Q&A about sun protection with Dr. Tabi Leslie

[RachelMumsnet]

Do you know your UVA from your UVB? Do you know the key times you should be applying sun protection on your kids and how many times to be re-applying? Suncare specialists Garnier Ambre Solaire and Dr. Tabi Leslie are joining us for a Q&A and inviting you to send in any questions you may have related to sun protection for you and your family.

Dr Leslie studied Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School, University of London and has extensive experience as a skin dermatologist. Dr Leslie has a special interest in sun protection and is working alongside Garnier Ambre Solaire to help promote sun safe behaviour.

Send in a question and you will be entered into a draw to win a Garnier hamper worth £100. We'll be linking to Dr Leslie's answers from this thread on 17th May.

This Q&A is sponsored by Garnier Ambre Solaire

Can i use the same opened bottle of sunscreen as last year, and it have the same protection factor?

A lot of moisturisers are now sold with spf. Is the amount you would use in an application of moisturiser likely to be sufficient to get the appropriate coverage? Also, how long does the coverage last? Is there any point- eg I put my moisturiser on in the morning, before I go to work (and so long before I really need it). Is it likely to be still working when I do need it, later in the day?

If you wear various products with different spfs, what level of protection do you have? E.g. if your daily moisturiser has an spf of 15 and your foundation is 25, are you protected to 15 or 30?

Also, sun creams have uva and uvb protection (so they say on the label). If make up says it has an spf, is that uva or uvb, or both?

Are you best off putting on a separate SPF Or is the SPF in moisturizer/foundation enough?

Like most schools, my children's primary will not apply sunscreen for pupils. Are once a day high factor sunscreens likely to be able to protect them from 9 - 3, if applied in the morning before school?

I spent a lot of time as a child in the sun (we lived overseas in very hot countries) and I don't think sun protection really existed back then. I have since spent a lot of time in tropical countries where I have built up a tan and thus not regularly used more than face creams with SPF. I am not fair - but not dark either (blue eyes, brown hair) and do have lots of moles. I panic about skin cancer but when I have seen the doctors on a couple of occasions for a general check on my moles, I have not been taken seriously. Should I be having regular checks, even if I don't notice any major changes to any moles (and it's hard watching them all, especially the ones on my back etc) or do you think I'm over-thinking this?

If the sunshines and it is hot (>20) I put sunscreen on my 2 young children, but should I be applying something daily? It's just most women now apply a daily product with some sort of sunscreen...

What suncream should I be using on a 2 year old with eczema?

I live in a very hot climate and despite wearing SPF 50 and minimising exposure I have chloasma-like pigmentation on my face. I also use an OCP but wonder if I should be thinking of stopping/changing it? It's impossible to avoid the sun completely and I still need effective contraception!

We live in Spain and I don't know whether to panic about putting suncream on the kids every day all year round, or let them build up a bit of a tan during the spring (when it's sunny nearly every day, :o). The thing is, if I put on suncream everyday and they stay white as snow white into the summer, then the day I forget it (there's always one, ooops) they get baked. I know all the emphasis now is on always wearing suncream, but I think I've seen some studies that say there is less cancer among people who are exposed to a little sun often (like builders) than among people who go on holidays abroad for two weeks and go crazy and get burnt. Is there anything in that?

My DD is half chinese and is obviously darker than white children. (But not as tanned as me). Is the advice to apply suncream different for children with darker complexion? Is it ok for them to develop a tan if they don't burn?

I have lots of moles and had a melanoma a few years ago. My partner is also very 'moley'. What should I be doing to keep our one year old safe from the sun?

We are very careful with the sun and as a family apply high SPF religiously including moisturisers with SPF during winter. Recent blood tests show that my husband has vitamin D deficiency (he has an office job). Do sunscreens impair vit D absorption and should we not apply sunscreens all the time? My daughter is 4 and although has olive skin that tans easily, she always has sunscreen SPF 30 on. Thank you

Is it true that children with blue eyes should always wear good quality sunglasses when exposed to lots of UV rays e.g. for a day at the beach.

Are organic sunscreens really as effective as non organic ones? Also what level of sun protection should children have for a normal sunny day in the UK, is factor 20 enough or should ir be higher?

Another one for suncream for a 3 year old with eczema?

I get terrible itchy and rash-y skin from using sun lotions. Antihistamines don't really calm it.

Are there any sun lotions that might not cause such a problem? I get it with lotions and with the gel or alcohol based sunscreens.

My DH's father had a small Squamous Cell Carcinoma on his ear - a flaky patch no more than 1cm in diameter - it took them 3 months to remove it by which time it had spread and it ate most of his face away and it was horrendous (though not particularly painful) Massive doses of antibiotics postponed him from dying of septicaemia for weeks but the smell of rotting flesh was hard to conceal - needless to say his grandchildren could not see him to say farewell!
Now my DH has just had a Basal Cell Carcinoma removed from his nose - again it took three months from seeing the GP to getting it removed by the Consultant - I was doing my nut! My query is as it seems to be in his family what should I do re DS and DD in case they too are susceptible? They spend a lot of time outside and I have always nagged them about hats and suncream. How long before they can check people for genetic markers to tell who might be particularly susceptible?

If people only knew how horrible it was to die of skin cancer and how quickly they need to get treatment if they see anything (very easy and cheap treatment too!) they would be much more careful!

My DH is quite 'moley' and has a very dark mole next to his nipple, 5mm across, which periodically peels off a sort of cap of dark brown waxy stuff and is then paler underneath. And then it builds up again. It's not changed size since I've known him. What on earth is that about then, and should he be taking it to a GP?

My mum shocked me in the summer after she criticised me for reapplying sunscreen on my toddler exclaiming 'she's not even burning yet'

So what are the consequences/long term damage if i had actually waited until she was burning? (so i have a good retort on holiday soon).

Does the sun still damage you through glass?

Are we at risk of osteoperosis by reducing our sun exposure to such a minimal amount?

My GP says Vitamin D deficiency is now a very real problem in the UK.

Would you say everyone still needs some unprotected exposure to the sun (in order to build up their Vit D stores), and if so, how much?

Or do you think total protection from the sun is the ideal and we should take Vit D supplements to compensate?

Where can I find a skin specialist to look at my nose? I have been to my GP twice but he says the lesion is probably nothing. I have had it for over 10 years and it bleeds every now and again. I can't find any mention of skin care unit on the internet. Is all all referral only only the NHS?