Sunscreen

[zoebartlett]

Random question (a nod to DF!) but do you always wear sunscreen when you''ll be out in the sun for a while? I ask because I just got back from my apartment complex''s pool and I overheard one girl tell her friend that all she uses is baby oil. I was surprised to hear that someone still does this with all we know about the dangers of the sun. On the other end of the spectrum, I know someone who wears 30 every day, regardless of whether she''s going to be spending a significant amount of time outside.

I wear 30 whenever I''m hanging out by the pool or at the ocean, but I don''t wear it on a day to day basis. What about you?

 

[stephbolt]

I wear moisturizer with SPF 15 every day, year round. When I''m going to be in the sun I wear SPF 50 on anything that will be exposed.

 

[ursulawrite]

Living in Manhattan, I tend to walk around quite a bit. I wear SPF 15 or 30 on my face (15 for winter; 30 for summer), and SPF 70 on my body.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I''ve been told to wear a min. of 70 b/c how easily my skin tans. I wear moisturizer with a SPF of 15. When I know I am spending longer amount of time outside than walking to my car or into stores I wear SPF of 45 (gardening, walking T). For pools/beach I do have some 70. I reserve the 70 if I spending the day in the sun.

 

[Luckyeshe]

That lady you overheard must have wanted to bake herself....but to each his/her own. As for me, I tan very easily. SPF 15 on my face daily and SPF 50 for any time I know I''ll be spending more than 30 minutes outsite in tank tops and shorts. I''m not really interested in getting much darker than I am now.

 

[cellentani]

I wear Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 every day! It''s got almost 14% zinc oxide, and while you may think that it''s nothing more than glorified diaper cream, my derm said physical block is much better than chemical at stopping UVA rays (and it smells much nicer than diaper cream). I grew up in the 80''s and did the baby oil thing, but even though I haven''t done that for decades, all the daily incidental sun can really add up.

 

[luvmyhalo]

I wear Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 30 on my face every day. Baby oil??!!! Scary that people are still doing such horrible damage to themselves!

 

[zoebartlett]

I know, I couldn''t believe she said she only uses baby oil. Crazy! Tacori, you use 70 if you''ll be out for a long time? I''m much paler than you are but I only use 30. Maybe I should go with something stronger. I''m Irish/Portuguese but the Irish won out when it came to my coloring.

My dad gets pretty dark but my mom absolutely can''t be in the sun for any length of time. She wears a big ol'' floppy hat and sits in a cabana at the beach. She uses sunscreen but I don''t think my dad does.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

wow- that gal is nuts! Does she also hold out one of those aluminum sun reflectors to her face?

I''m in the same boat as Tacori and Luckyeshe- tan VERY easily. I use spf 15 moisturizer on my face daily, and top that off with Bare Minerals foundation which also has spf 15.

Then it''s at least spf 70 if i''ll be out in the sun for awhile, as i just don''t want/need anymore color on my arms/shoulders. I don''t use anything on my legs for just everyday running around.

 

[Callisto]

There''s nothing like having both parents diagnosed with skin cancer within a year to make you put on sunscreen religiously. Don''t worry they''re both fine now but it was definitely scary. I put 15 on my face daily and 55 or 70 on my face if I''ll be out in the sun (Neutrogena makes an amazing 55 and 70 sunscreen, its expensive but my face is very sensitive and I have no problems with it.) I put 30 or 45 on my body when I know I''ll be in the sun.

BUT DON''T FORGET TO REAPPLY!!!!!!!!!

So many people think that you can put on sunscreen in the morning for a day at the beach and then forget about it. You have to put it on repeatedly!!! Also be careful about expired sunscreen. We write the date on our sunscreens now because its crazy how old some of them can get without even realizing it.

 

[lyra]

My doc says I have to use it and I do, but mostly I stay completely out of the sun if at all possible. The proof is in the mirror--I'm the same shade everywhere!

I get very upset with my youngest daughter and husband, who actively try to tan. Daughter will actually use tanning oil. I thought that stuff died in the 70's, but no. Other daughter is a glow worm like me. I look much younger than my SIL who is the exact same age, because she tans year round. I actually saw a recent picture of her and didn't recognize her (we've lived apart for 12 years now.) She looks very haggard. Great figure, but old looking skin.

ETA: I always use 60-70spf sunscreen. Even then, I will get pink just from driving around town! But I never have tanned in my life.

