To think sunny holidays are actually incredibly dangerous

[Monikaems]

People go to the Mediterranean or other warm destination soley with the purpose of baking themselves in sun, often times this is done without sunprotection but even with sunprotection it can still be dangerous. The UV exposure from just two weeks in the sun can be months and months of what someone would get in the UK.

AIBU to think we should be better educated about the risks of sun exposure. It breaks my heart seeing little kids burnt.

Melanoma rates are increasing every year, we place warnings on sunbeds but not on sunny holidays. It seems absolutely bizzare that there is no warning on sun loungers about the risks of exposure.

AIBU

We did try 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 for periods. The 5,000 I was low, 1 & 2 it was through the floor.

We did try 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 for periods. The 5,000 I was low, 1 & 2 it was through the floor.

Were you deficient to begin with though? If so then you would need a high dose. I'm not sure that such a high dose is required once levels are "optimum" though. The trouble is that in the UK people are rarely tested and so don't know if they are deficient or not. If they just take high doses I think there is a risk of toxicity. I think a bit of UK sunshine plus a low dose supplement is safer.

I live in Spain. Yes I was deficient, if I stop them, and I have tried over the years, I get low again pretty quick. To keep levels good I have to take them. You can't get decent levels do nothing and just expect them to stay there.
I have all levels of everything tested regularly, every 2-3 months.

I have all levels of everything tested regularly, every 2-3 months.

So fine to take that dose in your case but it wouldn't be for me and I assume many others. As I said, in the UK people are rarely tested for vitamin D deficiency unless they have symptoms.

You might find this interesting www.vitamindcouncil.org/

I think people tend to take more care with sun protection while on holiday. Whereas in the UK they might be distracted by the daily grind of life and get burnt just out and about on an unexpectedly sunny day of not reapply spf lotion enough or apply too low an spf.

High yes, I have seen that before. As I said though different bodies give different advice regarding the safe limit so it is difficult for people to know what supplement to take to maintain good levels considering they are not usually tested in the UK. That is why I think a certain amount of UK sunshine is preferable.

@placemats It's actually more effective to get your sun exposure closer to midday for vitamin D manufacture. It takes less time time to make the same amount than at other periods during the day - something to do with the angle of incidence of the UV rays on the skin.

@Dungeondragon15 It might be worth looking up the mumsnetter SofiaAmes. Her father is Bruce Ames and he has written several papers on vitamin D. I spoke with her on another thread a long time ago and other another username. She's very knowledgeable and might be able to point you towards some good information resources.

I’m on a sun holiday right now. I never tan so I see no point in even attempting to sun bathe. Factor 50 and shade as much as possible.

I’m absolutely devastated that my daughter has burnt despite my absolute best efforts to stop her. She has factor 50, uv swim suits and hat on all day on. My mistake was I bought a 3/4 uv suit and her fore arms are burnt despite having factor 50.

I went out and bought her another swim suit today which is full length and plastered the sun cream on and I’ve just taken the swim suit off and now there is blisters. I genuinely don’t know what I’m doing wrong I’m trying and failing and feeling so sad. Having the rest of the day in the room as I cannot take any more precautions. It’s not just people that don’t care or are not educated. It can genuinely happen by mistake.

OttSett Thanks.

Disagree. Any sensible person has known for many years to use 30 or 50 sunscreen.

So, you'd like to see notices on sunloungers saying "Please sunbathe responsibly?"

You are completely wrong.

I go to hot countries not for the sole purpose of baking myself in the sun, as you suggested!

I am so pale, with contrasting very dark hair, it is commented on frequently (and pisses me of!) I NEVER tan, and am grateful for it now I am mid 30's. I cover myself so well that I never burn, and take on board every precaution.

I go to hot destinations not to tan, nor burn, but to explore new parts of the world.

eating salad for lunch to have a pizza for dinner

Sounds like a balanced diet to me.

@flamed12 you need to keep her in the shade as much as possible if she's still burning with sun protection.
Could she be allergic to the cream you use?

Yanbu

I have skin cancer on my face. I’ve never burnt on my face( terrified of looking like a tomato) and use sun screen.

My consultant told me your skin gets to a point when it’s had too much sun.

I’ve been ordered to wear a hat and 50 factor every day now. Wish I’d done more before.

Having said that, similarly white people may react differently. I tend to go red first. Others with similar skin don't.

It really isn’t advisable to go red at all. Red = burnt.

I went on a very ill advised holiday (I hate the sun) with a friend to a balearic island in 1994.

There was a woman in her mid 60s applying olive oil to her skin to sunbathe.

@Iambuffy to be fair, that was a quarter of a century ago.

I’ve just been through the two week wait for biopsy results after having a mole removed. I was told by the consultant that it was probably malignant melanoma (skin cancer) but would have to find out how bad. That was the worst two weeks of my entire life. Waiting to find out whether it was early stages and probably ok or slightly later stages in which case probably not ok. Thank goodness it was treatable with surgery and touch wood will be fine. But my god did I have a fright. I’ve never been a really sunbather but am quite an outdoors type of person and did burn as a youngster.

It does make me want to tell everyone, esp when I see people burning in the sun. Skin cancer is so deadly, it’s just not worth the risk.

Lived in Australia in the 1990s and got a real education about staying safe in the sun.
I wear SPF50 on my face every day, even in winter.
Use it all over on holidays, stay in the shade, always wear a hat. I don’t sunbathe.
Not everyone is stupid in the sun.

To be honest, I'm torn on sunscreen. I don't use it. I haven't burnt since... well, I can't remember. Since being a child.

wellnessmama.com/55366/sunscreen-is-harmful/

This is a more balanced view.

You’re mad, it will catch up with you.

Although dark skin does not burn in the sun as easily as fair skin, everyone is at risk for skin cancer. Even people who don't burn are at risk for skin cancer. ... Being in the sun can damage your skin. Sunlight causes damage through ultraviolet, or UV rays, (they make up just one part of sunlight).
www.cancer.gov › types › an...
Anyone Can Get Skin Cancer - National Cancer Institute