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Original poster

To be surprised how many people don’t know you can burn on a cloudy day?

81 replies

Icepops · 03/06/2021 12:07

Out with friends this morning. Hot but cloudy. I covered mine in suncream and offered it to friend as she had commented that she didn’t have any.
She refused and said her dc didn’t need it anyway as it was cloudy and didn’t believe me when I said you can still burn on a cloudy day! Shock

I really think they should teach this in schools (maybe they do these days but certainly didn’t when I was at school in the 1990s).

YABU: everyone knows you can still burn on a cloudy day
YANBU: I didn’t know you could burn on a cloudy day

OP posts:
drspouse · 04/06/2021 07:34

@Carycy

I wouldn’t put sunscreen on mine on a cloudy days. They need the vitamin d. They also get eczema and sun does it good. They also never burn. They are blonde with medium skin that tans. If they were out all day on a warm but cloudy day I would put a bit on their faces but that’s it.
You not worried about then getting skin cancer when they are older then?
ichundich · 04/06/2021 07:45

@doadeer

These days the summers in London are regularly between 22-34 degrees for most days throughout summer. Once it gets warm I put suncream on myself and toddler every day. I always wear Spf 50 anyway on my face
It's not the temperature that causes sunburn but the UV.
cupsofcoffee · 04/06/2021 07:51

Isn't a tab also a sign of skin damage though?

So I don't get why people are saying that their kids don't need suncream because "they tan so it's okay!"

SimonJT · 04/06/2021 07:52

@cupsofcoffee

Isn't a tab also a sign of skin damage though?

So I don't get why people are saying that their kids don't need suncream because "they tan so it's okay!"

Yes it is, any change in skin colour is a sign of sun damage. Why people think sun damage looks nice on their children is beyond me.
merrymouse · 04/06/2021 07:58

I really think they should teach this in schools (maybe they do these days but certainly didn’t when I was at school in the 1990s).

I think it’s more about clear public information.

There is a lot of confusion about sunburn and the causes of skin cancer. When you mix that in with concern about low vitamin D levels it’s not surprising that people are unclear about what to do.

Youdoyoutoday · 04/06/2021 08:02

@LolaSmiles

Why does this need to be taught in schools? Why is the answer to people not deploying common sense to add something else into schools? Sad Sorry for missing the point if the thread OP, but we have enough being added into schools without having to compensate for adults who don't engage common sense, use google or learn from experience.
Or be told by their parents.

Yes, I knew this and already tell my son aged 7, that he has to look after his skin in the sun as I slather him in factor 50.

cupsofcoffee · 04/06/2021 08:03

There is a lot of confusion about sunburn and the causes of skin cancer. When you mix that in with concern about low vitamin D levels it’s not surprising that people are unclear about what to do.

I don't think there is. Sunburn is dangerous and there is a direct link between skin damage from the sun and skin cancer in later life.

You don't need to expose your skin to the sun to get the required amount of vitamin D - there are safer options.

merrymouse · 04/06/2021 08:17

cupsofcoffee Sorry, I meant people in general are confused. Disagreement on this thread is evidence that people are receiving different messages.

DeadGood · 04/06/2021 08:21

@Bbub

It's a big shame when it comes to kids. They rely on us to do the right thing and shouldn't have to learn the hard way (by getting burnt and sun damaged). My parents sadly let us get burnt and as a result I'm really big on sun protection. I'm surprised this generation of parents isn't more vigilant on the whole
👏👏👏
DannyDin · 04/06/2021 09:28

I think there does need to be some moderation though.

Firstly, how hot it is has nothing to do with whether you'll burn or not. Yes, usually it's hotter when sun is stronger but it's the sun's strength, not the heat, which is the factor.

Second, if you're in the UK on a cloudy day and kids are not going to be outside for an extended period with no shade in the middle of the day, I personally wouldn't bother with sunscreen. Yes, you CAN burn but the clouds DO bring down the UV index substantially (depending on the cloud types and the cloudines) and a little limited sun exposure is good.

I don't know the exact conditions of your outing or how sensitive your/her kids are to sun but I would possibly have refused suncreen too. The fact that it was a hot day is meaningless.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 04/06/2021 10:45

There is a bigger problem with kids not being active enough or getting outside in the UK than there is with them getting a slight tan. Which you don't have to have been lying in the sun, not wearing sun lotion to get, it's just a sign that they've been, shock horror, outdoors for a fair bit in summer.

Carycy · 04/06/2021 13:03

Drspouss. No not worried about them getting skin cancer if they aren’t burning they aren’t getting too much sun.

