To not smother my DCs in suncream?

[CantankerousCamel]

I know there is a lot of information suggesting ‘there’s is no such thing as a healthy tan’ but AIBU to think it’s gone too far the other way?

I am very lax about suncream personally (choice partly and research mostly) but everywhere I look, people seem to be smothering children in factor 50 every second of the day!

This cannot be healthy surely? Some sort of happy medium is necessary? Obviously some skin needs heavy sun cream and some needs none (I have Spanish skin and my husband is South African, neither of us or the kids have burned when being careful with staying in the shade in midday sun and popping a thin layer on/hat if needed

Why the factor 50 in May?

AIBU to think NICE should be adjusting guidelines to ward off such thick use of creams on young children? It is important for skin to experience sunlight, especially in the Northern Hemisphere and especially this time of year when moderate exposure is easier, safer and will prevent burning later on in the summer.

In fairness skin cancer is much less common in non Caucasians but it still can and does kill.

However, a study done on people's bums shows that there is no evidence that building up a base tan helps provide any level of protection against the sun.

I agree with you OP I got collared for not sending my daughter to school in sunscreen I live in Scotland and we are lucky to get a sunny day month , I told them I will when she’s exposed to more than 30 minutes at a time in midday sun which doesn’t happen in school . In the west of Scotland we have a real problem with vitamin D levels

It cannot be that humans have evolved to be so intolerant to a natural element such as the sun, that we cannot have any exposure without some sort of artificial block in place (caveat: I'm talking about if you are indigenous to a place. If you're a caucasian in Australia your skin is not equipped for that level of sun and will obviously need additional protection).

I say this as a pale skinned person who will burn even in a short amount of time spent in blazing sunshine.

The "slap it on" message does not teach people to risk assess their individual sun needs/dangers, nor does it really promote natural sun safety such as shade, appropriate clothing and being inside during the hottest part of the day.

My children have their dad's skin and can tolerate more sun than me, but even so I teach them to be mindful of sun exposure. Sunscreen is for prolonged direct exposure such as a trip to the beach etc but I don't use it on them on a daily basis and they have never even been pink, never mind burnt. I need to take extra care, but even I don't use it often and haven't burned in a couple of decades because I know my limits and act accordingly.

Moderate sun exposure (whatever that means to the individual) should be encouraged as it has positive health benefits.

It cannot be that humans have evolved to be so intolerant to a natural element such as the sun, that we cannot have any exposure without some sort of artificial block in place

I initially thought this, and then I remembered that we are now living far, far longer than the time our bodies evolved to last for. We may be perfectly well able to cope with 45 years' worth of normal sun exposure (if we stay in the latitude our ancestors came from) but not 60 or 70 years' worth. And certainly not once you throw in some foreign holidays and the modern practice of sunbathing.

Having said all that, I tend to take the approach of "take care not to burn" rather than "avoid all colour changes". Vitamin D deficiency is a real problem and most supplements are not very effective compared with sun.

DickTERFin unfortunately we haven't yet evolved to deal with the problems caused by damage to the ozone layer.

My kids are mixed race and where we live sunny days are very limited and I don't use sun cream over here . When we head back to my Dh home country they use sun cream

My 3 children have different skin tones, one inherited mine, 2 got their dad’s.

The 2 with their dads are often not really sin creamed at all, unless it’s very hot and sunny, they don’t really need it. The one with my skin burns really easily.

Do what’s right for your own children and stop worrying and poking your nose in other people families. I treat my 3 children as individuals who have very different needs including sun sensitivity! How could you possibly know what kind of sun protection my children need if they play out in direct sun! Their own dad gets it wrong a lot of the time just because he forgets about the one that doesn’t have his natural sun capability.

I put factor 30 on my blonde haired pale skinned three year old and she’s never burnt

OP you are pushing your 'advice' so hard on people on this thread but you are really not.qualified to do so. As many people have pointed out some people burn very easily. I was hospitalised as a baby because i got sunburnt so badly on my face in the middle of winter on a cool but sunny day. My mum wasnt out for very long. Social services ended up being involved because a junior doctor didnt believe it could be sunburn on a winter's day and thought she had burnt me with an iron. (Thankfully a more senior doctor stepped in and all was ok).
The point is that some people burn so quickly and children are more at risk. I would never tan, my skin just doesn't go brown only burns the freckles (I have freckles in the outline of a vest I wore when I got sunburnt aged 14).
I do have vit D deficiency but is rather manage this with supplements than risk skin cancer which could kill me, its an absolute no brainer.

