Have you been wearing sunscreen during lockdown?

[InOmniaParatus42]

Especially if you aren't going out much? I've been working from home with 2 DC and barely get the time to step out, apart from hanging up the laundry.
I never seem to grasp the sunscreen rules and always doubt if I'm overdoing it or not

So here my questions...

1. Do you wear sunscreen all through the year? Even when at home? (our family room is south facing and can get really hot - not sure if this is a factor)
2. What factor do you use during the winter?
3. I know I'm supposed to have a separate sunscreen and not rely on what's in my moisturiser, but can I rely on these if sitting at home or during the winters?
4. Your best sunscreen brand?

Thanks

I potter about in the garden on sunny days for about 5 minutes without sunscreen to get some vitamin d (am very pale so any longer than this and I burn). Then I smother myself in factor 50. It's a pain but I have to do it. I wear facial spf most of the time, unless I'm inside all day or it's a dark winter day. If I were sat near a window with hot sunshine blazing through for longer than 5 mins I'd put spf on.

To some extent it depends on skin type - if I were dark or olive skinned I would spend longer getting my vitamin d and then maybe use a lower spf factor. I do think spf is important though.

I use factor 50 on my face and neck all year round. I also wear it in the house simply because, if I'm not in a routine of putting it on at roughly the same time every day, then I'll forget.

My mum (albeit in her eighties) has had several squamous cell carcinomas removed from her face, one of which involved plastic surgery. She was advised to wear factor 30 in winter and factor 50 in summer. She doesn't! But she barely goes out now, even without the covid crisis.

I use Altruist factor 50 from Amazon. It doesn't cause any blocked pores or look greasy. I just extend it from my face and neck to anywhere exposed in summer, or sometimes I use a factor 50 spray - think it's Malibu. My skin is very fair and I bitterly regret the quest for a tan I embarked on in my younger years.

No, but I'm still wearing jeans and a jumper most days.

@SweetPetrichor are you me!? I don't like being in the sun either. The concept of going on a holiday for sun is so alien to me! Bright blue skies look nice, but if I have to step out, then my ideal weather would be a cloudy 22-24.
People find this surprising as I grew up in a hot country. But even then I barely stepped out during the day when it was summer.

Yes. I wear a factor 20 all year round (via make up / moisturier in the winter) and bump it up to factor 50 in the summer.

I am very fair though, and currently pregnant so have a bit of melasma that I'm trying to prevent getting worse.

I like this www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/face/moisturisers-with-spf/skin-defence-multi-protection-lotion-spf-50-pa/p/p001071 for the summer as it's really light and not sticky like regular sun cream but if I'm going out for a walk or to sit in the garden I will top it up with the regular stuff.

Put facial sunscreen (SPF 30 or 50) on pretty much 365 days of the year, inside or outside and top it up during the day every 2-3 hours. I use acids and retinol in my skincare.

Been wearing sunscreen on body on days I’ve been outside during lockdown. Again factor 30-50.

tbh, I find facial sunscreen very expensive.
10£ or more for a tiny bottle that lasts a month is a lot for many people.

You can use body sunscreen on your face @bluefoxmug. The facial ones often just have less greasy, more easily absorbed or less ‘white cast’ prone formulations. Some also have skincare ingredients in them but body ones are absolutely fine for the face too.

Watery essence spf 50+ on my face all the time.
Asda suncream for the garden, usually factor 50+ too. Always a 5* protection, some of the big brands nivea, pin buzz are much lower and so £££!

I wouldn't put it on to walk the dog at 7am, but I wouldn't go out in a vest top then either so would be covered up.

I'm see through pale though, so take vit d and have good levels

uv strength is affected by time of year, latitude, altitude and (to a lesser degree) cloud cover. Air temperature is not on that list. The only relevance of temperature is that hotter days probably mean exposing more skin.

peak UV in the UK is now 3 weeks away. If the science is too much (this is MN after all and the theme here is 'it is feminine to be ignorant of anything 'geeky') then the nice people on the weather forecast also give a UV rating.

wear high factor suncream. And REAL suncream, not the stuff marketed at those staggering in heels from shop to lunch. As usual, if it is aimed at women, it is crap.

My ‘Aimed at women’ sunscreen is broad spectrum, spf50. You need to make sure you’re using the right amount to get the stated spf. The face creams and make up spfs cannot be relied upon as standalone protection as you don’t usually put enough on to give the full protection. So if you’re relying on an spf15 moisturiser, you’ll probably only be getting around half that protection because you aren’t putting a thick enough layer on.

