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)?

How does everyone who says apply frequently, stay out of the sun etc manage when kids are little but at school? My 5 year old is fair skinned and has sports day today. Fortunately its looking overcast and we covered him in sun area and a hat. But he can't effectively apply sun screen to the areas that are most likely to burn (his face, ears and back of neck) and school won't do it. They sit in the middle of a field all afternoon with no shade.

I generally get highest SPF I can so I don't have to reapply as often but that is because with small squirmy people its a complete hassle and goes everywhere.

Most Chemical filters (except for avobenzone) as not allowed by FDA.

Even your own link lists allowed chemicals other than azobenzone. It’s talking about newer chemicals than the ones already available. It certainly doesn’t support the idea that the US bans chemical based sun creams and only allows mineral based ones.

Are you thinking if Hawaii, which, I think, has banned chemical based ones in order to protect coral reefs?

The important thing is not to let your kids burn. There are other ways to avoid that than slapping on a thick layer of SPF 50 at 8am and reapplying hourly until 8pm! I use a combination of light but covering clothing, staying out of the sun at the hottest parts of the day and sun cream if we are to be out all day. At this time of the year and with my DD being in school she is out for 10 mins at 8:50am, 20 mins mid morning, 30 mins at lunch and 20 mins mid afternoon. It is partly overcast and sunny and her yard is dappled shade. Based on all this I have yet to start on school time suncream. As it heats up and if we were out for a day at the beach even with patchy sun I will reconsider.

She is 8 and has never had sunburn (despite fairly pale skin). I follow the same approach with myself.

If we are off to the beach for the day in August I do far more than apply suncream. We do then use factor 50 and a double application reapplied regularly. I also take something to provide shade and require her to put on a t-shirt or other after swimming to cover the bits of her shoulders and back that aren't out regularly.

The trick is to consider the risk and act accordingly. A bit of UK May sunshine is a GREAT thing without suncream for most people. An 8 hr day on the beach in Spain in august will almost certainly give you sunburn unless you are hugely careful!

Skin cancers remain rare in UK, but rates are rising. It boils down to whether you want your DC to avoid an avoidable risk

It's actually the most common form of cancer in the UK.

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

That’s not how it works. You will only get 20spf.

You can’t apply spf30 and spf20 to get protection of spf50. You only ever get the protection of the highest rated factor you used. So in the case of spf20 + spf30, you will only get spf30.

My DS is mixed race and fairly light-skinned. Our dermatologist told us not to use sunscreen with him as it would block vitamin D and other good stuff (can’t remember what!). I don’t follow the advice entirely as he would burn (I’m also mixed race and have burnt before) but I try to balance time with no cream when the sun is low, and time with cream when the sun is higher.

It's the fifth commonest cancer:

www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/incidence/common-cancers-compared#heading-Zero

and I think it's rising.

Vitamin D supplementation is much safer than sun exposure. So it's not a case that in being sun-safe (to keep your DC's cancer risk as low as possible) must mean you risk rickets.

My OH and DD2 (redheads) always use the highest factor they can. OH has, in the past, burnt in less than 15 minutes in March, and DD2 burns similarly quickly.

Me and DD1 are very fair but don't burn nearly so quickly. We use factor 30 if out in the middle of a hot day.

I am dreading trying to find a solution for DD2 once she's at school all day. Her skin doesn't tolerate one a day solutions, and she would absolutely burn, even in the limited time they're out at school.

my dd is disabled and I was told by her consultant not to use 50, so always use a good 30

I was watching This Morning a few weeks ago, and there was a skin specialist on there. He said there was hardly any difference between spf30 and 50. But I prefer to be extra safe.

We have a 3 year old and 11 month old, and regularly go abroad to hot destinations, but still use factor 50.
They both hate having sun cream applied, so I don't have to apply it as often.

We recently went to the Maldives and our 3 year old still had a tan line on the back of his neck from just walking to breakfast in the morning and back to our beach villa, before I would apply sun cream when we got back.

