Sun cream??

[Strawberryjelly1]

Just asking for some perspective and other opinions with this!

im 23 and obviously want to be tanned, but I’m Scottish so it just isn’t meant to be! Ive accepted my extreme paleness and I just use fake tan when needed.

I wear suncream on my face every single day- usually factor 50. My moisturiser has spf in it but I just prefer to use separate spf 50 suncream aswell. I was speaking to a friend about it and they said it was pointless and a waste of time- I’ve been badly sunburned before and spent my childhood playing in the sun so the damage is done already. They also said factor 50 for my face is overkill and ridiculous given where we live in Scotland rarely has any sunny weather.

I thought everyone wore suncream on their face, or that it was at least recommended to help skin? Or am I just wasting my time because I’ve already been burned a lot when I was younger? I’ve been spending a lot of money (for me, anyway) on decent suncream so if it’s pointless I’ll just stop it. We have a family history of skin cancer unfortunately (melanoma which is obviously bad, aswell as BCC and SCC which are usually less serious but I was told it turned nasty and spread and caused the person to sadly pass away) so I’m a bit ott to sun damage but I just wanted to be as protected as possible.

am I wasting my time?

I love all of these non dermatologists giving "advice". Every skincare doctor or makeup artist/aesthetician worth their salt advises spf every single day on your face and to use high factor spf if your skin is exposed to direct sun. I know a lot of you "vitamin D enthusiasts" who enthuse about the benefits of a base tan, and you do NOT look as good or as young as you think you do. And skin colour doesn't matter. Dark and olive skin needs suncream as well.

I have very pale skin and from April to October I put suncream on my face every day and if it's warm and I'm likely to be out, even for 15 minutes, I'll put it on the exposed bits early on. I'm in no rush to be wrinkly and I burn so easily, it's just not worth it.

No desire to scare you but if you have a history of melanoma in the family, it's a really good idea to wear sunscreen every day. I have skin cancer and recently had 10cm of skin removed for a 7mm cancerous mole. I'm also missing a lymph node and a good amount of flesh from under my armpit. It's painful and has a long recovery time and I have a scar that looks like a shark attack. My mole was found by my mum who casually mentioned it-it was in a place I wouldn't have seen. I am just lucky.

I have SPF every day too - 30 in the winter and 50 in summer. Face and neck. I have a lot of marks on my face after pregnancy hormones times three and they get a lot worse in the sun. A lot of make up and moisturisers have SPF these days, which shows a good number of people are using it, whether intentionally or not. Men too!

Exactly this. And those of you saying there is SPF in your moisturiser, there is, but to get the advertised SPF you'd have to use a lot more of the product than you'd be comfortable using - ie completely slathering your face in moisturiser to get the level of protection you need.
I use SPF50 when the UV index is above 3, SPF30 when it's not. I reapply every few hours.
80% of premature ageing comes from the sun's rays.

I'm very easy going and still fit and healthy at 40, must be diong something right you're only 40 though. There's lots of time for skin damage to show. I know someone in their 80s who lost a large chunk of skin and a lymph node due to cancer.

Thank you this is handy. So I need the 50 really. Do I need to put a tablespoons worth in my face or is it a teaspoon?

If I put sunscreen on, it’s factor 50.

@chilledbubble I use the three fingers rule so three strips down my three middle fingers, it's about 1/4 of a teaspoon

Thank you!

Can anyone recommend a facial sunscreen that is good for skin prone to breakouts? I've tried a couple that were allegedly for sensitive skin but I ended up with terrible spots.

UVA levels are the ageing ones. They are present at the same level all year round and all latitudes. and penetrate clouds and windows.

The SPF in moisturisers isn’t enough as people don’t use enough product. I reapply at lunchtime but don’t wear makeup on my skin (thanks tretinoin).

I was speaking to a friend about it and they said it was pointless and a waste of time- I’ve been badly sunburned before and spent my childhood playing in the sun so the damage is done already.

This is seriously the worst skincare advice ever! Sun damage - and that isn't just burning just constant sun on your skin - causes by far the most ageing effects. The single best thing you can do for your skin is wear spf. You might not be able to reverse all damage from the past but you can definitely prevent anymore. No point paying a fortune for skin care then going out and letting the sun ruin all it's work.
It's never too late to start wearing spf. And most dermatologists say not only should you wear it all year round but you should even wear it in the house as the sun can still damage you through glass.

