s/o outdoor time... sunscreen

[Deleted]

What do you think of vitamin d vitamins? I've been taking a fairly high dosage since I started breaking my foot every summer.

[IIOY]

"Broad spectrum" means a sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB. So long as a sunscreen says that it is broad spectrum, "UVA" does not need to be specified on the label.

[pamela]

I'm pretty sure all the sunscreens we have say they protect from both. But I also only apply them when we're going to be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time (like DS in the stroller at the zoo, I coated his face,ears and fronts of his legs with sunblock). Otherwise, I'm just aware of the amount of time we're outside, exposure we're getting and reflection (only time DH has even been burnt was laying out on a pier over the bay). I don't believe in daily sunscreen.

We also didn't do Vit D supplementation for him as an infant. We just spent time outside. Of course, living in the south it's much easier to make sure we get our quota than if we were living up north. We could be outside with skin showing as early as Feb when he was a month old where someone up north might be covered until April.

[arborgold]

May 29, 2012 8:09:53 GMT -5 pamela said:

I'm pretty sure all the sunscreens we have say they protect from both. But I also only apply them when we're going to be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time (like DS in the stroller at the zoo, I coated his face,ears and fronts of his legs with sunblock). Otherwise, I'm just aware of the amount of time we're outside, exposure we're getting and reflection (only time DH has even been burnt was laying out on a pier over the bay). I don't believe in daily sunscreen.

Am I just the super weirdo who applies sunscreen every day because of my uber pale Irish / Scottish heritage, or is this crazy talk?

Because I know that burns can happen even on cloudy days, and I've rec'd a SEVERE burn from being outside without sunscreen in 15 minutes. I can't imagine not putting sunscreen at least on my face everyday...

[frlcb]

May 29, 2012 8:19:00 GMT -5 arborgold said:

May 29, 2012 8:09:53 GMT -5 pamela said:

I'm pretty sure all the sunscreens we have say they protect from both. But I also only apply them when we're going to be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time (like DS in the stroller at the zoo, I coated his face,ears and fronts of his legs with sunblock). Otherwise, I'm just aware of the amount of time we're outside, exposure we're getting and reflection (only time DH has even been burnt was laying out on a pier over the bay). I don't believe in daily sunscreen.

Am I just the super weirdo who applies sunscreen every day because of my uber pale Irish / Scottish heritage, or is this crazy talk?

Because I know that burns can happen even on cloudy days, and I've rec'd a SEVERE burn from being outside without sunscreen in 15 minutes. I can't imagine not putting sunscreen at least on my face everyday...

No, you are not. My dd has red hair, so does my dh, and my son is a white blonde. We all would burn, badly. My kids get lotioned up, and if we are at a pool/beach setting they wear UV bathing suits. They also wear hats. My dh is pretty strict on it actually, which is probably because he is a pasty brit.

[vanillahip]

May 29, 2012 8:19:00 GMT -5 arborgold said:

May 29, 2012 8:09:53 GMT -5 pamela said:

I'm pretty sure all the sunscreens we have say they protect from both. But I also only apply them when we're going to be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time (like DS in the stroller at the zoo, I coated his face,ears and fronts of his legs with sunblock). Otherwise, I'm just aware of the amount of time we're outside, exposure we're getting and reflection (only time DH has even been burnt was laying out on a pier over the bay). I don't believe in daily sunscreen.

Am I just the super weirdo who applies sunscreen every day because of my uber pale Irish / Scottish heritage, or is this crazy talk?

Because I know that burns can happen even on cloudy days, and I've rec'd a SEVERE burn from being outside without sunscreen in 15 minutes. I can't imagine not putting sunscreen at least on my face everyday...

I wear sunscreen every day- I also get my coloring from my Irish side. If I'm in the sun unprotected for more than 10 minutes around noon I'm burned! (my sister, on the other hand, tans incredibly easily and makes me want to fight her lol)

[pescalita]

I wear it daily on my face, my regular moisturizer has SPF 15. Other than that I just try to remember when I'm out for an extended time, more than walking the dogs or eating on the patio. Same for A. MrP never ever remembers and his big ol' Italian ass ends up in perma farmer tan.

[eclaires]

I wear sunscreen on my face every day, but not every where else. I'm glad I do though - my wrinkles are non-existent and I frequently get mistaken for someone much younger (amusing, though, when I'm with the kids and people think I'm their nanny - used to annoy me, but now that I'm in my THIRTIES! it makes me happy).

Can we have a recommendation post of sunscreen though? I'm ready to buy new for the kids this summer and it seems like every year the ratings change...

