pre-school run suncream so can't really do this though).
If anyone knows how I can get him to permit nails and hair cutting please tell me! He looks like stig of the dump atm.

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RedOnHerHedd · 05/05/2016 08:28

I don't put any on my DCs for school unless it's blazing hot. A little bit of sun exposure does them good for soaking up vitamin D. When I do insist that they have sun cream on, I use Riemann P20 on them but just their arms, face, neck and ears. Everything else is covered. I use pure organic coconut oil (naturally SPF10) on me in the UK and P20 abroad. And I'm ginger.

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eltsihT · 05/05/2016 08:30

My 2 are red headed and blue eyed, they look at the sun and burn.

I like the once a day creams, I put the tv on and cover them in cream. To goes off if they object, I try to pick a show that is about 15/20 minutes long so the cream dries in by the time it's finished, then we get dressed and go play, they haven't got burnt yet including being abroad last summer when they were in and out of the sea without re applying.

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Fresta · 05/05/2016 08:38

I don't think children need sun-cream at this time of year. The length of time they are spending in the sun is surely small and a certain amount of exposure is healthy and necessary.

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stargirl1701 · 05/05/2016 08:39

I try to avoid sunscreen. I feel it is better to cover up with long sleeves, long trousers, wide brimmed hat, play in shade between 11am and 3pm.

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Fresta · 05/05/2016 08:41

When they do need suncream I use one with mineral ingredients so it doesn't break down throughout the day like a chemical sunscreen. I like The Green People one or Jason spf 30.

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CornishYarg · 05/05/2016 09:26

YANBU. DS was a nightmare for putting suncream on until recently. I don't bother if we're only out for short bursts and use all day cream otherwise to minimise the number of applications.

I have sensitive skin and Soltan makes my skin sting when it's applied and itchy and puffy after I've been wearing it for a few hours. Same with supermarket brands and even Nivea. I find Piz Buin or P20 much better. More expensive but definitely worth it.

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Mishaps · 05/05/2016 09:29

My GC hate having sunscreen. It is interesting as when I was a child no-one used it - we all ran about all day in the bright sun and no-one thought a thing about it. It is sad to think that this probably reflects the fact that global warming and the strength of the sun have gained so much in my lifetime. It makes you a bit scared to think what things will be like when my GC are themselves grandparents.

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superwormissuperstrong · 05/05/2016 09:37

Agree that its one of the worst aspects of summer.
Our family is fair skinned and while I know that we need vitamin D its almost impossible to know where to draw the line between no suncream to get it and that they will have horrific burns. This happened to me so many times as a child in the 70's I'm just waiting for one of my freckles to turn malignant...
Freya - I think this time of year is actually worse than the height of summer when you are more likely to expect it. Its so easy to misjudge and end up being too pink/red or end up with a touch of sunstroke (we are a family of pale skinned gingers!) Especially if there's a fresh wind with the sun (which we had yesterday) as it doesn't feel hot - just pleasant and you just want to let the suns rays be all over you!
Today is probably a chill day at home - lots of running around in the garden so I will probably put some on DS's exposed bits as hard to keep track of the time in sun vs shade bits of the garden. I hate it - its a pain to put on properly, makes him sticky and is a lot of chemicals that while they primarily protect I worry about long term impacts of a lifetime of using them.

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moonbells · 05/05/2016 10:14

Best tip I read (on here somewhere) was to use a make-up sponge or similar to apply it. I use a cheapo kitchen sponge (minus the scouring bit) and keep it in a ziplock bag with the cream (which always ends up sticky on the outside of the bottle).

Takes a lot less time to apply, you don't get as many objections and you don't get as gunky hands either!

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FirstWeTakeManhattan · 05/05/2016 10:19

The amount of sun exposure everyone needs to gain sufficient Vitamin D is very small. I prefer long sleeves and hats to tons of sun cream, but the DC have gone out today with some across their cheeks and noses.

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Janefromdowntheroad · 05/05/2016 10:23

We don't use it unless abroad or a very sunny day where they will be out for long periods

Small amounts of sun now will give them a base tan and stop them from burning. We have a huge problem with lack of Vit D in the UK.

Slapping sun cream on at the first sign of the sun isn't helpful

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FirstWeTakeManhattan · 05/05/2016 10:40

Small amounts of sun now will give them a base tan and stop them from burning

I disagree with this. Any change in skin colour means damage from UV rays. On average, most people need around 10 - 15 minutes in the sun, with limbs exposed and no suncream, to gain sufficient Vit D in the summer (winter is more of a problem).

Some children won't tan. A 'base tan' does not protect them from burning, it means the skin is already damaged.

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Janefromdowntheroad · 05/05/2016 10:49

15 minutes at break, 30 at lunch, 15 at afternoon break

That's an hour broken up into small portions of weak sun exposure. With clothes on. No need for suncteam IMO.

Rickets are back already, the extreme end of the wedge. Not helped by the obsession with suncteam.

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Janefromdowntheroad · 05/05/2016 10:53

www.theguardian.com/society/2010/jan/22/sharp-rise-vitamin-a-deficiency one of many sources.

"It's good to have 20 minutes of sun exposure 2-3 times a week". We don't synthesise sunlight between Nov-March at all. July/August strong sun on the beach or outside all day yes I'd put sunscreen on. Today for an hours exposure, completely over the top.

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 05/05/2016 10:59

I have just had a melanoma removed, according to my dermatologist, and the surgeon:

Everyone in the UK should wear SPF 30 between march-october
Any sun exposure is cumulatively damaging (ie a tan is not a good thing)
A tan offers very little protection
Get your vitamin D from supplements, much safer
Covering up/staying out of the sun should be first line of defence.

Dermatologist also not a fan of p20, also worth noting that all-dad sunscreens can not be sold as such in Australia.

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FirstWeTakeManhattan · 05/05/2016 11:15

Janefromdowntheroad I don't think our thoughts on sun exposure and Vit D are miles apart.

The part of your post I happened to disagree with is the idea that a 'base tan' is a good thing and somehow protects a child from burning. A tan means that damage has already happened.

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Janefromdowntheroad · 05/05/2016 11:35

Perhaps base tan is the wrong word.

I firmly believe that the rise in skin cancer is a result of cheap flights/holidays in the 70/80/90s and a lack of suncream and knowledge about skin cancer.

I don't think the answer is slapping sun cream on kids the second the sun comes out. I have 4 DC, they've never burnt, we go abroad twice a year. They get some colour around now and then don't burn when exposed to stronger sunlight. Holidays, beach all day, swimming outside they have cream on. They don't fuss about it because it's not an everyday thing which would get bloody annoying.

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CMOTDibbler · 05/05/2016 11:39

I'd burn if out for the length of time children are playing out. Without sunscreen on I'd be red in about 20 minutes today, and its the way I've always been. OTOH, a lifetime of wearing hats and sunscreen means I have good skin

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FirstWeTakeManhattan · 05/05/2016 11:50

To be honest, after two decades of being mole mapped after being taken abroad as kids and playing in the garden for hours and 'getting a colour' I truly wish my parents had slapped suncream on me or made me wear a tee shirt the whole time.

They were great parents but advice was different then, they thought a tan was a sign of great health Grin

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LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 05/05/2016 12:00

I think it depends on your skin tone to a degree.

One of my children has olive skin, the other is a pale redhead.

Guess which one I put suncream on this morning? He burns very easily so no I don't think I'm being over the top.

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LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 05/05/2016 12:01

Also my FIL had a huge chunk of skin cancer cut out of his face a few years ago. He grew up in Dublin and his family were very poor so there were definitely no cheap package holidays in the sun for him.

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