How much sunscreen?

[amym2]

Kids are 7 and 9 and have decent base tans from the summer. I don't think we'll be sitting out in direct sunlight for parades (we've seen them all) or such. We'll certainly use sunscreen when at the pool, but otherwise how much sunscren will I really need? I know we should use it, but realistically, how often do you use sunscreen when at the parks? We'll be there next week!

 

[RMulieri]

Having had skin cancer 2x an I am only 36..I advocate using it alot.I reapply it every couple of hours throughout the day and I latehr my daughter up every couple of hours as well.I bring 4 of the large squeeze bottles for the 3 of us for a 4 day trip

 

[Schmeck]

It depends on how much skin damage/skin cancer you want your kids to have to deal with when they are adults...

I used to tan as a kid - got some sunburns, but mostly tanned, and I've had skin cancer removed twice, many suspicious moles removed (and I didn't have many moles as a kid) and there's a spot on my arm that may be basal.

Always use sunscreen. It takes very little time to apply, and it could save your child's life (and appearance) later on. Parents need to keep their kids safe.

 

[tanyaandallie]

It is still very sunny and hot in Florida. I would plan on applying sunscreen at the parks. If you were going in November I'd say don't worry so much but in Sept. plan on applying liberally and often.

 

[dzorn]

It is still very sunny and hot in Florida. I would plan on applying sunscreen at the parks. If you were going in November I'd say don't worry so much but in Sept. plan on applying liberally and often.

Sun screen should be used year round. We apply daily before we go to the parks. Ideally you should do it before going to have it abosrb into the skin and reapply every few hours.

Denise in MI

 

[RMulieri]

It is still very sunny and hot in Florida. I would plan on applying sunscreen at the parks. If you were going in November I'd say don't worry so much but in Sept. plan on applying liberally and often.

Not to preach but sunscreen needs to be used everyday, every month..You can burn just as easily in Jan as you can in July.Even on cloudy days you need it.Don't let the cooler air, the month etc..Lure you into false sense of security.I now get skin checks every 6 months.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I'll ask my friend whom just had a pre-cancerous mole removed from her SEVEN year old this past week how much to use. Blond hair-blue eyes and lots of time outside and "tanned" easily.


Really...it is so important to protect children's skin now. We go in January and spray in the am and carry it into the parks. Next week they will be in shorts and light shirts so I would plan to take a lot. This time of year our family of four would use about a can a day if we also did the pool. Good news is a lot of places are starting to put it on sale for end of summer. We like copertone spray for babies or kids as it is non-stinging and does not hurt eyes.

 

[amym2]

Yes, I realize that we should use it, I just am trying to figure out realistically if we actually will. Anyone out there willing to say that they had good intentions but didn't remember to use the sunscreen or decided it wasn't worth the effort? I have a feeling that will happen with us. I'll certainly bring some with us, but we're trying to make do with only a fanny pack in the parks, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth buying lots of the travel size sunscreens.

 

[proud_canadian]

We applied in the mornings before leaving and brought a small tube in our bag that was left in the stroller. To be honest, at most parks, we weren't really in direct sunlight often. Most lines are shaded, and a lot of attractions are indoors. But there were times that we were in direct sunlight, and were glad we had sunscreen on as you could feel the sun was VERY strong.

 

[DuckMom]

Buy the spray on sunscreen. It takes literally 30 seconds to spray my 6-year-old down and then we're ready to roll. I agree, putting it on can be a pain, but my son got a burn once at the beach here in Michigan (we didn't reapply soon enough and it was the start of summer) and the pain it caused him was enough for me to never forget again. We bought it here and shipped it to the hotel because we didn't check any bags. So completely worth it, IMO.

 

[Celidh]

We just came back from a 10 day trip. I had asked the exact same question. I took a bottle per person, plus one extra and a travel one for our plane carry on for when we arrived before ME brought our luggage.

We are a family of 5. Myself, my partner and my 3 kids. We are all fair skinned pasty Canadians LOL. The sunscreen for the kids and I was a 50 spf and my partner brought a 30 for herself. I wasn't concerned with a better tan (not that I have much of one) I just wanted to make sure we didn't get a sunburn. I've had enough of those in my life.

I put sunscreen on us every day before we left our room and had intentions of reapplying again later in the day but only did that once. This was not always fun with my Asperger's son who absolutely can't stand the feel of it but at least he doesn't have a hissy fit like he used to. DD and I wore tank tops most days. Nobody got a sunburn except the afternoon my son was in the pool all afternoon and my mom who met us on the way there didn't make him reapply sunscreen. We did reapply our sunscreen part way through the day on our waterpark days.

I think we ended up using about a bottle and a half maybe two all together. I brought the rest all home with me. That is applying it to lower arms for the boys and my partner, shoulders too for dd and I, lower legs as our shorts came to knee length, face neck and ears. I think if we were in the pool more in the middle of the day rather than in the evening at dusk and had to apply to our whole bodies pretty much we would have used more.

Hope that helps.

 

[amym2]

Thanks everyone! I bought a couple of travel sized tubes and will also bring along a can of spray and a large tube in our checked bags- in Ziploc baggies just in case. Then if we need to buy more there, we will.

 

[mnosky]

I have a family history of skin cancer plus askin condition that looks bad if it tans so I am pretty diligent about sunscreen. My kids have nice Italian skin and have never even gotten pink (although in part also due to my sunblocking I'd like to think). My DH refuses to sunblock himself at all and is terrible about ever doing the kids. So anyway, realistically, here is what I do - intending to really do it well, but sometimes forgetting and DH never thinking about it....

I coat all 3 of us heavily with lotion in the AM, entire body, even what is covered by clothes (not under jeans in winter). I pack 2 big tubes/bottles of lotion. I use spray to reapply 2-3 times during the day - just exposed areas. I pack 2 bottles of spray. I also use one bottle of just face that I use in am and reapply- I pack smallish bottle of this. I come hone with about 1/2 of one tube and 1/2 spay left. I think I use more sunblock, especially the reapply than others.