Kids and sunburnt

[Anonymous]

We are on vacation at the beach and my 7 year old got a mild sunburnt. He was wearing protection and he sweats and I guess rubbed it off when the sun was still too strong (5.30ish pm). Anyway, not worried about him, doesn't hurt, it is only a bit reddish, will take a break from the sun tomorrow etc.

But I did a quick google search and found this http://m.cdc.gov/en/HealthSafetyTopics/DiseasesConditions/Cancer/Skin/children
'Tan? There's no other way to say it—tanned skin is damaged skin. Any change in the color of your child's skin after time outside—whether sunburn or suntan—indicates damage from UV rays'

Now, it is inevitable that at the end of the summer everybody's skin color has changed a little. I didn't know this is considered 'damaged skin'?!

I am quite shocked. I even thought that we all (incl. kids) do build some resistance to the sun by the end of the summer, even though we have to keep applying sunscreen etc.

Looks like I was wrong?!

[Anonymous]

Really? You didn't know this? That is why people who tan every summer for decades look like leather when they get older. Damage.

[Anonymous]

Yes but I am not talking about tanning on purpose for decades. I am talking about very mild browning ... Just a little change in color!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes but I am not talking about tanning on purpose for decades. I am talking about very mild browning ... Just a little change in color!

Still damage. If you think about "mild browning" each summer for 20 years it adds to more wrinkles and sun spots. Perhaps not the leathering but still damaged skin.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP. so do you manage to keep your kids 'totally white' every summer, assuming you are white and you have kids?

[Anonymous]

Yup, freckles and brown age spots that show up when you're older are also a sign of sun damage.

[Anonymous]

3 kids. We use the same sun block on all of them and reapply at the same time. My eldest is so tan by the end of the summer. The other two get just a slight bit of color difference. If you squint you can see the "tan" lines on them. I dont know what it is about my eldest. She certainly didn't get it from us. I'm blonde and fair skinned and my husband is Irish. I do worry about the damage it's doing. But other than putting a fully body bathing suit on her, which at 7 she would never agree to, I don't know what we can do.

[Anonymous]

PP, I am the OP. I also have a 3 yo whose skin color remains unchanged, and i apply the same as to my 7 yo. Perhaps it is to do with age and melamine or whatever ....?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, I am the OP. I also have a 3 yo whose skin color remains unchanged, and i apply the same as to my 7 yo. Perhaps it is to do with age and melamine or whatever ....?

melanin not melamine--that's the plastic stuff

Darker skin can still have sun damage although you may not be able to see it as much with the naked eye but can under black light, e.g.:

[Anonymous]

I'm a melanoma skin cancer survivor. OP - don't sweat it. You probably haven't caused a future skin cancer in your kid just yet! I had terrible blistering sunburn as a kid. But, do keep trying to stay out of the sun during peak times (10am to 4pm) and keep protected as much as possible - preferably clothing/hats, but sunscreen if necessary (applied frequently and liberally).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP. so do you manage to keep your kids 'totally white' every summer, assuming you are white and you have kids?

I was the original responder. My kids definitely get tan on their arms and legs. They always wear swimshirts and have never had sunburns. But they do tan even with 50 spf. I am ok with that damage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, I am the OP. I also have a 3 yo whose skin color remains unchanged, and i apply the same as to my 7 yo. Perhaps it is to do with age and melamine or whatever ....?

I'm the poster you're responding to - my eldest has always been that way. No matter how much we slather on her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP. so do you manage to keep your kids 'totally white' every summer, assuming you are white and you have kids?

NP here and yup. Barely ever a hint of a tan line. We are very fair and normally go to the pool late in the day because of it. I'm pretty diligent when it comes to suntanning since I have to go to the Dermatologist every 6 months and have had many skin cancer scares. Any color is damage. It's pretty common knowledge these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 kids. We use the same sun block on all of them and reapply at the same time. My eldest is so tan by the end of the summer. The other two get just a slight bit of color difference. If you squint you can see the "tan" lines on them. I dont know what it is about my eldest. She certainly didn't get it from us. I'm blonde and fair skinned and my husband is Irish. I do worry about the damage it's doing. But other than putting a fully body bathing suit on her, which at 7 she would never agree to, I don't know what we can do.

My nephews are like this. They both wear 50 all summer. One remains lily white and the other becomes bronzed. It's weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are on vacation at the beach and my 7 year old got a mild sunburnt. He was wearing protection and he sweats and I guess rubbed it off when the sun was still too strong (5.30ish pm). Anyway, not worried about him, doesn't hurt, it is only a bit reddish, will take a break from the sun tomorrow etc.

But I did a quick google search and found this http://m.cdc.gov/en/HealthSafetyTopics/DiseasesConditions/Cancer/Skin/children
'Tan? There's no other way to say it—tanned skin is damaged skin. Any change in the color of your child's skin after time outside—whether sunburn or suntan—indicates damage from UV rays'

Now, it is inevitable that at the end of the summer everybody's skin color has changed a little. I didn't know this is considered 'damaged skin'?!

I am quite shocked. I even thought that we all (incl. kids) do build some resistance to the sun by the end of the summer, even though we have to keep applying sunscreen etc.

Looks like I was wrong?!

You mean he got a mild sunburn not sunburnt. Sorry that was driving me crazy