will 50 sunblock be high enough for kiddies?

[newfiegirl]

i cannot find anything higher, as our summers are pretty cool. will this be high enough for august, and how often should i reapply? also, any other tips for keeping kiddies safe in sun?

 

[Teachckg]

My Husband has Vitiligo which is a skin disorder inwhich you lose the pigment... so he is EXTREMELY sensitive to the sun. We just got back from WDW and he used Neutrogena 45 and 55. He never got burnt. This is the first stuff that I feel has really worked consistently. I fully reccommend it!!

 

[chartle]

i cannot find anything higher, as our summers are pretty cool. will this be high enough for august, and how often should i reapply? also, any other tips for keeping kiddies safe in sun?

I think anything above 40 or so blocks like 99.99 of the harmful rays. Maybe 50 will block 99.9999.

In fact I just looked up SPF on Wikipedia and they don't label anything above 50 because as I stated above it doesn't have any more protection.

Owing to consumer confusion over the real degree and duration of protection offered, labeling restrictions are in force in several countries. In the EU sunscreen labels can only go up to SPF 50+ (actually indicating a SPF of 60 or higher)[12] while Australia's upper limit is 30+ [13]. The United States does not have mandatory, comprehensive sunscreen standards, although a draft rule has been under development since 1978. In the 2007 draft rule, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed to institute the labelling of SPF 50+ for sunscreens offering more protection. This and other measures were proposed to limit unrealistic claims about the level of protection offered (such as "all day protection").[14]

So I think you are OK.

 

[Dan Murphy]

....how often should i reapply? also, any other tips for keeping kiddies safe in sun?

I would recommend every hour or two, plus make sure to have hats for them, and yourself.

 

[Sydnoahmom]

If you are going to a water park or spending a lot of time at the pool, maybe consider the swim shirt with SPF protection built in. This is late in the season and I had a hard time finding one for DS,but did find one at Kohls. It has 25SPF. Lands End has some, but is out of many sizes.

the key the sunscreen is remembering to re-apply often. Bring a lot with you-very expensive at the parks.

 

[BostonRob]

the key the sunscreen is remembering to re-apply often. Bring a lot with you-very expensive at the parks.

I'm no authority, but I think this is the best advice. I've done some casual research recently and what i've read has led me to believe that higher SPF sunscreens don't actually offer more protection, but rather they offer protection for a longer period of time.
If you're really concerned, I'd suggest hitting google and doing some research for yourself.

 

[TillyMarigold]

I'm no authority, but I think this is the best advice. I've done some casual research recently and what i've read has led me to believe that higher SPF sunscreens don't actually offer more protection, but rather they offer protection for a longer period of time.

Exactly--but *all* sunscreen will wear off eventually, so you really only need an SPF that will work for as long or longer than it would take to wear off (2-4 hours depending on the sunscreen and how active you are, usually). I believe that's usually around the SPF 40-50 level depending on how sensitive your skin is. (There's no point in paying more for an SPF 90 that would protect you for 15 hours, when it will have worn off in 3 hours anyway.)

 

[cglaura]

Coppertone has a few with spf of 70. They have a $5 coupon on the site now for their new NutraDefense, not sure how this will be with kids. I bought the face version and while I haven't done a day at the parks, a summer day in Jersey there was no run off or stinging eyes.

W/ the above info about anything over 50 doing the same anyway I'm not sure if a 70 is needed, but at least it wouldn't hurt and can get a deal maybe

Here is coppertone info: http://www.coppertone.com/coppertone/products/products_new.jsp

If you can't find it around you, drugstore.com should carry them.

Definitely agree that re-applying is key.

 

[queenie82]

I have very white (Irish descendent) skin so burn very easily. And living in Australia where the sun gets VERY harsh in the summer I have discovered the best way to survive without burning.
Mum always stuck a hat on me which I continue to do always and would try and cover as much skin as possible at all times with clothes. Light and loose cotton long sleeve tops can add a bit extra protection. Also WEAR SUNGLASSES. The Sun is bad for your eyes as well. The Slogan - Slip on a Shirt, Slop on some sunscreen, Slap on a hat and Wrap on some Sunglasses - is what we have here.

The spf ratings in the US are a bit misleading in reality. As said above our max is 30+ and they have been really good.

So what I always do is make sure I use a good quality fairly thick cream sunscreen which has a high water resistant time (even when not going to a water park) that rubs in well so it doesn't need as much re-application. This can be a problem with guys with hairy arms and legs as it doesn't rub in as well for them, but with kids I would highly recommend it. The spray ones are good for easy re-application in the park though.

There may be a little bit of staining on clothes....but it is well worth putting up with because burns are NOT fun. If you put it on in the shade at least 20 mins before you go out though it helps minimise any staining as it will have gone in better and will last longer.

I can't recommend brands as yours are different.
But one thing you should ALWAYS do is use a FACE sunblock on the face. It should be a thinner, easily rubbed in sunblock.

If you do get a bit red or burnt the best remedy is applying aloe vera gel.

 

[M-J's Mommy]

And if you choose to use a sunscreen that is is a spray version, you still need to rub it in. The spray doesn't guarantee full coverage, and it would really suck to miss a spot and end up with stripes like the zebras at AK.

