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AIBU?

to want to choose what SPF I wear and not the retailers?

45 replies

sherbetpips · 04/07/2011 13:56

So when did all the shops suddenly decide the lowest factor we are allowed to buy is SPF 15 - did a law get passed that I didnt hear about? What happened to 10, 8 and 6? Supermarkets, chemists, everywhere only 15 or worse 30!
Seeing all the burnt people this weekend I am guessing most decided not to bother rather than where an enforced higher factor.

OP posts:

Report

MollysChamber · 05/07/2011 09:53

I use factor 50 and fake tan in the summer. Factor 15 in winter. Every day.

YABU

sherbetpips · 05/07/2011 12:26

They dont sell lower factors in boots and superdrug go and look, you might find a well hidden piz buin one if you are lucky. As some commenters have said shen did this universal decision to force us into factor 15 and above happen?
I normally use 8 or 10 on holiday as I dont burn and I dont want to come back white - sorry I like to tan. I am aware of the risks but I am also aware that the wine I drink is doing me no good - now if they try taking that away.......

OP posts:

valiumredhead · 05/07/2011 13:52

My friend's fiance died of skin cancer a few years ago. He got it over here....and within 5 years he was dead. Skin cancer is on the increase here and can be very serious

Skin cancer can take a long tome to develop - my grandfather's didn't come out til he was in his 70's, it was awful, over the tops of his ears and face/head. Never sunbathed in his life or holidayed abroad - juts lots of gardening without a hat. He didn't have fair skin either.

Insomnia11 · 05/07/2011 13:58

Surely black people don't have to use factor 15+?

AuntiePickleBottom · 05/07/2011 13:59

i am ashamed to say to never wear sun cream, but alway buy factor 50 for the kids.

but i suppose the shops orders to supply and demand, it's not good business sense to buy a box of factor 8 SPF only for 1 to be sold

valiumredhead · 05/07/2011 13:59

Surely black people don't have to use factor 15+?

Of course they do!! Black skin burns!

AuntiePickleBottom · 05/07/2011 14:01

insomnia11 the sun can still damage your skin, no matter what color you are.

TrillianAstra · 05/07/2011 14:01

"Lower than 15 is pointless".

No, it's not, it does exactly what it says on the tin. If you have factor 8 then it is not pointless, it is half as effective as factor 15. If it were pointless it would be factor 0.

StealthPolarBear · 05/07/2011 14:03

"parakeet Mon 04-Jul-11 14:46:49
Oh yes, any company that sells health products should actually give them away for FREE, or they are liars and hypocrites"

can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not...if not- what on earth do you mean?

JemimaMop · 05/07/2011 14:07

Boots SPF8
Boots SPF4

sausagesandmarmelade · 05/07/2011 14:21

Skin cancer can take a long tome to develop

I think that with older people cancers somehow seem to take longer to spread...

This guy developed a malignant melanoma on his forehead...after having attended a sports day...on a cloudy day (he was fair skinned).

He acted straight away...they removed the dodgy mole but it had spread to his lymph glands already...and made rapid progression throughout his body. I think he actually died within 3 years....with the cancer finally reaching his liver.

He was just 30 years old...
My friend and him had planned to marry...but it never happened.

sausagesandmarmelade · 05/07/2011 14:25

Yes black skin can still burn...

A lot of 'black' people who were born in the UK don't have the same protection as if they were born in their country of origin...

We are not used to strong sun here...it seems to happen in bursts...which is why we all need protection.

I cannot believe boots produces a factor 8/4 sun cream...that just seems really irresponsible.

sausagesandmarmelade · 05/07/2011 14:28

Getting a tan can be costly in more ways than one...

I know a sun worshipper...now early 40s. She looks at least 10 years older...

valiumredhead · 05/07/2011 15:20

sausages sorry, I was agreeing with you in the fact that skin cancers can be really fast or really slow to develop as in my grandfather's case. So you need to be careful and just becasue you 'seem' ok in your 40's/50's it doesn't mean that by the time you are older it isn't going to develop.

Sorry about your friend's fiance - so sad.

sausagesandmarmelade · 05/07/2011 16:11

Oh no offence taken valium...don't worry.

Yes it was very sad...especially given that he was so young. He was just very unlucky.
Sorry about your Grandad too.

And because of what happened I tend to encourage everyone to use sun-creams.

MackerelOfFact · 05/07/2011 16:51

You can get lower factors if you want to seek them out, they're just a bit niche. I always thought that lower factor sunscreens meant you needed to reapply it more often? Sod that. If I'm spending £10+ on a bottle of the stuff I don't want to have run out within a couple of days.

MackerelOfFact · 05/07/2011 16:54

Where to buy SPF2.

GetOrf · 05/07/2011 17:04

I am sure that I saw factor 6 in Tesco recently.

I had skin cancer before I was 30 (from being fried in tropical sun as a child) so am a bore about wearing factor 50 every day.

The maximum my gran used on me was factor 2 hawaiian tropic, or liquid paraffin. On a reddish blonde, deathly pale child in Kenya. Madness.

valiumredhead · 08/07/2011 09:01

TK MAXX yesterday had loads of low spf creams if anyone wants them - I thought of this thread when I saw them

MrsGerardButler · 08/07/2011 09:10

As a teenager I used to buy coconut oil from the chemist and use that to fry myself as sun tan oil. I also used baby oil.

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