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...

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

This!

We took our children abroad for the first time last year, it was late September and temperature was mid 20s. I kept both dds 9 and 11 equally covered in factor 50. One ended up with an obvious golden tan, the other left as milky white as when we arrived. Same suncream, same exposure time, different skin types.

In Mediterranean countries you don’t really get this pale-skinned neurosis.

Parents keep babies out of the sun, but in 30+ degree Tuscan heat they will pick up a tan even in shade from the UV rays.

Also don’t forget that in the 70s the highest factor you could buy was 10.

OP you’re absolutely fine.
Yes of course sun safety is important which is why you slathered your baby in factor 30 I would imagine. Some skins will tan regardless of sun cream especially those with a naturally darker skin, so I really wouldn’t worry about a slight tan on your baby.
As some posters have already pointed out, vitamin D is an essential vitamin (hormone actually) for healthy bone formation and the immune system. People with darker skins are more susceptible to deficiency so a bit of sun on your babies skin is actually really important.

You're the parent. You do what you feel is necessary to protect your child and let other mothers do their own thing. For the record I don't see a problem with your approach. Enjoy the sunshine with your kids :)

Stop worrying. Your child is mixed race - of course he's going to pick up a tan quickly. There's nothing wrong with that. You protected his skin so you tried to protect him. If it's any consolation, he'll likely be a little MORE protected due to his mixed race background than if he was 4/4 white.

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.

SPF protects against burning from the sun's UVB rays. Skin cancer is caused by UVA rays so SPF has nothing to do with preventing skin cancer, for that you need to check the sunscreens UVA rating. This is usually a star rating although I'm not sure if this has been standardised yet.

Oh I had this when my son was little and I was putting factor 50 on. He just tans very easily and quickly despite being auburn haired. I have exactly the same skin with the slightest bit of sunshine turning me brown despite wearing high factors.

I'm not going to spend my life in the shade nor is my son. He is protected by sun screen at a suitable factor and reapplied regularly.

Just keep the sunscreen on and go about your day to day life.

My baby pulls hats off too, even the ones with a chin strap. I try to avoid taking him out when UV is high and put factor 50 on when I do. Babies skin is very delicate. If you have to take them out, try keeping them in the pushchair and buy a snoozeshade.

As the ozone layer gets thinner the UV rays get stronger. A close relative of mine lived to the age of 101. Born in London in the 1890’s he emigrated to Australia as a young man and worked outside in the cane fields etc most of his working life. It was very hot and he worked stripped to the waist or wearing a singlet. He was fair skinned with red hair yet did not suffer from skin cancer. Yet I with the same colouring, and despite taking every care, am constantly having various skin cancers removed, though so far I seem to have dodged the dreaded melanoma.
In NZ Maori have a high rate of melanoma.
I think if you can protect your DC’s skin until they are adult then they are less likely to have problems later. Cells multiply at a greater rate when one is growing, including damaged cells.
BTW does anyone know what the skin cancer rates are like in places like Germany where it seems like even fair skinned individuals sport deep tans

As someone who seemingly lacks any melanin at all, I love a tan! Your baby will have more melanin due to his heritage and will tan quicker than most. I don’t agree with the alarmist attitude to tanning on Mumsnet. If I tan, it’s definitely damage as I need to work at it. My husband tans beautifully and quickly without trying. He is at far less risk of cancer despite his better tan simply due to our skin tones and our respective bodies’ ability to protect itself from burning (which is the danger).

The difference between 30 and 50 isn’t that great. Natural creams don’t go above 30. 50 irritates my youngest’s eczema in a way 30 doesn’t so it definitely has more crap in it.

I’d agree to minimise exposure for a baby. Long sleeves/legs, hat and out of the sun in midday heat. But I honestly wouldn’t panic like some would on here - he is better equipped for the sun than many with 100 per cent Caucasian skin.

This thread is hysterical (in the sense of hysteria not in the sense of funny).

If your child was covered in long-sleeves, and factor 30 and out for only 40 min then to be honest they may not have had enough Vit D on this day.

Babies are more delicate than older children, but it's fine for a small amount of exposure every single day, as long as not in midday sun. You need it to make Vit D.

