Tanned baby

[redredbrine]

My son is under the age of 1 and is currently sporting a tan. He is mixed race (1/4 black, 3/4 white) and was covered in factor 30 on a day when it was 21 degrees Celsius. I chose factor 30 as the UV index was low and wanted to avoid factor 50 due to the chemicals - would only use if it was going to be very hot.

One of my friends went off on a rant at me. Apparently I'm increasing my son's risk of skin cancer, should've used factor 50 and it's awful for a child to have a tan.

AIBU to think that it's fine that he tanned because he has sun cream on and he just went a tiny bit darker? It wasn't intentional or like I was shoving him out in the sun on purpose for this reason...

It's the tiniest little tan mainly on his hands. It was only noticed when his baby grow came off. His face had a slight tan but this morning I can't really tell.

My two are olive skinned, always tan even wearing sunscreen.
Unless it's scorching hot, I actually think a little bit of sun is beneficial to health. Before anyone starts, my own Grandmother died of skin cancer, so I'm not stupid or naive!

I have 4 kids age 10-21. Two eldest are milky white skinned like me (redhead) and even the slightest uk sun WITH factor 30 can male them go red. We have, in the past, been burned sitting in the shade . But my youngest two can wear factor 50 in Europe and by the end of day one they go a beautiful milky coffee colour and it lasts for months and they never, ever burn, even in Africa. Just like their dad. It is their natural protection and nothing to worry about .... some people tan to protect themselves . A friend of mine is Jamaican and in the UK he never wears sunblock, after a British summer he looks positively pale but a few weeks in Jamaica and he is back to his normal "healthy" colour.

My child is also mixed race and tanned last summer despite religiously application of factor fifty and a hat. His dad is exactly the same as am I. Good for vitamin D levels I say and also not a damn thing I can do about it if I want them to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle.

Black and Indian babies are usually lighter skinned until they are over 2 because parents are really careful about sun damage. Factor 50, not taking kids out during the hottest part of the day, covering them up is really important because unlike white babies darker babies are much more likely to suffer permanent skin colour and texture changes due to sun damage.

As someone who comes from a large family of black peoples I have never heard this before.

Some of the replies on here are as if you think OP is abusing her child. Some people tan and some don't, I'd be more bothered if he had milk bottle skin but he a child tans they tan. I'd have to never let mine leave the house if I didn't want them to tan as they can have factor fifty on and will tan whenever the sun is in the sky whatever the time of year.

Did you know that rickets is on the increase in the modern world as we cover our children head to foot in suncream? We need a little sun - your baby isn't burnt and obviously has a skin tone that will darken naturally and quickly. I don't think it's such a big deal. Obviously you need to be careful but there needs to be a balance. Vitamin D is important for our health as well.

Different skin tones react differently to the sun, don't they? My DD has pale, creamy skin, and my DS had olive skin. I put factor 50 on both of them, and yet after only a brief time in the sun, she is still pale (with a smattering of the sweetest freckles across her nose), and he is golden brown.

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about that?

Wow some people on here need to give themselves a shake!! The child has darker skin, they were covered in the (recommended) suncream and they didn't burn. Op has done nothing wrong and her friend is ridiculous. Some people take no precautions at all and are mostly lucky

Oh I think you’re absolutely fine, OP!
Seriously.
A bit of sunshine is so, so, so good for us. SPF30 block protecting your little guy from both UVA and UVB rays is perfect.

I’d be more inclined to focus on hydration if he’s not a shade seeker. Offer plenty of fluids and breaks in the shade from direct sun.

Some people just tan easily , even through high factor lotion.
I was the same , so is my son and my daughter .
You can’t keep them in the shade all the time ,that’s ridiculous and all kids need some vitamin D .
Keeping them smothered every time it’s a warm day is doing them no favours in the long run

You never heard of black and Indian kids being more likely to get skin cancer and pigmentation changes? Really? I am Of Indo-African origin grew up with African kids (both Indian and black) and black and Indian mums were really careful about sun exposure when they’re younger. Things like melasma / sun spots, dark circles under the eyes, even moles, can get more prevalent amongst darker skin if you don’t use sun-screen.

