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

80s child- we’d just be sent into the shade regularly and smothered in sun cream while my mum put on baby oil to get a better tan!!! My dad used to give out to her about it!

My mum always made us wear a t.shirt when we were kids, even in the pool and especially on the beach and a sun hat.
Although we took the hat off in the pool / sea.
We never got sunburn as far as I remember.
I always made my kids wear the same, they've never had sunburn either.

I was little in the 80s and don't ever remember suncream unless we were on holiday abroad.

I was born in the late 60s and don't remember hearing about sunscreen (PABA) until the late 80s or possibly 90s? I didn't grow up in the UK, maybe it was different here. I vividly remember our lovely neighbour telling me she was using SPF sunscreen as though it was a brand new thing.

Surprised that the idea of a base tan being protective seems to have persisted despite a tan being evidence of sun damage.

PinotPony sorry that happened to you! Was it difficult getting diagnosed? I have a similar mole in what looks like exactly the same place but GP is saying it's not an ugly duckling so nothing to worry about. I've had several relatives with melanoma and if you look at the various melanoma websites it doesn't look as straightforward as the ugly duckling theory. Some of the benign examples look exactly like the malignant ones!

I know so many people now who have had skin cancer issues from childhood and young adulthood without much suncream...

Thanks @trainedopossum It was a shock but they got it very early on... less than 0.3mm deep. I don't much like my scar but it's a small price to pay.

I go for a mole scan every November now. Costs a couple of hundred quid. They photograph every inch of me and the computer compares it with the images from the previous year to identify any changes. Much more effective than me trying to note changes myself.

It's important to recognise that melanoma is generally a disease of the old though. Yes, those who started serious sunbathing back in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's are the prime candidates for it now, but also the 80+ are the biggest cohort, as they are with all cancers.

most new melanomas are diagnosed in people over 55, with the biggest increase in the over-80s

But plenty of younger people still use sunbeds.

It amazes me that they are still legal @KimberleyClark. I fear that many of those who use them will regret it.

Yeah, the sunbed thing is insane. I tried one years and years ago, my in-laws had one in their house. It was awful. Hot, claustrophobic, and burny! I felt like a toasted sandwich. I never did it again.