If your kids don’t burn, how strict are you on sunscreen

[Anonymous]

Always. Get the spray and a stick for their faces. Not a big deal and gets them in the habit.

[Anonymous]

I wear sunscreen every single day, even in winter. I’m surprised fair skinned and got to protect my skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mineral sunscreen literally has the same active ingredient as diaper rash cream. My aunt never burned badly but then lost part of her cheekbone to skin cancer (luckily not worse). Slather that stuff on.

I do the zinc.

Ugh, it leaves residue over EVERYTHING, stains clothes, and sits on top of the skin like paste (ahem, like diaper cream). I really want to find a good mineral sunscreen, but I haven't found a good option that doesn't leave me cursing the sunscreen gods. Any recs?

[Anonymous]

Not very.


The kind of skin cancer Black people tend to get cannot be prevented with sunscreen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are black, but I want it to become a habit for my kids.

Even tho they don’t burn, their skin is still susceptible to sun-induced damage; and long term exposure can cause sun spots, wrinkles and cancers

Great habit to teach. UV rays can cause terrible inflammation and damage to skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mineral sunscreen literally has the same active ingredient as diaper rash cream. My aunt never burned badly but then lost part of her cheekbone to skin cancer (luckily not worse). Slather that stuff on.

I do the zinc.

Ugh, it leaves residue over EVERYTHING, stains clothes, and sits on top of the skin like paste (ahem, like diaper cream). I really want to find a good mineral sunscreen, but I haven't found a good option that doesn't leave me cursing the sunscreen gods. Any recs?

Blue Lizard. Expensive but awesome sunscreen. Comes in spray version too.

[Anonymous]

They will thank you when they are 50 and have relatively gorgeous skin.

[Anonymous]

My kids wear rash guards and hats. And sunscreen. Two have brown skin/don’t burn but I still think it’s important.

[Anonymous]

Don’t use the spray. It’s awful for your lungs and the environment.

[Anonymous]

We are pretty terrible about it. It’s a hassle and the kids hate it because it always seems to both their eyes once they start sweating. Will only put it on if we are going to be out in the middle of the day for hours without shade. But I also feel guilty about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not putting it on unless they are going to be out for multiple hours in the middle of the day. I’m kind of wary about the long term impact of lots of absorbed sunscreen chemicals.

Sunscreen has been in use for decades and decades. What studies have you seen on cancer risk v long term impact of sunscreen to make you say that?

They don't exist yet because we haven't been encouraging people to put sunscreen on every single day for very long. It's only been somewhat common for the last 20ish years. Seeing as how we thought it was totally safe to use lead pipes for drinking water and baby powder contaminated with asbestos I'm not convinced we know the actual long term impact of daily sunscreen use. Also, see the recent news articles about PFAS chemicals. I don't think it's tin hat territory to wonder about it.

Right now we know it's absorbed into the bloodstream, but we don't know if that means anything. If I'm not out all day I'd rather wear a hat and some sleeves and minimize the sunscreen.

I’m the same. If we are out all day or at beach/pool I will use it but I also worry about what damage the chemicals in it can do.

[Anonymous]

It depends on how long they will be in direct sun and the UV index for the day. Where I am, the U/V index won't get over 5 today, and they will mostly be in the backyard which is partly shaded. If we were going swimming for a few hours I would cover them in sunscreen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t use the spray. It’s awful for your lungs and the environment.

aerosol spray is different from non aerosol spray.

[Anonymous]

I worry about skin cancer more than sunburns. I’m extremely strict about sunscreen. Every morning plus reapplication when they get home from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mineral sunscreen literally has the same active ingredient as diaper rash cream. My aunt never burned badly but then lost part of her cheekbone to skin cancer (luckily not worse). Slather that stuff on.

I do the zinc.

Ugh, it leaves residue over EVERYTHING, stains clothes, and sits on top of the skin like paste (ahem, like diaper cream). I really want to find a good mineral sunscreen, but I haven't found a good option that doesn't leave me cursing the sunscreen gods. Any recs?

Um, it's not hard to apply it in a way that doesn't involve residue everywhere and stained clothes. Just rub it in, it does dry.

I use either Banana Boat kids mineral lotion spf 50, or Equate Kids mineral lotion spf 50 (which I suspect is made by Banana Boat). I use it all over including my face, daily, as I live in FL and work outside.

I think a lot of people don't understand that sunscreen dries, even when it goes on whitish.

I never use sprays or 'sport' sunscreens, they don't seem to work well and make my face skin burn (not from the sun).