 

[owensamo]

We use Blue Lizard, which has a physical sunblock - some of theirs have both Titanium and Zinc. I burn pretty easily, but this lasts all day in the Carribbean sun on a cruise ship, so works for us. We've used it at WDW multiple times, and have been good all day.

We've also picked up some Neutragena 45 which seems to work well for me, but if you don't rub it in all the way, it leaves a white residue on the skin.

We do tend to wear rashguard shirts at water parks, the pool and the beach. We got our first shirts from C-Wear Australia like 5 years ago (before they were popular!) and found they were awesome! Land's End has some good ones. They also sell new Sun Life clothes that are higher SPF as well, which might be good for people who burn easy (I haven't picked any up yet).

Amanda

 

[mpetti]

I always use on my two DS (11 & 6) Aveeno they make a SPF 70 and it's great. My 6 year old has very sensitive skin and we never have a problem. It comes in a lotion and a spray. Good Luck.

Maryann

 

[aurora23]

I am ridiculously pale and SPF 50 has always been fine for me in Florida. Please remember to put it on or reapply it as often as reccomended. I forgot to wear sunscreen for an hour (In March) and ended up with first degree burns all over my body. Not a great way to start a vacation. When I applied the sunscreen as recommended I was fine. Youi can forget to wear sunscreen in WI during the summer, not so much in Floriida.

 

[Manda]

Applying enough and reapplying often is way more important that the number - as long as it's over 40 or so, it will work. When applying, use more than you think you need. I reapply at least every hour when in the water and/or very sweaty. A little bit longer (no more than 2 hours) if not wet. We're a very fair family and I've found that when outside all day at Disney World in summer and in and out of the pools, I can't seem to put enough sunscreen on my son's face to keep the top of his little cheeks from getting a little red. So make sure you have good hats for everyone.

 

[Chuck-PA]

My son, though 21, got a really bad sun burn recently. He was swimming in the ocean. If your child is on an antibiotic, I would not even think of exposing them to the sun at all. Your skin becomes photosentized. This is the case for my son. He had to get a salve for burn victims.

But this is what our doctor recommnded.----Aveeno 70 and apply often, before and after swimming and about every hour if not swimming. Apply to all areas exposed to the sun, the part in your hair, your ears, nose, chin, etc....

Do not forget sunglasses, he even burnt his eyes.

 

[kazzy3]

My derm recommends neutrogena with helioplex. Helioplex blocks uva rays. Only products with helioplex or mexoryl will block uva as it is a stabilizer. Mexoryl is expensive. This year Neutrogena came out with a sport spray with helioplex and my children like it. They are picky but know they MUST use it. I recommend a stick for faces. CVS and walmart have little jars of sunscreen that are for lips and eyes, I think about spf50 which we have used often.
I have been wearing sunlife clothing from landsend and my children wear the swim shirts all the time. If you have a Sears nearby, many of the sun protective clothing is on sale now. Don't forget your feet and back of the neck, hands. Some of the upf clothing is also very cool, they breathe the hats won't make you soo hot. Have fun!

 

[sohappy]

I think that you have some good advice. The only thing that I would add is to have someone else apply it for you. You can't always see the spots that you are missing (don't forget the ears!!), but someone else will cover everything.

ETA- I use a kiehls sunblock that is fab. It is spf 40 or 50, and is the only one that I have found that doesn't cause problems for my DS's sensitive skin.

 

[karibritt01]

I have very pale skin (German and Scotch-Irish) and burn very easily. My DH tells me I have 2 shades... ghost and lobster! We usually put on Water Babies in the morning before getting dressed. I carry Banana Boat Sport spray in my bag, and we reapply mid-afternoon. I also have a face stick for in the morning, and to reapply. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the ride lines are undercover, so you are not in the direct sun as much as you think. We generally visit the last week of June, and have not burned a single time.

 

[tinkerlisa]

i cannot find anything higher, as our summers are pretty cool. will this be high enough for august, and how often should i reapply? also, any other tips for keeping kiddies safe in sun?

Try using Hawaiian Tropic for kids...Mine was SPF 50 and just reapply often. I like it because unlike other sunblocks, this one is a little thicker than most sunblocks and it doesn't sting my kids eyes. I was using coppertone on them for years but really have been researching different sunscreens.
I wanted one that lasted a bit longer so I wasn't disrupting my kids as often while they were playing.
The fact that it doesn't sting the eyes was an added bonus!

Also, I take the leftover sunscreen and just rub their hair with it a little, DS(7) has his buzzed and DS(2) has fine hair and I find that it helps prevent scalp burn!!!

 

[suz_cute]

I worked in dermatology for over 2 years and I can give you the same advice we would give our patients. Sunscreen with an SPF of anything over 45 is really a waste. It has been shown to offer no more protection when you get into these higher ratings, however, they ARE loaded with A LOT more chemicals than the lower ratings. So....especially with children, they are much more likely to have an allergic reaction to all of the metals and chemicals in the 50+ spf stuff than those of lower numbers. We always recommended sunscreens formulated for children between the 30-45 range. The best advice is to reapply, reapply, reapply, and you and your kids will be fine!! Have a fantastic vacation and save your money on buying the 80spf for souvenirs!!!