To ask which SPF to use for the UK

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We're staying in this country this year and going to Wales for a week. I have everything crossed for some sun, ha!

A while ago a health visitor told me that we shouldn't be using anymore than SPF 30 on children as they need the sun. But other threads and info I've read people seem to be sold on factor 50.

What do you use?

I use spf 30/50 abroad (50 in really hot places like Australia, and 30 in places like Spain) and 15/30 in UK (mostly 15 but 30 when its a heatwave, and sometimes nothing but I shouldn't do that). That's for me though (an adult). For DCs I think I would always go the next level up, so 30 in the UK normally, 50 in a UK heatwave and abroad, etc.

I use spf 50 as advised by my GP - am Indian with light brown skin and have lots of moles. GP said only dark skinned black /Indian people without moles can get away with spf 15-30. Everyone else should wear 50+. But we are talking about UK /EU sunscreens which tend to be better quality than those obtained abroad - some Asian and American spf50 creams contain chemicals.

It's not to do with the heat it's to do with the strength of sun rays...

I was told to wear SPF50 because I’m so pale, so I do. I wear it whether I’m in the garden at home or abroad somewhere. Factor 50 is advisable because you don’t want them to burn. The goal is for them to come back pretty much as pasty as when they left.

They need the vitamin D from being outside in the sunshine I believe, but I wasn’t aware that sunscreen prevented the absorbtion of this.

helpful explanatory thing, here:
www.badgerbalm.com/s-30-what-is-spf-sunscreen-sun-protection-factor.aspx

SPF 30 no matter where we are. The sun can cause as much damage in Wales as in Spain. Using sunscreen when you have a lot of skin exposed during a long day in the sun won’t interfere with vitamin D absorption. All you need is about 15 minutes a day outside for all the vitamin D you need. Kids get that playing outside for a short time/going to and from the car going to days out, etc. If you’re at the beach all day or doing something outside for most of the day, they need sunscreen to protect them from sun damage. They’ll get loads of healthy sun exposure on days you aren’t on holiday and outside all day as most of us don’t wear factor 30 everyday year round.

A higher SPF just means you don't have to reapply so frequently. Spf15 doesn't offer less protection than spf30.

I prefer to avoid sunscreen on my DD where possible as she gets an itchy rash with it. It is therefore not my first go to at 8am. We live in North Wales. I use SPF 30 on her face and then consider if anything needed on arms and legs. Often she'll wear a long sleeve thin top rather than sunscreen. We also use a gazebo for shade in the garden.

On the beach in the sun in North Wales for the day she needs an all over SPF50 and to be told to cover up in the mid-day.

She has never had sun-burn.

I'd say get a bottle of SPF50 and maybe a lower strength and then look at the clothing / weather / shade / plan for the day before deciding what to smear on!

My doctor told me not to use it in the UK as the whole nation is vitamin D deficient as it is.

I myself use 110 but my kids use 50 ( dr’s advice)

30 for me, 50 for my DD.

Dreadful advice from a Dr to not use suncream, when you can just get your vitamin D from a supplement without risking skin cancer (which is what the NHS recommends).

Are you taking the mick?

(OP that is)

Check UV chart in weather forecast. Anything 8/9 above use SPF 50 if you will be out all day. If you are going to be in and out then a decent brand 30spf should be fine.

Heat has nothing to to do with it. It's the UV rating you can find on any weather app that you need

Using a higher spf doesn't mean you that you can apply it less frequently. If you burn in ten minutes then using spf 15 will mean that you can stay in the Sun for 150 minutes without burning, spf30 you could stay in the Sun for 300 minutes. It doesn't mean that one application provides 300 minutes protection. You also need to use a lot of the sunscreen to get the protection on the bottle, if you apply too sparingly you won't get full protection.
I use spf30 wherever I go on holiday, be it UK or Australia and I'm sensible about seeking shade and covering up.

Sun cream in the UK? Don't think my DC have ever used it. Where is all this sun I am missing out on?

I don't know about wales but in the summer in Scotland we use SPF rain.

The difference is fairly small.

Uv is affected by time of year, time of day, latitude and altitu d e. Air temperature obviously irrelevant.

Excuse spaces, crap mn coding.

Cancer UK has a chart I think that explains how much snow and concrete reflect back UVA/B rays. It can be a lot. Spf is vital here despite the weather.

My kids have rarely needed suncream on our UK holidays.

Mostly a rainjacket.

My kids have never had sunburn or even a tan...

Bring some factor 30/50 whatever, but I would not worry unduly

It depends on the person! I use factor 50 from around May to September and I will burn through that if it's slightly warmer than average! Use some common sense!

I had skin cancer removed in my early thirties (basal cell carcinoma). I was told to use min SPF25 daily in the UK, regardless of the weather. But I guess I'm high risk.

DS I'm a bit more cautious about as I know Vit D is also important. But I think in the UK summer I will use SPF 50 as he is fair like me so will probably be similar high risk.

But sun exposure is far more protective of bone health than vit d. supplementation. I use sun block on my kids whenever the UV values are very high or if they are going to school and it may get high.

Spring and autumn I let them go without unless we have a heat wave.

We use SPF 30 (but only when it is actually sunny and probably not before May / June). The children tend to go in and out of the sunshine - they would get quite miserable if they were in hot sunshine with no break for a long time.

Highest you can get always 50+