Like I said they get eczema so the sun helps them. We are talking about a cloudy day here. They wear a t shirt and a bit of sun cream on their face. So their arms are exposed and lower legs. Sun cream just irritates my eldest so avoid unless he really needs it.

Seriously people need to get a grip and stop being afraid of a bit of a tan. We don’t live near the equater.

drspouse · 04/06/2021 13:05

@Carycy

Drspouss. No not worried about them getting skin cancer if they aren’t burning they aren’t getting too much sun.

Like I said they get eczema so the sun helps them. We are talking about a cloudy day here. They wear a t shirt and a bit of sun cream on their face. So their arms are exposed and lower legs. Sun cream just irritates my eldest so avoid unless he really needs it.

Seriously people need to get a grip and stop being afraid of a bit of a tan. We don’t live near the equater.

You do know that people who've never been out of the UK get skin cancer??
OrangeRug · 04/06/2021 13:17

I actually didn't know this at all until recently and I'm 30.

OrangePowder · 04/06/2021 13:29

You do know that people who've never been out of the UK get skin cancer??

I'm going to hazard a guess that those people aren't those who only go outdoors on cloudy days.

Some rational thought is required. Yes of course people should protect themselves from the sun. They don't need protection to be outdoors for a couple of hours with good cloud cover.

drspouse · 04/06/2021 13:58

80-90% of the UV gets through, and around, clouds. They are not protection.

cupsofcoffee · 04/06/2021 14:22

@OrangePowder

You do know that people who've never been out of the UK get skin cancer??

I'm going to hazard a guess that those people aren't those who only go outdoors on cloudy days.

Some rational thought is required. Yes of course people should protect themselves from the sun. They don't need protection to be outdoors for a couple of hours with good cloud cover.

You absolutely do need protection on those days.

Sunburn is caused by over-exposure to UV rays - UV rays can penetrate clouds with no problems whatsoever.

The number of people I see in this country who are bright red from sunburn tells me that most people don't really know anything about sun protection, though!

BlackeyedSusan · 04/06/2021 14:38

They did bloody teach it in the nineties...in my class at least and I think other classes had the sun safety posters...

But yeah, they need to teach it more

PattyPan · 04/06/2021 14:39

@Carycy I have eczema too. All the more reason to wear sun protection IMO, it’s not a good combo with sunburn - the peeling is worse in skin that’s already dehydrated!

CMOTDibbler · 04/06/2021 15:33

As someone who has been sunburnt while wearing a raincoat (not wind burn) I'm acutely aware of this. My summer wardrobe is complete coverage from neck to toe plus wide hat in fabrics with SPF50+, and my hands/face/neck/ears are always covered in SPF50 with high broadspectrum coverage.

BashfulClam · 04/06/2021 15:34

My husband will not listen that it’s the uv level that matters. He has an auto-immune condition that is exacerbated by uv light but as we are in Scotland he thinksSunscreen is a waste of time. He always says ‘hmm it’s not that hot!’ It doesn’t matter!!!!

He foolishly decided several years ago not to wear any protection in majorca on the last day of our holiday as it was a bit cloudy. All evening he got redder and redder till he was glowing. When we got back to the apartment I had to pack his case as he was in bed with sunstroke. I was panicking about getting him on a plane the next day. His whole face, arms and torso were scarlet.

Pinkblueberry · 04/06/2021 18:04

I don’t understand people saying it’s ok because their kids don’t burn - I mean for all I know mine wouldn’t burn easily but I haven’t found out since I put suncream on to prevent this happening even for the first time. I wasn’t going to sit my baby in the sun unprotected first to test out how easily they burn or hope we just get lucky Confused

SilverGlassHare · 04/06/2021 18:08

I haven’t voted because while I do know, I readily believe loads of people don’t know so neither options are appropriate.

As a child, my cousin burnt so badly that she had to be hospitalised, after an overcast day at the beach without sunscreen, in the early 1990s. So our family is well aware!

QueenPaw · 04/06/2021 18:10

My mum has been abroad twice, never used a sunbed and has such dark skin she has never burned. She had skin cancer (on her arm)
I'm really cautious but I use retinol and also burn within 10 mins so SPF 50 face every day
I'm vitamin d deficient but take a high dose of that now and use the d minder app to get a little sun without burning (it tells you the UV and how much vitamin D you get, I can do 5 mins without burning if UV is 7-8 and that's it)

MildredPuppy · 04/06/2021 18:18

I do know that i can burn on a cloudy day - its just i never have. I only seem to tan or burn on sunny days. I also know that doesnt mean i havent damaged my skin though. Im naturally shade loving and tend to cover up which helps.

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