 

[Dancing Fire]

unlike most Americans....Asians avoid of the sun.

 

[zoebartlett]

Good to know Lyra! I don''t purposely lay out in the sun to get a tan but I do like getting some color. I''m a little more tan than I usually am because I''ve been spending a lot of time at the pool this summer, but I don''t get really dark or anything. I used to work with someone who was sooooo tan all year round. She looked kind of like the female version of George Hamilton!

 

[VegasAngel]

She is trying to get sun not avoid it, some people still associate a tan with looking/being healthy(ier). My MIL had skin cancer & she still sunbakes. MIL said that she can still tan because she didnt have melanoma

.

I don't spend any long lengths of time in the sun if I do I'll wear sunscreen, most of the time I'm inside. My foundation & powder contains SPF 15. I definitely should be wearing sunscreen all over on a daily basis but I haven't been.

Here is an article from Paula Begoun-good information about SPF

 

[musey]

Date: 7/27/2009 4:04:23 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I''ve been told to wear a min. of 70 b/c how easily my skin tans. I wear moisturizer with a SPF of 15. When I know I am spending longer amount of time outside than walking to my car or into stores I wear SPF of 45 (gardening, walking T). For pools/beach I do have some 70. I reserve the 70 if I spending the day in the sun.

Ditto this, pretty much (except replace "tans" with "burns"

).

I use powder sunscreen on my face, spf 30, every day. It''s replaced my normal powder. I haven''t found anything else that doesn''t irritate my skin.

 

[packrat]

I used to be in the sun as much as possible-tanning beds and laying out in the back yard. I loved being tan. Then my gramma had to have a few skin cancer spots taken off, and her brother lost his nose to skin cancer and I got scared. I read that a lot of the damage done might not show up for years, and I didn''t want to be kicking myself in the rear for not listening when I was younger, so I avoid the sun as much as possible now. Fishbelly white is not my favored color, but I guess I''ll deal with it! If I''m in the sun for any length of time, it''s in the early early hours or late afternoon/evening. I stocked up on spray sunscreen this year for us and the kids, as high an spf as I could find. 70 I think.

 

[Pandora II]

Factor 50 all year round everyday and a big hat and long sleeves if I go in the sun!

I burn in the sun rather than tan, and I burnt badly as a child living in the tropics (in the early 70''s when modern sunscreens weren''t about) so I already have an increased risk of melanoma.

I''ve got used to the porcelain look nowadays, although I used to envy my friends with nice tans. However, I have pretty much zero wrinkles which isn''t bad for 37!

 

[kittybean]

I wear SPF 30 on my face every day (it''s in my moisturizer), and I put on SPF 45 on any exposed skin whenever I''m out in the sun for more than 5-10 minutes. I do like to sit in the sun, but I slather on zinc oxide sunscreen whenever I do.

 

[cakeny]

Every day! I''m hoping that when I''m 40 I''ll still get carded

 

[vip0802]

Date: 7/27/2009 6:21:47 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
unlike most Americans....Asians avoid of the sun.

hahaha! i guess i''m not a real Asian...

i usually put SPF 15 moisturizer on my face, arms and chest. it seems the sun always hits my side when i''m driving. if i''m out for an extended period of time like at the beach or pool, i usually use SPF 30 all over.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/27/2009 4:58:48 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
I know, I couldn''t believe she said she only uses baby oil. Crazy! Tacori, you use 70 if you''ll be out for a long time? I''m much paler than you are but I only use 30.

Zoe- SPF 70 is not actually that much stronger than 30, but it lasts much longer.

That said, I am an obsessive sun-screener and wear 70 daily.

 

[Skippy123]

everyday, after I shower I make sure my face is dry and then apply sunscreen; spf 70 or 50. Reapply 20 mins before if I exercise outdoors.

 

[cindygenit]

i wear SPF 40 daily on my face but not on my body. I wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt everyday so not much exposure to sun except my face.

Oh, i wear SPF 40 ALL year round because there''s a higher risk of skin cancer here because of that big ol'' hole in the ozone layer above australia

When i go overseas to a tropical country (more humid, less dry heat), i switch to SPF 15.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Icekid! I didn''t know that. Okay, I have a really dumb question for all you daily SPF-wearing ladies. Are you talking about regular old sunscreen like Copper Tone and Banana Boat or the like, or are you talking about makeup with SPF in it? I don''t wear makeup so I have no clue about these things. Reading this thread is making me think I should be wearing SPF all the time and I don''t. Hmmm...