Factor 50 in scotland in winter?
Do you work outdoors?

There probably only about 6 hours of daylight and unless you're literally outside facing the (non existent) sun for all of those 6 hours, I really don't think you need factor 50 every day.

If you are outside in all weather/hours, I'd wear a hat instead.

Can I ask what suncream you wear on your face though? As I too have Scottish blue skin and hate wearing suncream on my face. I almost always wear a hat instead if it's sunny, to avoid suncream. I find most factor 50 is just really thick and heavy and horrible.

MN thinks we should be slathered head to toe all year round. I'm 52 and pretty young looking, if I do say so myself.

I never allow myself to burn, but I don't wear sunscreen in winter and I don't wear it in summer unless I'm going to be outside without shade a lot.

I work outdoors so wear sunscreen everyday.

I use factor 30 and have never burned. I put it on before work, re-apply later morning and again around 2pm if I'm still out at work then.

Also Scottish and have had melanoma which is no joke. Factor 50 all the time. To the poster thinking it's ok if you just tan and not burn no it's not ok. Cases are rising all the time and hotter summers are becoming the norm, it's easy to be complacent but it really is important to be protected.

No you're not, especially with a history of skin cancer.

Spf in make up.and skincare is pointless as there isn't enough of the spf within the product and you can't apply enough of the product to give the correct coverage.

I wear spf 50 on my face everyday and factor 50 on my body when needed (when the body parts are exposed to sun)

The only time I dont wear it, is between November and February when the UV is usually around 1 and no sunshine. I'm in England.

Today for example, its sunny and 30 degrees. I've reapplied to face and body parts out 4 times (only outside for 4 hours so once an hour)

I don't tan but do burn. Tan skin and burnt skin is damaged skin and not healthy.

Wearing spf also helps with aging and the fine lines caused by UV Ray's. I'm early 40s and the only one out of my friends who doesnt have sun spots beginning to appear or lines appearing because of damage to skin during their 20s

Just of curiosity - is there any research that suggests factor 50 is any more effective than factor 30? Assuming both are applied regularly, of course.

I've tried factor 50 and my skin breaks out in spots and becomes really itchy.

There a 2% difference between 30 and 50

This is runny, light and not greasy. Doesn't sting eyes either

https://www.lookfantastic.com/garnier-ambre-solaire-ultra-light-sensitive-sun-protection-face-fluid-spf50-40ml/12564736.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&thgppccampaign=71700000088329918&adtype=&productid=12564736&gbraid=0AAAAAD-fXiqbPTtGw9pU4aDIsGL7XBwF9&gbraid=0AAAAAD-fXiqbPTtGw9pU4aDIsGL7XBwF9&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuPmRwvfr-AIVhLTtCh1zmg0EAQYASABEgImRPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks!

I remember reading that the difference was very minimal.

I’m mixed, my skin is pretty light but darkens quickly in the sun, and am pretty lax about suncream. I probably only wear a factor 15 for about 10 days a year in the UK.
I look younger than my age so it’s not all about sun cream - genetics, not smoking, luck and diet all play a part too!

My best friend has very pale, freckly skin and has to wear factor 50 regularly. We are all different - what is right for one isn’t right for everyone. You do you and ignore what others try and force on you.

You do get a bit of sun damage as a child but if you are in scotland unless you had lots of holidays in spain etc then it shouldn't be too bad, if you are very pale, blond, red hair, pale eyes, freckles then it could be a bit worse. SPF will help though as you get older you should have less sun damage than if you didn't use it. I started with daily High factor sunblock when I was in my teens due to going on a certain acne medication, this was in the 90's and prior to the huge boom in skincare info. Back then hardly anyone wore daily spf and that was right at the time when the sunbed fad hit.

I'm in my mid 40's now and I see a massive difference in my skin compared to my peers. Some get expensive treatments, botox, laser etc and my skin looks much younger, no lines or pigmentation etc. Prevention is much easier than cure!

Most people wear spf these days but most don't wear enough to get proper benefit.

Ditto, and I have had two BCCs on my face, one requiring surgery that is still obvious 5 years on.

Your friend is a total fool - factor 50 for my face everyday whatever the weather.