I get a nasty rash when exposed to midday sun, I do use sunscreen but not mor than a factor 30 I am fair and would burn easily. I cover up and try to stay out of the midday sun but before 11 and after 4 I don't get a a reaction if I am careful. I will spend about 10-15 mins with no sunscreen in the garden or walking to and from work. The rash is nasty and takes 10 days to go. I am vit D deficient and have prescribed weekly vit d. It's a catch 22 for me because too much sun causes a nasty reaction.

because there is a massive hole in the ozone layer right above these islands.
I burnt last week ago sitting in a London park in the shade for a couple of hours..and I am a tanner...

...my children never burnt in Spain or Greece...just here, with cloud cover...

OP, pay no mind to the air temperature, it's the UV index you need to worry about.
You can have temps of 15c and a UV index of 8 (the maximum) or a temp of 25 and a UV index of 4 for example.

I think this is something where common sense has to prevail. If you've for skin that burns easily, get a high factor sunscreen on...but personally, I have very rarely been burned so I don't wear sun screen. It's a personal choice. My parents didn't smother me in it as a kid either so wearing it feels gross and sticky. But if I felt I was at risk of burning, I'd suck it up and wear it.

I was told by a pharmacist once that anything over factor 30 contained more harmful chemicals in it than the sun (how true this is I don't know) so I will only buy factor 30.

Both of mine had factor 8 on today as the uvb on it is 5 stars whereas on the factor 50 it is only 3 stars. Neither have burnt.

Surely the Factor of the sunscreen is irrelevant? Factor 15 and 50 give exactly the same protection level but the 15 needs applying more often?

Tried to have this conversation with a colleague but she insists that she starts her holiday on 50 and works her way down to 8 and that it's impossible to get any colour at all with 50. We wear 50 all the time abroad and still colour. In the UK we would only wear it in strong sunshine or if we were heading into an exposed are with no shade (all adults/older teens). We live in Scotland though and getting enough sun is not easy.

Surely the Factor of the sunscreen is irrelevant? Factor 15 and 50 give exactly the same protection level but the 15 needs applying more often?

No. That isn't how it works.

Both of mine had factor 8 on today as the uvb on it is 5 stars whereas on the factor 50 it is only 3 stars. Neither have burnt.

You are right you want 5 star UVB protection. Lots of factor 50 creams provide this though.

I was told by a pharmacist once that anything over factor 30 contained more harmful chemicals in it than the sun

uv rays aren't chemicals!

Our school has a policy and it must Ben applied by parents in the morning. The children are asked if they have it on and if they do they get stars and if they don’t they don’t. Even if the parents don’t agree with it.

It’s ridiculous. We live in the uk. Sunlight should be welcomed. The skin needs it.

I burnt in 20 minutes on Saturday. Ouch, how I wished I'd put the factor anything on, stupid top with low back. On Sunday, new top. Factor 25. And managed to be in the garden most of the afternoon . Assuming I burnt in 15 min factor 25 was the difference in lasting several hours without pain. Forget the cancer, sun burn bloody hurts and I don't want my kids feeling that.

I do use it for school they may only get 15mins twice a day and 30 mins at lunch. But take one lesson outside or pe and they are way past my burn point in the sun at the moment. Yep March is a different thing as is 9am. But may/june/July even in the UK burns me quickly. I do tan nicely through higher factors, just successfully dodge the pain and pinkness!

I burn every year ..I'm an idiot.

DD never burnt though,and she's not slathered in cream all day every day. My main concern is that she drinks and her head is covered. Most of her swimsuits only leave elbows down/knees down skin exposed. I apply cream when I know we/she will be out midday when the sun is strongest. At home,the sun goes out of our garden after 1 o'clock so she can enjoy all afternoon outside with no need for cream. We've done summers in various hot countries Spain,Romania,Turkey with similar precautions (12-3 we actually tried to stay inside if possible).

I've got sore shoulders from being out all day yesterday. She...as usual is fine.

www.badgerbalm.com/s-30-what-is-spf-sunscreen-sun-protection-factor.aspx

I've been very careful with applying sun creme to both myself and my children for over 20 years now. Much to the grumbles of my children.
I've just recovered from skin cancer basel cell carcinoma . Apparently caused by uv rays in 98 percent of cases . Everyone said to me well that can't be you surely! You always wear sun creme. My doc says it's probably from getting sunburnt as a child . I'm taking no chances with my kids.