SIL wants her baby to 'catch a tan'

[LocksHear]

AIBU to be fuming?!

She refuses to cover him up and isn't applying any sun lotion. Baby is 10 months.

Apparently no one puts sun lotion on their kid's in her country, and they're just kept out of the sun when it's at its strongest (between 1.30/3)

She's adamant he doesn't burn, and she doesn't. Which is true. But burning isn't the only sign of skin damage by the sun. So is a sun tan. Any change to pigmentation is, isn't it?

I was at the park with her and all the kids yesterday, I made a point of putting sun lotion on all of mine, and made sure I had loads in my hands when I said "Oh I've loads left. Let me do yours. Might as well, loads left "

She was very and said I'd rather you didn't. I didn't know what to say to that. 5 minutes later she claimed to have a migraine coming on and left.

I've been advised to report her to her health visitor but I know she doesn't have one.

oblada theres lots of evidence that the damage is done earlier in life but the effects show up later.

I grew up in the 60's. Calamine lotion was regularly applied at the end of a hot summer's day. I can remember regularly peeling my burnt skin off.
Fast forward, I have recently had a melanoma removed, luckily it had not spread. I have a crater on my lower leg, not pretty but what the hell it's better than the alternative!
There is a wide range of sun creams available these days, it's up to parents to make the right choices.
Children's skin is delicate please don't take chances.

ugh, what is it people find so hard to understand? Skin cancer is increasing in the UK because of increasing access to hotter sun in previous years (hence why not often diagnosed til mid 20s); add in the stupid use of sunbeds and the cult of a 'healthy tan' blah blah.

I can tell you all that surgery for melanoma is seriously disfiguring; for this at least, please, whatever you or your children's skn tone, just think about that. To be graphic: when a radical excision is performed that leaves a massive crater. The skin to cover that excision is removed from another site on the body, which also leaves massive scarring,

Does anyone REALLY think thats better than using sun cream?

I'm pretty sure we're not evolved to take Vitamin D supplements and slather ourselves in suncream.

It is not because of aesthetic reasons. I think its healthier to get vitamin D from the sun then a supplement( which is not as effective anyway).
Of my kids some are more fair skinned and burn more easily. Still i ask them to cover up, stay in the shade in the hotter times(11 am-3 pm) but that would moatly be on holiday somewhere hot and sunny.
Here in the uk? Doesnt get that hot and if it does is only for a few days at the time usually, and then same applies , take cover from the sun in the middle of the day, enjoy the rest of the time.
As someone say above, it is interesting that skin cancer rised when sun screens use rised in past few years.
A gradual tan is safe imo.
No need to cover kids in a 1000 gactor cream every time the clouds part.

I am a regular visitor to the Melanoma Clinic (mine was genetic). What shocked me was the number of Asian and Afro-Caribbean people there - everyone is at some risk.

It's not about how hot it is it's the intensity of the UV. that's why people often get burnt when it's cooler and slightly overcast, they think they don't need suncream because it's not as hot, and that's simply not true.

To get the recommended amount of daily vitamin D it takes about 20 mins of direct exposure. It's easy enough to get this earlier in the morning or later in the evening when it's much safer to do so.

Can't make someone put sun cream on their baby though. If they know the risks there's nothing more you can really do.

Can't believe someone has commented on how they like their children with a tan as it's "healthy"
That was me.
I didn’t say it was healthy to have a tan. I’m not saying you must make your children get a tan. I said it the winter they look a bit pale and peaky, in the summer they look glowy and healthy.
Most people look healthier with a tan, it’s a natural thing to have, as a reaction to your skin getting the vitamins it needs. Why is your skin doing the job it was designed to do bad? burning is bad, yes, but not tanning, it’s unavoidable.
My two are usually quite pale, but have olive undertones and go golden by just looking at the sun. I’d rather my kids has a lovely glowy tan than rickets. I don’t let them burn though.

I think the problem is that people put suncream in then spend hours and hours in the sun...
I do think it's better to get some exposure then seek shade and cover up.

Suncream can give a false sense of security.

I've name changed for this as it will out me to anyone I've already told this story to. But my beautiful pale skinned dd was told by a gibraltarian that they'd be beautiful if only they had a tan I was going through the checkout and she leaned over pinched her cheeks and actually said "oh you would be beautiful if only you had a tan"

I was very unimpressed, told her how stupid she was and what a stupid thing she said!

I also read a thread on here a couple of months ago where a gibraltarian pregnant lady was genuinely worried her unborn baby would be "pale and ugly" as she had olive skin and husband pale and English skin.

It's a strange opinion to live around!

I burn very easily as I'm very sun intolerant. When it goes above mid teens I put suncream on (I once got burnt sat in the sun and when it was 16 degrees). I'd rather not take the chance. I'm the same with ds. He has plenty on. I'd prefer him not to burn personally.

I hate being sat in the sun, it makes me feel sick and dizzy. Hats, long sleeves and shade all the way for me. I take vit D supplements. BIL who is an oncology consultant specialising in skincare has always slathered his kids in suncream and kept them in the shade in the middle part of the day, so that's what I do with DS.

I don’t let them burn though.

You don't need to burn to get melanoma.

Skin cancer obviously, not skincare.

Is there not some evidence that supplementation is not as effective as sun exposure for making vitamin d? Considering the risks associated with low vitamin d , I think a sensible approach to sun exposure is the best option.

It's effective in my case. MS, live in Spain, out in the sun a lot. My MS was triggered by pregnancy not lacking in vit D. However since the MS my body doesn't absorb vitamins well so I use supplements. I have full blood tests every 3 months so I know exactly where my levels are. Taking 10,000 IU a day puts me in normal range.

Two friends that had crazy low levels now supplement, their blood tests show that the supplements have worked for them.

@GuildfordMum101 total myth that locals stay off the beach between 11-4. I live in the med, and in Gibraltar especially they sit on their beach spot from sunrise to sunset!

Butt tf out.

@NameChangedForThisQ who?

@NameChangedForThisQ ah I get you, the Op!

WHO says: "There is no such thing as a healthy tan! The skin produces a dark-coloured pigment, melanin, as a shield against further damage from UV radiation. The darkening provides some protection against sunburn: a dark tan on a white skin offers a sun protection factor of between 2 and 4. However, it is no defence against long-term UV damage such as skin cancer. A suntan may be cosmetically desirable, but in fact it is nothing but a sign that your skin has been damaged and has attempted to protect itself."

We need to move away from the misconception that tanned skin is "healthy" and "attractive". Maybe previous generations got away with it but now there is that pesky hole in the ozone layer...

delatron
think the problem is that people put suncream in then spend hours and hours in the sun...

Yes i agree with you for adults. Putting sun cream on so that you can sunbatthe for hours is not clever.

However this thread was started because the OP was worried about her 10 month old nephew being exposed to the sun. The SIL wasn't keeping him in the shade or putting cream on him and he is a baby!

The number of people who have told the OP she is being unreasonable astounds me.

Yes I digressed somewhat from the original post.

If the baby was in direct sun for hours then yes that is obviously wrong.

I burnt last Saturday, of course the sun is strong enough ‘in april’ what bollocks.

Any skin colour, red or tan is sun damage, you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that, how else do you think your skin changes colour?!

You need suncream in the UK as well as abroad, we’ve not got some sort of special protection over the country.

Worried about vitamin D? Get a supplement.

Technically everyone of European and Middle Eastern heritage (including Northern and Western Indians and Northern and Eastern Africans) should be wearing spf50. This is the demographic that gets moles / freckles even with darker skin tones, and the demographic where skin cancer is least likely to be expected and therefore more deadly.