I rarely used suncream on one of my children as she was allergic to so many brands- proper swelling up twice the size face allergic, so we kept her out of the midday sun, made her wear a t-shirt if in the water and were generally sensible. Eventually found one cream that she wasn't allergic to for two years- then they changed the formula and she was!

If you dress children inside in long sleeves and then apply sunscreen all over and plonk a hat on (and then take them to sit on a tent in the beach), they will be Vit D deficient- especially if darker skin.

This isn't trivial, a lot of diseases are now linked to Vit D deficiency.

www.rnoh.nhs.uk/our-services/children-adolescents/vitamin-d-children

Mine get covered in Factor 50 and go in the shade. They still tan!

They take after DH who only has to look at the sun and tans.

He used to hate the heat and on our first holiday together as teens he spent the whole time in the shade. I spent the whole two weeks sunning myself to a crisp. He went home like a bronzed god and I still looked like I'd had a fortnight in Blackpool.

OP, you do know that all synthetic products such as sun creams, regardless of the SPF, contain chemicals?

@Pinkvoid interestingly, we don't actually have a pushchair. Just a sling. I do HAVE to take them out though. In my opinion it is madness to only go out if you have to. My family lives in a country where it's often 24 degrees plus from morning to late afternoon. They all go out...

Your friend doesn't understand that people with more melanin in their skin - like a mixed-race person - have a bit of natural SPF built in and also are more prone to tanning. So no matter if you put SPF 50 there's a good chance your child will still get dark.

I have two mixed race DCs, I have them in hats, rashies, and SPF 50 and they still get colour in the sun. As do I as a dark skinned person.

Nearlyalmost50 - have you found another cream yet?

Think I need to stop worrying then. Thanks all!

My daughter tans fair quickly. I always use factor 50 and always reapply regularly, however she still gets a bit of tan. Always has done.

Just continue to put a high factor on, reapply regularly, use sun hats/suits, canopy's and if on the beach a tent/shelter and you are doing everything you can. He will probably still get a bit of a tan - my daughter does but you are being sensible and doing your best to protect him.

Baby is mixed race he's obviously going to look more so tanned after a little sun even if he isn't. It makes a difference. What's the matter with some people?! Making silly assumptions 🙄 it doesn't sound as if baby was excessively exposed to sun to me but folks will see 'brown', so out come the presumptions...

I chose factor 30 as the UV index was low and wanted to avoid factor 50 due to the chemicals

“Chemicals” v skin cancer. I know what I’d choose.

And those banging on about Vitamin D. Take a supplement. Don’t risk skin cancer in some warped view that it gets a child vitamin D.

I hate this “oh look at that lovely healthy tan” A tan it not healthy on Adults, let alone on young skin. It is the skins way of reacting to damage. We do not take skin cancer risks seriously enough here, and anyone who does is deemed to be some sort of weirdo. I’ve seen parents tut tutting about having to walk their children past smokers, with their pale skinned kids in shorts and t-shirts, no hat, no sunnies in the midday summer sun.

Use factor 50 on your baby. If they are tanning from factor 30, having been totally covered up outside for 40 minutes, you need a factor 50.

30 and 50 have the same chemicals. Odd way to think. You can get hats that they can’t take off and stay in the shade

I think people will do well to remember that darker skinned people in northern countries have a very high rate of MS. It's hard to absorb enough Vitamin D from the sun when you have more melanin.
OP sounds like she takes perfectly sensible precautions but she's not dealing with a very pale red-headed baby here.

My dd is mixed race...yesterday we went out in London...we did quite a bit of walking. It wasn't especially hot or sunny...there were clouds. Once we got home, me and her dad both noticed she had really caught the sun. Even with sunscreen, she seems to tan and go a lovely golden colour. I wonder if some skin tones are more prone to this despite using sun cream?

I'd try to keep him in the shade though...not just because of his skin but so he doesn't get heat stroke.

At 1 they should really have factor 50 on plus hat, long shorts or light trousers and longer t shirt. Although in saying that my 7 year old tans at the slightest bit of sun even with factor 50 on and covered up so your little one could still tan.