 

[cindygenit]

I wear Clinique sunscreen SPF 40. Its light and i think you can wear it under your makeup. After i wash my face i slap on the sunscreen and then compact powder and off i go!

The Clinique sunscreen is awesome cos its safe for your eye area as well... i used to use a separate one to protect my eye area

 

[LGK]

my face powder/foundation has broad spectrum sunblock of spf 45 or so, so i don''t wear facial sunblock besides that unless i know i''m going to be getting direct sun. i wear neutrogena dry touch spf 80 every day in the summer on my arms and chest, wherever gets sun. Since I live in the pacific northwest, I don''t usually bother to wear sunblock daily except in the summer. i''ve been a little bad about doing my arms this summer and got a bit of color... not good!

baby oil only? is she nuts?

(my sticky shift key is driving me nuts!)

 

[Gailey]

Date: 7/27/2009 9:51:49 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten
my face powder/foundation has broad spectrum sunblock of spf 45 or so, so i don''t wear facial sunblock besides that unless i know i''m going to be getting direct sun. i wear neutrogena dry touch spf 80 every day in the summer on my arms and chest, wherever gets sun. Since I live in the pacific northwest, I don''t usually bother to wear sunblock daily except in the summer. i''ve been a little bad about doing my arms this summer and got a bit of color... not good!

baby oil only? is she nuts?

(my sticky shift key is driving me nuts!)

Ditto - I''ve got a gremlin under my keys and it moves around from key to key. Currently it''s under my down arrow key! It''s driving me bonkers as well!

As many of you know, I work outside from beginning of May to the end of October in one of the sunniest cities on earth!

I wear Olay SPF 15 moisturiser every day year round and have done ever since they started adding in the SPF. In addition to that I slap on Clariderm SPF 45 on my face neck and the bit of exposed chest area. My arms are really the only other regularly exposed skin and again I slap on SPF 45. I also wear a baseball cap when it''s really sunny.

I was at the dermatologists office last week for my migraine botox shots and I asked him if I was doing enough to protect my skin. He told me I was being over cautious and that my skin was fine. In fact, he told me to lose my overalls (dungarees/coveralls etc) and get some more sun on my legs and to give my body some early morning sun (half hour or so) without the sunscreen to top up on my Vitamin D absorption.

It''s fair to say I was kind of surprised at his advice, but I''ve been wearing shorts since, and haven''t bothered with sunblock on my legs yet. That being said, I spend a good part of my day on my hands and knees, so my legs don''t get a lot of direct sun.

I almost never sunbathe and have never used a tanning bed.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 7/27/2009 9:25:57 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Thanks Icekid! I didn''t know that. Okay, I have a really dumb question for all you daily SPF-wearing ladies. Are you talking about regular old sunscreen like Copper Tone and Banana Boat or the like, or are you talking about makeup with SPF in it? I don''t wear makeup so I have no clue about these things. Reading this thread is making me think I should be wearing SPF all the time and I don''t. Hmmm...

I use the Nivea Kids spray stuff after my shower.

I do have makeup with a factor 15, but the Nivea factor 50 is what I always wear.

 

[Sabine]

When I was younger (basically until I studied abroad in Barbados in college), I had never worn sunscreen, ever. And I had never had a sunburn. When I was in high school I would try to use tanning accelerents like baby oil when I would lay out to tan as well.

I''ve still never had a bad sunburn, but gotten to the point where my skin gets red and even peels a big on my shoulders, nose, etc. But now that I''ve matured a bit and learned more about skin cancer, I do make sure that if I''m at the pool or ocean, I do wear sunscreen (usually 30). But I don''t wear sunscreen every day, except for my facial moisturizer that has sunscreen in it. I''ve also been going to the pool a few days a week to swim laps. I usually get in the pool right away, swim laps, get out and sit long enough to dry a bit (about a half hour) and then head home, and I don''t usually wear sunscreen then because it''s not really prolonged exposure (but I probably should).

 

[gemgirl]

I''m out in the sun for at least 30 minutes a day during summer time for the absorption of natural vitamin D to try to help my osteoporosis. I never use a sunscreen. It makes me itch, and as long as I''m not out there for too long, I just get tan. No burning here.