Ds might have a bit of a tan. i feel a bit guilty

[mrsflux]

Well over the hot weekend i covered ds who is 1 in sun cream factor 50+. He had tshirt and shorts on the whole time. I reapplied cream and tried to keep him in shade as much as a walking toddler will allow.
I think he might have a bit of a slight tan.

I feel guilty.
Is a slight tan really bad?

He didn't get burnt at all.

What do you think?

Not bad at all, tanning is skins natural response to sunlight so you really shouldn't feel guilty!

Wasn't it in the news a few weeks ago that cases of rickets are rising due to vitamin D (I think it's D) deficiency as kids are always covered up or coated in sunscreen?

Tan will happen. I slather all 3 of my DDs in Factor 50, insist on hats and we have a shady garden. However, DD3 in particular (22 months) is developing a lovely farmer's tan as she is outside so much of the time.

No burning is the critical bit for me.

No, I wouldn't worry about it - he didn't burn. In fact, the slight tan will help to give him more protection.

There was some very interesting studies I was reading about the other day which is looking at the risks of melanoma. In particular investigating the increase of risk with severe burning, but also the DECREASE of risk with regular moderate sun exposure. (Moderate of course, being the key).

No need to feel guilty at all

It very much depends on skin type I think.

DS and DD have spent as much time as each other in the outdoors with/without suncream (ie. suncream when its been sunny and they've been outdoors for any length of time or occasional very short spell in the sun without cream )and are completely different.

DD is still pale and looks untouched by the sun yet DS already has a bit of a T-shirt tan and colour in his face as he seems to go brown with a mere glimpse of the sun.

That's very true Norbert - ds2 is like his granddad and seems to tan mid winter with about 15 seconds of sunlight touching his skin. Ds1 is pale and interesting like me (but unlike me still manages some colour by the end of the summer!)

DS tans even through Factor 50 and never ever burns or even goes slightly red. He has the same colouring as SIL . DD on the other hand is deathly pale. If she had a tan I'd be concerned because (a) I'd assume my child had been abducted and replaced by an alien switcheroo (I don't tan at all and she has my colouring so I assume she won't either) and (b) if she did tan she'd almost certainly have burned first. But if DS has a tan I think "Ah, it must be summer again."

thanks ladies!

i feel a lot better now! it is only a slight tan i think as he's got to be in the right light to notice it.

i'll still be slapping on the factor 50+ though.

now just gotta remember to put cream on me too!

I don;t think you did anything wrong at all.
I just wanted to add that different sunscreens have different rules about re-applying them. Some are supposed to be done 30-minutes after you initially apply them, and some you are supposed to wait 2/3 hours then re-apply. This was news to me and I haven't found it on any of the bottles, but I have found more detailed instructions on the websites.