It’s a myth that black and Indian people can’t get skin cancer. The truth is we are more likely to die from it sooner if sufficient precautions aren’t taken (spf 50 etc) as we are more likely to get the precurser changes.

I did take precautions. He was in a long sleeved baby grow. Was covered apart from his hands (the bits that tanned and as they're always being used this may be why the sun cream didn't work so well. Had factor 30 on. He was only outside for 40 minutes between sealife centre and lunch.

What if he tans with factor 50 on? At what age is it ok to then take him outside? Or do I just keep him in the shade and avoid places like the beach or playgrounds until it's cold/he's a certain age?

I fail to believe that people really live like this?

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal well according to some on here, you should be locking him in a cellar so he never sees a ray of light .. babies are so delicate ,you know ..

OP I think that sounds fine. Everyone on Mumsnet swears they keep their child sheltered in a cave in a vat of factor 50 until they are 18, but you only have to look around to see that normal people don't live like that.

As a pasty Irish person I am hyper vigilant about sunscreen, but my DS still picks up a tan, because his skin is naturally darker than mine. Also I have NEVER noticed black and Asian friends covering their children to prevent skin damage. They are too busy laughing at me slathering sunblock on DS while their kids frolic in the sun.

One of my DCs tans easily, one stays white, same amount of sun cream applied to both. We always kept inside in the middle of the day, wore hats and had shoulders covered etc. It never much worried me, once I realised I had not forgotten to put cream on DD, because I was really surprised when she tanned the first couple of times, & questioned whether I had forgotten, and slathered loads of cream on her as a result. But beyond staying inside nearly all summer long, which I was not prepared to do, what more could you do? Yes, it’s a risk, but outside is healthy too!

I'm aghast at some of these responses! I assume you all keep your kids indoors at any hint of sunlight?
OP my kids are the same mix as your little one, they are currently sporting a light tan from playing in the garden when it was warm recently... you know..like normal kids. I make sure they stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day but otherwise they're out in the paddling pool and trampoline etc. with suncream on. I guess it would be better for them to be sickly looking with rickets and sat indoors on their tablets 🙄

These threads always bring out the ridiculous.

You put factor 30 on him (which apparently isn't all that much to Factor 50) and he has skin which tans easily which... tanned easily!

It's honestly fine. He didn't burn, you put protection on him and his body reacted quickly to produce a bit of melanin itself.

When you read threads like this you can see why Vitamin D deficiency has become a problem.

I have mixed-race babies. They still need to make vitamin D. Actually, they need more sun to make vitamin D than I do. If they look at the sun, they tan. So every summer I get judgy looks and even occasional comments from white-skinned mothers about how I'm doing it wrong. They're wrong to interfere. Your friend is wrong to interfere. You're doing fine.

The only thing I'd say is that there's no difference between factor 30 and factor 50 in terms of 'chemicals' - so don't worry about that.

I guess it would be better for them to be sickly looking with rickets and sat indoors on their tablets

Exactly! MNetters are always about going outside when it's pissing rain to 'jump in muddy puddles' or whatever, but as soon as a hint of sun peeps out from behind the clouds, indoors the kids must go!

Yes, don't people with darker skin need more exposure to sun for vitamin D because the increased melanin in their skin (ain't the human body a clever thing?!) means that their skin doesn't let through as much of the sun?

@Teddybear45 black and Indian kids are definitely not more likely to get skin cancer due to sun exposure though.

Naturally brown and black people (skin types V, VI – see table) can usually safely tolerate relatively high levels of sun exposure without getting sunburnt or greatly increasing their skin cancer risk.

That's from WHO.

Just use Factor 50. Tanning is far more damaging than any 'chemicals' in that.

My kids have always had tans as have i. Just light golden, regardless of what i put on them.

Surely a light tan will offer more protection from burning than ghostly white skin thats never seen the sun.

My auntie had mixed race children, and she used to slather them in suncream because she didn't like when their skin turned too dark.
Never worked though, they always tanned.
I think some people have skin that does naturally catch the sun.