Having trouble protecting my 2 year old from the sun.

[MonkeyChicken]

Despite wearing a kids soltan factor 50 once suncream, thickly applied, my DS (2.8) went to bed with a red nose and cheekbones from catching the sun. He was only outside from about 9 till 11 then came in till school pick up. I reapplied suncream for school pick up and it's very shady (through a wood). He won't keep a hat on his head and rubs his nose once I've applied cream (so probably rubs it off). Twice this month he has burnt his nose and cheekbones when I was caught out (we had thermals and wooly hats on and then the sun came out...) so I should imagine this makes him even more sensitive.

He is fair but doesn't look exceptional. Sandy blondish hair, blue eyes and a few freckles. I burn really easily too and wear once factor 30 pretty much every day from when the clocks go forward but again I've been burnt already this month.

Can anyone suggest anything that might help? I was wondering if there was a coloured sunblock that I could put on his nose and cheeks (like they used to have for skiing) so at least I could tell if he'd rubbed it off.

Don't live anywhere exotic, just near High Wycombe in Bucks.

DD (4.8) is fair but the once 50 stuff seems to be fine for her.

Try a different sun cream. We found on holiday DD burned really easily despite her factor 50 cream on. We searched for something stronger but couldn't get above a 50, so we tried another brand and it was just so much more effective that what we had been using.

Not sure if its available in the UK, but I've just purchased some Neutrogena kids lotion that is SPF60.

This stuff is good www.sunsense.co.uk/the-sunsense-range.aspx or piz buin day long.

Don't forget they take 20 mins before they start working

I think you need to insist on the hat tbh.

I put sunscreen on the DCs about 20 minutes before we go out. I use a factor 50, and rub it in well to protect the lower skin levels. Then before we go out I put on a layer of the clear sunscreen (again factor 50). Because it is invisible I don't rub it in, it sits on the skin and protects the top layer. May be worth trying?

We use Ultrasun. It's great for us. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Also, DS is two and is obsessed with his brolly. If the hat isn't popular would your DS carry an umbrella?

Thanks for your suggestions, all very helpful.

I've been trawling MN for alternative brands. The soltan once stuff is thick and horrid and he really won't tollerate much rubbing in, so something that sinks in more easily would probably be much more effective. Also he doesn't need once as I can reapply (got once for DD as she's at school and do both of them in the morning before school run). I tend to favour soltan because of the high UVA but if he's just rubbing it off then that's pointless anyway.

Hats, yep I need to find a viable hat and get strict with it. Previously an oversized fisherman style hat has been great because I just surreptitiously dropped it on his head and at least half the time he didn't notice. Last year's hats aren't proving so effective either for dropping on or actually shading face so I think I'll probably have to find a kepi/legionaire hat. I'm hoping they provide more shade for his face.

Brolly would be a cute idea, not sure he'd manage it but worth ago. It's what I always did before I had kids, now I don't have luxury of a hand free for a brolly!

Thanks again.

Picked up some Sunsense Ultra 50 from the chemist today (Thanks Kaffiene) and bought a plethora of hats/sunsuits yesterday. Also like the look of the Ultrasun KittieCat and will definately try your layering technique Chrysanthemum5 when the sun next shows up.

Thanks again for your help.

The Sunsense is really good. They do a roll on which is handy for when out.
I also use a factor 50 stick for face. It's a boots Soltan kids one. You can apply it quite close to under the eye and on nose, ears etc. DD used to catch the sun on her face however much sun cream I applied. Much better with the stick now.

This is a big concern of mine because my lovely father-in-law died from a squamous cell carcinoma on his ear which was sunburnt dreadfully from all the time he spent in the garden -he was 71 and could have been saved if the NHS hadn't taken three months to remove it.
My two were 7 and 4 at the time and could not say goodbye because although he was nursed at home after the London Hospital had finished experimenting on him the sight and smell of half his face devoured by cancer and all the drugs to prevent septicaemia were too gruesome.

How about looking at these pages and imagining it happening to your children probably when you are either very old or dead yourself?
www.sciencephoto.com/media/253362/view
www.wjon.org/index.php/wjon/article/view/328/272

Both of mine are very fair and may have a gene that makes them vulnerable so they understood from a young age that Papa died because of the sun damage and they don't argue - they don't dare! children sense when their parents are truly frightened about a danger - we have all become furious with them stepping into the road without looking haven't we?

When they were older as teens they learnt the whole story you see and as we live at 800' on a farm they spend a lot of time outdoors using a mixture of hats sunscreen and long hair (DS didn't have his cut between the ages of 6 and14 which suited me necause his tied back pony tail covered his ears!)

The Good news is IF any growths are noticed it is imperative that you do not delay going to the GP who will probably test it. Speed is of the essence as caught early they can be removed and will probably not have spread. Everyone should learn about skin cancer at school. I am still so angry that my gentle father-in-law had to die like that - the only positive was that because it is all external there usually isn't much pain compared to liver cancer say...The MacMillan nurses were also magnificent!