Manufacturers base their spf ratings on a usage of 2mgs of suncream per cm2 of skin. If you apply it any thinner than this, you are reducing the rating. You need to use about a teaspoon for your face, neck and chest.

Yes, everyday between March and October. I use P20.

The sun's strength is not based on temperature. I get so sick of hearing this. It's based on UV strength. Which is why skiers can get burnt noses and cheeks.

The Sunbed industry and Vitamin D council (funded by the Sunbed industry) will tell you that sunlight is needed etc but we do not generate enough vitamin D in this country alone as it's just not possible to build up a store of it for winter. I don't have the links to hand but you'll find excellent reading on MelanomaUK website.

I lost half of my cheek to Melanoma and at least 6 people die every day in the U.K. and out of those 6, 5 of the deaths could have been prevented. All skin cancer can be deadly contrary to popular belief, even basal cell kills 200 a year. The foundations for skin cancer are laid down maybe 10-15 years before a change in your skin so it is essential to protect the kids.
We don't need to slather ourselves in sun cream though, there are some excellent UV clothing suppliers out there that are not just used for swimwear.

However, all that said we are adults and know risk. Same as smoking isn't good for us neither is alcohol but plenty of people still do those things too. But children do not get a choice. I protect my children and when they are adults they can make up their own mind but having seen me go through 14 surgeries and their friends DF dying from skin cancer they are quite good at covering up and taking a D3 supplement.

I tan easily, have dark hair and slightly olive skin.

I wear Factor 50 every single day. Every day. It’s just a standard part of my skin care regime.

@peekaboob So would you apply sunscreen even for kids 365 days of the year? I'm asking because I don't do this currently. I only apply sunscreen on them if the UV rating is more than 3 and they're going to be out in the sun for more than 15-20 mins. Between 11am and 3 pm, I encourage them to either play inside or stay in the shade when out.

I use this app called 'UVLower' to check the UV levels. It gives and hour by hour value and also tells you how soon you would burn with or without sunscreen (there's a setting to select skin tone)

I wear sunscreen from April to October if I’m spending a significant amount of time outdoors or if I’m driving with the roof down. I use Lidl’s own brand stuff which is cheap and works well.

Mencken that is so rude. There are loads of scientists on Mumsnet

Also, I never, ever sunbathe.

I think advice has altered a bit recently (maybe because there seems to have been more research about vitamin D and immunity lately?).

My DGM had to have a few small skin cancers burned off her face, so was always very good at wearing spf/hat/sitting under a parasol since, but recently she's been told to try to get 15 minutes or so a couple of times a week with sun on her forearms, face and legs with no suncream on, as well as a supplement.

Perhaps it's because she's in her 90s, and they think the lack of vitamin D might be more deadly than the risk of another skin cancer in 10 years!

No I very rarely wear it.
I know that’s not good, but I am being honest.
I don’t have skin that burns and I find wearing sun cream makes me break out in spots. I think I probably should make more of an effort to find other brands though.

What a weird, condescending way to get your point across @mencken

peak UV in the UK is now 3 weeks away. If the science is too much (this is MN after all and the theme here is 'it is feminine to be ignorant of anything 'geeky') then the nice people on the weather forecast also give a UV rating.

wear high factor suncream. And REAL suncream, not the stuff marketed at those staggering in heels from shop to lunch. As usual, if it is aimed at women, it is crap.

😂

Did you mean to come across as such a twat?

1. Do you wear sunscreen all through the year? Even when at home? (our family room is south facing and can get really hot - not sure if this is a factor) I won’t wear it if I’m just going to be in the house, but if I’m going outside then I will.
2. What factor do you use during the winter? 50 still
3. I know I'm supposed to have a separate sunscreen and not rely on what's in my moisturiser, but can I rely on these if sitting at home or during the winters? I’d wear a separate sun cream on top of the moisturiser
4. Your best sunscreen brand? I use the la roche posay suncream for sensitive skin, it’s 50+, I also use the kids one on my children every day too. We’re all really fair

I spent a few hours outside, mostly in the shade but a bit in the sun and I got awful sunburn!! So I’ve been religiously apply the factor 50. I’m very fair but recently my skin has been really sensitive to the sun. I just use a high spf tinted moisturiser for my face.

@InOmniaParatus42 no, I do the same as you, UV 3 and above which tends to be March to October. I do wear sunscreen in a car if I'll be sunside for longer than 20 mins.

I'd rather have strong bones in old age than a smooth face

What an odd comment - I take vitamin as supplements and lift weights which is the best thing for bone density in women. I have both strong bones AND a smooth face. I didn’t realise we could only pick one 🙄