To not use spf50 on my children

[Elisannah]

They're 4&2. I'm always hot on putting sun cream on, making sure they're not out for a long time in the heat of summer, all the general recommendations with sun safety.

I've heard spf50 sun cream blocks a lot of the goodness of the sun whereas lower spf can still let that through.

So, given I stick to the recommendations of staying safe in the sun, aibu to use spf30 (with 5 star UVA rating)?

Ooh, following this. I use 50 but interested to hear others thoughts

There's not actually much difference between the efficacy of SPF 30 and SPF 50 anyway is there?

I always use factor 50 on my DC as they burn easily, where have you heard about blocking out the goodness of the sun ?

Yanbu
There is no need for 50

I always allow some time in the sunlight without suncream on. Not too long and also, not at the warmest part of the day. I just think vitamin D is so important and having been deficient myself (including during my 2nd pregnancy), I don't want my children to be.

Interestingly, DD2 is a lot shorter than DD1. She is small in height whereas DH & I are both average-tall. I have no idea if this could be linked to me being deficient in pregnancy. Seems plausible though.

I burn incredibly easily as does one of my DC we all use SPF20 or SPF30 I find it rubs I more easily and by reapplying I think we get the same cover.

I use 30 because it is marginally less likely to bring dd3 out in blotches (ginger, pale, sensitive skin. Mostly she wears a hat...

I let mine have 20 mins outside with no sun cream and then put on factor 50. Think yanbu using factor 30.

as long as they get some sunlight on their uncovered skin they'll be fine. I don't both with it earlier in the year or in the mornings but past 11ish I'll slap some on.

We haven't started using it yet this year. Vit D from the sun is very important, but so is protecting yourself from sun damage. There's a balance to be had.

I find factor 50 to thick to spread so I use factor 30 and reapply more often. 30 is high so never thought to question it.

I read somewhere that the difference of the 30s/50s is the length of time of sun protection you get not the quality. The stars on the back of the bottle is the indication to how well it protects. So in other words you are better off with a factor 30 with 5 stars reapplied more often than a factor 50 with 2 stars

I burn incredibly easily as does one of my DC we all use SPF20 or SPF30 I find it rubs I more easily and by reapplying I think we get the same cover

Are you saying you reapply it, so instead of getting 20SPF cover, you are now getting 40SPF?.........

On my skin cream it says depends on the skin tone. If not exposed for a while I tend to use a higher one on them for a few days and move onto a lower factor. they have brown / olive skin though. It isn't fun to be burnt.

I can't remember where I read it as it was last summer (meant to research it more before this summer came along!) but it was saying that vitamin D can only be absorbed from sunlight between 10&3 (because of the strength of the sun) and children weren't getting it as they were obviously covered in sun cream! If I remember correctly they were saying that 30 mins without any sun cream would provide a significant amount of vitamin D but I don't know how that contrasts with risk of burning etc? Maybe spf30 wouldn't be any better!

The factor is just the recommended time in the sun to the factor of whatever number you select surely? If recommended time is 5 minutes and you use 15 you can extend that to an hour and a quarter wearing the creme? I guess there is more zinc in the higher factors?

OP use physical/mineral sunscreen and not chemical as there were reports this week of the chemical sunscreens being absorbed into the blood stream.

Chemical sunscreen filters are banned in USA by the FDA, they only use mineral. They’re allowed here though unfortunately.

SPF is to indicate how much longer you should be able to stay in sun before burning compared to without sunscreen. The stars are a measure of how good it is at blocking UVA.
www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/skin-cancer/sunscreen-fact-sheet#what-is-spf

Sorry lots posted in the time I was replying...interesting to hear. Think I'll go with short time without anything early in day and then spf30.

@allyg1185 the star rating is UVA protection and SPF is UVB protection...definitely agree on going with 5 stars.

We don’t use anything when UVA is low. When it’s medium or high we use ultra sun family 30spf (once a day). Generally try to get some sun cream-free time every day as well as future protection from the suncream.

I apply once with normal cream for the kids at school, when we're on holiday or weekends I just make sure they spend a bit of Time without suncream before applying it and also make sure they're playing out for a lot of the days in the summer

I tend to use either factor 30 or 50 and they don't burn (even though my DD particularly is very fair like me and i burn a lot

We do tend to avoid the midday sun but that's usually lunch indoors or under the canopy anyway

I use spf 30. I've read there is not much additional benefit to using 50 as opposed to 30. I'm just careful to make sure they aren't needlessly out in the sun at the height of the day without appropriate clothing/shade as well.

YANBU. I'm happy that an SPF30 applied regularly keeps my kids from burning.

YANBU. As already said there’s very little difference between factors 30 and 50, amd I’ve also read that there’s evidence of a rise in tickets due to lack of vitamin d.
I’d be more inclined to use 30, amd be mindful of covering with clothing and using the shade

SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays and SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays. So, the difference between 30 and 50 is about 1 percent.

So the difference is so small it makes pretty much no difference to either protection OR allowing the benefits of sunlight. So knock your self out and do what you want.

TBH almost no one puts on enough to actually get the stated SPF anyway so in realty, your DC are not really at much risk of rickets and are at more risk of the dangers of not wearing enough SPF.

You only need 20-30 minutes of your fave and hands being exposed to the sun to get sufficient vitamin D. That said, DoH recommendations are that kids should be supplemented with vitamin D anyway.

Personally I easily burn within 10 minutes in summer so wouldn't take the risk with my daughter of letting her go out without suncream 11-3. She gets slathered in factor 50. The factor relates to how long it will give you protection for so might as well go for the highest that will protect you for the longest in my opinion.