To wonder about sunburnt children before suncream was popularised?

[Leah5678]

Apparently wasn't popularised until the 70s. With children playing outside practically every day back in the days before television was invented how did they not burn? Did they just get used to it?
Apologies if this is an extremely stupid question just something I've been wondering about with the last few days of decent weather

There’s some research and a chain of thought that sunburn in some people is actually caused by an interaction between UV rays, what you’re eating/putting into your body - refined carbohydrates, ultra-processed foods etc and the inflammation it causes. Some people who historically had burnt have reported that they no longer burn after changing the way they eat to either a low carbohydrate, ketogenic or carnivore/meat based diet.

Skin cancer rates were higher back then.
People covered up more.
Children burnt.

I was very often burnt (although born in the 80s) and was only thinking earlier about a time when I was 15 and burnt so badly across my back that I couldn't shower for 2 weeks, couldn't lie on my back, and had massive blisters. My mum didn't even take me to a doctor. I'm a social worker now and I've had less serious sun burn come across my desk for assessment purposes.

Yes we expected to get burnt and have peeling skin and red noses !

In the 1960’s I was 12 and burnt so badly after a day on the beach in Devon, that the doctor had to be called to our caravan. I had to be sprayed from head to foot with an anaesthetic aerosol,
Im very fair skinned , never tan. It was hell.
I never sunbathe now .

we stayed out in the sun all day and burnt! And then got smothered in calamine lotion if it was bad. Not sure about sun tan lotion being invented in the 70s? I remember in the 90s basically using factor 8 oil to increase the tanning rather than protect my skin!

They did?

I'm a 70s child and got sunburn a few times every summer. I remember my skin peeling and not worrying about it. Don't remember using suncream. When I was older suncream was used on holiday only.

Baby oil only until 1974. We fried, peeled, repeated. Not everything was better back in the day.

Never wore it.

I burnt once l think. But l tend to go brown rather than red. Never wear it in the U.K. now either unless I’m out all day and it’s boiling out.

Never put it on sc on school days. They never got burnt.

I haven’t changed the way l eat.

I just don’t burn in U.K. sun.

My SIL died from skin cancer on her head. She lived a very outdoor life and no one really thought a hat was necessary in the U.K. sun. Absolutely tragic.

Tim Spector from the Zoe app thinks we over use sunscreen.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/13/health-expert-tim-spector-criticised-for-remarks-on-year-round-use-of-sunscreen

In the 80s we would get a bit of factor 8 on our shoulders in the morning before hitting the beach or pool on holiday. Maybe reapplied after lunch. My very pale sister stayed in the shade otherwise she would burn so badly it blistered. I tanned easily so played in the blazing heat and would be complimented on my ‘lovely’ tan even at a very young age. How times have changed!

Nope. We never wore sun cream.

But interesting - the highest number of skin cancer patients - come from those raised with sun cream.

Is it global warming?

Or is it that tans only became popular in the 1980's with people deliberately over-exposing themselves to the sun?

People will quite happily ink, surgically change, bake their bodies in the name of fashion.

We never wore sun cream. But if it was hot, we came inside. We didn't try and tan our skins.

We've worn wide brimmed hats for centuries.

I tend to think sun cream was a response to people wanting to tan as much as their skin as they could. Another extreme pointless fashion.

Sun cream was a big factor in life by the late 80s when I had my first. Before that it was cover up or burn for sure.

oh and a lot of people believed it was better to burn first and then you get a deeper tan. I can remember Just 17 and Mizz (teen magazines) having articles on how to get a good tan on holiday. NGL…I still love a good holiday tan even though I know it’s terrible for me

I have fair skin and was born late 50s. Didnt really get burnt as at first sign of sun early mornng we were thrown out half naked to 'catch the sun' and l just think it was such a gradual process that we tanned gradually. I am early 60s now and often get complimented on my skin and general consensus is l look young for my age. Maybe its just luck or genetics though and me and my Dsis s are the exception.

Chanel popularised suntans in the 1920’s. This is when it became fashionable to get a tan.

They all swanked about in south of France in backless beach pyjamas. This is one of the reasons backless gowns became fashionable in the 1930’s

@fieldsofbutterflies would he use a spray? I recommended one to my dad as he was struggling to get SPF on his feet and had burned them. It's one you don't have to rub in

Thanks @buffyslayer - he has all the cream, he just doesn't top it up during the day, lol 🙄

He has ADHD so I genuinely think he just forgets - it does worry me though!

But interesting - the highest number of skin cancer patients - come from those raised with sun cream.

Where's your evidence for this, please?

My no melanin Celtic skin burnt red raw every year on holiday in west wales. Sun screen never a thing. Lucky we didn’t venture to the Med. 😳

80's kid here.
No sun cream and lots of sun burns & sun beds as a teen.
1st skin cancer removal this year with an 80% chance of recurrence....paying the price.

I was born in the late 60s, I don't remember ever wearing sun protection as a child but I do remember burning badly in the very hot summer of 76

Holidays abroad in the 1960's, mother covered me in olive oil and left me on the beach all day.
Red and blistered every night😱