[arborgold]

May 29, 2012 8:34:03 GMT -5 vanillahip said:

May 29, 2012 8:19:00 GMT -5 arborgold said:

Am I just the super weirdo who applies sunscreen every day because of my uber pale Irish / Scottish heritage, or is this crazy talk?

Because I know that burns can happen even on cloudy days, and I've rec'd a SEVERE burn from being outside without sunscreen in 15 minutes. I can't imagine not putting sunscreen at least on my face everyday...

I wear sunscreen every day- I also get my coloring from my Irish side. If I'm in the sun unprotected for more than 10 minutes around noon I'm burned! (my sister, on the other hand, tans incredibly easily and makes me want to fight her lol)

This is me. I was once outside for 15 minutes (15 minutes, people!) waiting for a friend, with my legs propped up on a chair. I burned so badly I turned purple. And the skin on my legs didn't go back to normal for two freaking years.

Sunscreen, clothes, and/or hats it is for me. Every.single.day.

[eclaires]

Septimus - have you had a physical recently? I had one last August, and have been taking Vit-D since then based on lab results. Not sure if it's done anything, b/c I don't know if I was having problems based on lack of Vit-D.

[atouchofklasse]

I believe Vitamin D intake has been linked to abdominal fat retention (too lazy to pull the articles). So, lower Vitamin D from sunlight---> more fat stores in winter makes sense in an evolutionary context.

Most Vitamin D experts take 5000 IU a day. I alternate between 4000 and 6000 IU/day when I haven't spent time outside.

[Deleted]

Thread hijack--does anybody have a good baby sunscreen rec? Also, do I need to wait until 6 mos?

[eclaires]

If you use the physical sunblock stuff (not the chemical) you don't have to wait until 6m (that's my understanding).

As for recs, I'd give them, but I swear to GOD! the ones I thought were good last year are bad this year. I think Blue Lizard is a typically good brand, though.

[Deleted]

Badger is a good one for babies <6 months. Obviously keeping a baby in the shade is also a good idea, but the physical sunblocks are pretty much the same as diaper cream (zinc oxide).

[Deleted]

I take vitamin D supplements, primarily in the winter months, but also in the summer on the less frequent basis even though I usually get some outside exposure each day. Also, on a vain note, I used to be bad and not put sunscreen on or put a very low level on to get some color (I know! Its horrible) but I work with a few ladies who are in their 50s and have very rough looking skin from sun exposure in their younger years and thinking of them inspires me to slater on the SPH 30. I know, terrible!!

[AJL]

This is great info! Thanks.

As for wearing sunscreen everyday, I do. I'm actually Hispanic but a long time ago I read somewhere that one of the major causes of premature aging was excessive sun exposure and sun damage. Ever since then, I've worn sunscreen on my face, neck, and chest. I tend to cover up even in the summer time. When we're at the pool, I'm covered in SPF 60+ broad spectrum. It never stopped me from still getting darker, but I feel safer re: protection from skin cancer. The kids and the hubs also get covered in sunblock when we're spending a long time in the sun.

[msmerymac]

May 29, 2012 8:19:00 GMT -5 arborgold said:

May 29, 2012 8:09:53 GMT -5 pamela said:

I'm pretty sure all the sunscreens we have say they protect from both. But I also only apply them when we're going to be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time (like DS in the stroller at the zoo, I coated his face,ears and fronts of his legs with sunblock). Otherwise, I'm just aware of the amount of time we're outside, exposure we're getting and reflection (only time DH has even been burnt was laying out on a pier over the bay). I don't believe in daily sunscreen.

Am I just the super weirdo who applies sunscreen every day because of my uber pale Irish / Scottish heritage, or is this crazy talk?

Because I know that burns can happen even on cloudy days, and I've rec'd a SEVERE burn from being outside without sunscreen in 15 minutes. I can't imagine not putting sunscreen at least on my face everyday...

Hello, fellow Irish/Scottish person.

I wear sunscreen daily. I don't burn on contact with sunlight (unlike mom my and her ginger genes), but I would just prefer to be pale. Seriously. And it's not even for burns/cancer concerns, but, selfishly, because I don't want premature wrinkles. I noticed a few fine lines between my eyes a few years ago. I wear SPF 30 on my face every day and I slather on something between SPF 70 and SPF 100 if I'm going to be outside for any length of time (so hiking, outdoor festivals, biking or walking to the train or bus).

ETA: For my face, I like the Biore dual action moisturizer. Neutrogena also has an oil-free moisturizer with SPF that I use when I can't find the Biore. I also use Neutrogena spray SPF 100 on my body when doing things outside. It's not greasy at all - really light and nice. The can is white.