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...

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

Me, neither.

That's funny. I have lots of cousins in so-California. Lots of my cousins' kids are sporting tans right now, judging from the FBk pics (including the redheads).

I seem to recall a simple t-shirt is only SPF 8 (ish).

yanbu for OP.

I didn't even know this was a thing- that toddlers have to stay pristine ghostly white!

Children should be kept indoors and never seen outdoors (unless in something the equivalent of a beekeepers suit)

I'm really tired of how restricted and risk-averse childhood has become!

You protected your baby on a day when it was 21 degrees, not 40 FFS. In the future maybe use a higher factor cream, but you have done nothing “wrong”. These responses are crazy.

Your friend is an idiot , this is a case of Ignorant white ppl thinking they know best for ethnics once again when they have no clue about the differences

Wow! Think some of these responses are over the top.

Letting your baby get burnt or turn into Donatella Versace = not good; light tan on the hands of an older baby = fine and probably good for their vitamin D levels.

My son is blonde I smother him in a very high SPF 50 and make sure he has a hat on etc. He still tans a bit!
The only way he wouldn't tan is to make him stay inside. This would make him and me very miserable.
Sometimes well intentioned people really do say things that they shouldn't.

Even with 50 my daughter tans. It's her olive skin. I can't stop her from going outside. She's never sunburnt.

edgeofheaven Sat 01-Jun-19 04:34:37
I live in California and the babies here aren't tanned despite there being lots of sunshine and a drought.

Oh really? Don’t you know any Hispanic, Asian, or black babies?

I am Hispanic i can wear the highest factor sun cream when visiting family in California and i tan lol

We cake my son in factor 50, make him wear and a hat and don’t take him out at mid day. He tans! My DD doesn’t. Exactly the same treatment to both.

Ds1 has always tanned just from being allowed out of the house. Same as baby. Children with mixed heritage do often tan at the drop of a hat. Use suncream as you are doing and dont worry about it. Tell you friend to fuck off. Not every baby is whiter than white.

As for no Californian child being tanned - they were all tanned as far as I can recall.

I have a 2 year whom refuses to wear a hat, I put factor 50 on him and he always tans. No matter that I top it up every couple of hours. Some children just naturally react to the sun differently, I wouldn't worry. If he was burnt that would be a different story

My 13 month old is a bit tanned. I use factor 50 on her religiously but she's like her dad - just has to look at the sun and she tans.

I'd use factor 50 from now on but I sympathise, it's hard to keep them covered up or in the shade all the time.

Why are you worried about SPF50 chemicals? Am guessing due to an unsubstantiated cancer risk. Why do we use sunblock? Due to a definite cancer risk. It’s a no-brainier.

Some of the chemicals used in sun cream are factors in corals bleaching.

My DS are half North African and they always tan even with sunscreen. Nobody keeps the children out of sun all day there either just during the middle of the day. One summer was so hot DH only took them to the beach after 4pm (they still got a tan with sunscreen).

Some of the responses on this thread are shockingly naive and bordering on racist and offensive.
People with heritage of an ethnicity from a hot country will naturally have or melatonin in their skin which gives more natural levels of in protection. Otherwise - how would people from hot countries ever be able to go outside?! We have evolved this way. For dark skinned people a tan is the skins way of upping the protection levels. A burn is obviously damage and should be avoided.

I am Jamaican and naturally sport a light brown complexion. I recently spent some time in Africa and used high protection suncream, stayed inside in the hottest part of the day, and still tanned easily. My hair got lighter and my skin got darker. I didn’t get any moles or other marks and I certainly didn’t burn, but tanning was complete unavoidable.

People with darker skin tan easier. It is how their body naturally protects them.

Some people on this thread are applying facts through their Caucasian lenses

OP use factor 50 on your baby, keep him in the Shade as much as possible if you can, to avoid burning, put hat on him when in the sun, and if he gets a tan, don’t worry about it. It’s fine.

There is already enough prejudice and negativity in the world about darker skin.

I saw an anti-Big Pharma tirade on you tube about sun tan lotion- I can't find it now.

However, essential oils aren't necessarily good just because they are natural. essential oils need to be applied topically with caution. I don't think tanning lotions are tested in the same way as medicines.

I rarely use sun tan lotion. A little on my shoulders, as they get twice the exposure, and a little on my nose, and face.

If I use anything, it's factor 0. (Hawaiian Tropic)

I limit my exposure to the sun for a few days until I am acclimatized, and have never had an issue. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if the lotions aren't as bad for you as the UV.

eg, the start of this

www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1005303-30-safest-sunscreens-3-avoid/

you can trust it - its from Lance Armstrong.

I live in California and the babies here aren't tanned despite there being lots of sunshine and a drought.

Absolute bull.

Babies shouldn't get tanned, if they have then you need to reevaluate your parenting choices and make a change going forwards.

Do open your eyes to the fact that not all babies are porcelain skinned. Babies with a lot of melanin will tan at the slightest hint of sun.

Agree with pp that there are a lot of posts on this thread that are bordering on the racist,

My son is half Asian, he was plastered in factor 50 for our September holiday and is still sporting tan lines. My partner is Asian and always darkens regardless of sun cream. I really wouldn't worry. We dont stay indoors like vampires on hot days, enjoy making memories at the park!!

username1724 exactly that!
My DCs are half Asian too, and after spending the day in an outdoor adventure playground today, I noticed a golden T-shirt tan on both of them at bath time tonight.
No hint of pinkness or burning on their skin at all!

My dc are porcelain pale strawberry blonds with freckles. They never tan. I also use factor 30 which with sensible sun precautions, hats and cover up works fine. The few times they have gone a bit pink is usually when caught out on a cloudy spring day and the sun comes out. Vit D deficiency is a real and rising problem.