Sunscreen advice?

[drakester]

Our family(me, dh, dd-11, and dd-8) is going to WDW in January. We never been in the winter before. I have a question to all those overprotective moms out there. Do you think we need to sunscreen before we hit the parks? We live in NC and the sun is not powerful enough to warrent sunscreening.

 

[CEDmom]

It would probably depend on how hot and sunny it was. If it's cool enough for long pants and shirts probably not but on warmer days I'd have us put some on. Probably not the 45SPF we use in the summer but something.

 

[pixiepower1971]

My family doesn't wear it in Jan. We are usually wearing enough clothes to keep warm that we don't have enough exposed skin!

Maybe you will need it for your faces...thats about it.

 

[belle&beast]

My kids are really fair complected and we used sunscreen in January every day on their faces, and on the hotter days we put it all over. I did not want to chance a miserable burn on vacation. The winter weather is unpredictable and fluctuates quite a bit, sweatshirts and jeans one day and shorts and tank tops the next, so be prepared. I would just use it- couldn't hurt! Have a great trip!

 

[wendy46001]

In Jan we always just stick with lotion with spf15 in it....its a lot lighter then sun block and it isn’t as sticky if you have to put on long sleeves

 

[GatorGal]

We live in NC and the sun is not powerful enough to warrent sunscreening.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, year round protection from the sun is necessary no matter where you live. Also, the sun's harmful rays can penetrate many types of clothes.

For more information, check out:

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/year-round.php

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

I always wear sunscreen if I am going to be outside for a long period of time no matter what the time of year. Not to be an alarmist but my BIL died of skin cancer and left behind my sister and their two year old daughter. He lived for only 6 months after his diagnosis so I am even more diligent about it than I used to be.

 

[daisyduck123]

We spent 8 days at WDW in January & visited Blizzard Beach twice. We didn't use sunscreen & no one burned, that I can remember.

 

[campingcorgi]

I live in Florida and we sunscreen year-round. Some or our sunnier days are in the winter--no afternoon storm clouds then to block the sun!

 

[BuzzNutt]

I would recommend using it. I took my son to Fl in Feb for a sad reason and he was able to get a little pink-ish. He did spend much time out on the beach and in the sun but I wasn't thinking because it wasn't hot. For the just in cases situation I would err on the side of caution.

Have a great time

 

[DisneyDotty]

Count me in as another one who recommends sunscreen for any skin exposed to the sun. (Skin cancer survivor here...)
Have a magical trip!

 

[eeyoregon]

Technically you should ALWAYS wear sunscreen as the sun is just as dangerous on a cloudy day as it is on a sunny one and you are much closer to the equator when in Flroida.

I got one of my worst sunburns at WDW in mid November. Having watched an uncle die of melanoma skin cancer, I should know better

 

[PrincessV]

It's already been said, but I'll add one more... WEAR THE SUNSCREEN! I live in west central FL and sunscreen is just part of the daily routine here. The only difference with winter is that you don't need to be quite so vigilant about reapplying and can maybe step down the SPF. (I'm using 45 now and use a 15 in winter.)
Something else to think about: I grew up in the North, but my Dad lived in SW FL. And he was Italian (read: never burned.) He never ever put sunscreen on me and I got the worst sunburns when I visited him. Fast forward to me as a 35 yo adult and I'm getting biopsied for skin cancer. My Dr. said most adult onsets of skin cancer stem from bad burns as children.
Please protect those little ones from the rays!

 

[drakester]

Hey thanks for all the great advise. I knew I could count on Disboarders. I like the lotion with 15 sunscreen in it. That sounds like a good idea. I think that will be the plan. Oh, and thanks for all the well wishes. We will have a great time.