I was shocked by how many very young children from other countries had very deep tans! It was shocking! You could spot the British children a mile off..all very pale!

IMO it's better to be extra safe.
The sun creams I use do not leave them covered in very thick white cream.

You have to apply factor 50 just as often as factor 30 to maintain protection. That's why factor 50 isn't always recommended as people think they can apply it once and that's them sorted for the whole day

For those stating there is no difference my 50 year old boyfriend is very pale and will burn with factor 30 on very quickly but not with factor 50. It all depends on skin type I guess

I still apply factor 50 a few times a day, depending on how many times our children are in and out of the pool (even though its waterproof) but when I have used factor 30 (ran out of factor 50 on one of our holidays and could only buy factor 30) I did have to apply it more often as DS1 was starting to get a tan.

Its only my opinion and experience of all the holidays we have been on.

Factor 50 for us, definitely works much better.

"clinical studies have never found that everyday sunscreen use leads to vitamin D insufficiency."

This was true regardless of the SPF factor.

Think about it. If your kids are wearing sunscreen, they will be in the sun more than if they weren't. Therefore they will be getting more Vitamin D, not less. Not being sufficiently protected in the sun will increase your risk of skin cancer.

I'm sticking with factor 50.

I don’t use anything on them for about half an hour then will lather the factor 50 on. That way they get the best of both worlds. All olive skinned, none of us are prone to burning.

Oh and I don’t mean I let them stand in direct sunlight at midday on a hot day either, I’m in the North anyway so not very many hot days .

I was a long term spf50 wearer having been told by a Dr to wear it to protect my skin as it has been badly undamaged over previous years and needed to be protected to repair. I was VERY vit. D deficient because of it.
Now I wear spf 50 daily on my face neck and chest and reapply. Spf 30 on my arms and upper back which catches the sun mist and spf 15 on my legs. ( I wear factor 30 always if it's very sunny).
I would never go out in the sun first ten use sun cream as you don't know how much protection you are getting. I believe you are better using a lower factor and wearing it all the time do you know how protected you are.
It's also really important yo know the correct amounts of cream to use and how frequently to 're apply for the product you use. So many people think they are covered when they really aren't. An average fortnight family holiday requires bottles of sun cream for proper protection as you need to use a lot often. I think people are often completely unaware the cream thty put on in the morning is no longer working properly.
By reapplying another coat you arentincreasing the spf, you are just ensuring it continues to work at its correct level. Ie spf 20 protects you for 20 times your burn time. Once its rubbed off or sweatted ofcoff it no longer works hence tge neex to re apply.

goodness of the sun

Like cancer?

Use supplements of Vit D3. Far safer.

I use SPF50 as I have a lot of moles and burn in the sun, but despite lathering it on and reapplying I do still tan. It’s not the evil a lot of ignorant people think it is.

So many snitty replies on here.

I use SPF30 as it's easier to apply than SPF50. I'm very fair and so are my kids. Aldi is my favourite one, lovely fragrance too.

I use factor 30 minimum in the summer here and will do 50 when we’re somewhere where the UV index is higher. Don’t assume that dc that have tans are not wearing sunscreen - I always put high factor cream on my dc, but they still go very brown. My dh has dark, olive skin, I’m much paler (although still warm toned) and have to take more care - luckily they have inherited his skin tone!

I use factor 50 on the kids, the Boots Once one as - they’ve never burned at school using it so I’m happy it lasts all day. I reapply it mid way through the day on holidays though as they’re in and out of the pool. They still get a light tan even with it so am confident they still get the “goodness” of the sun.

I don't use at all unless we're on the beach. Otherwise I just cover them up.

There has been an increase of rickets in children over the last 10yrs partly caused by parents using f50 suncream.
I always use 30 for our whole family.

Use supplements of Vit D3. Far safer.

and far less efficacious, as I understand it.

The only goodness of the sun is vitamin D and if you live it the UK then you can’t get enough vitamin D from the sun alone and should take a vitamin D supplement.