Sun protection

zippychick

Hi All

I am off to portugal this summer for a week - with much scrimping and saving :money:

I have just bought myself factor 15 and factor 20 which is very high - compared to what I would normally buy! :eek: When i was younger i would have taken factor 10 at the highest.I've not really been exposed to the sun much for the past 3 years and this is me being cautious.

I am surrounded by friends and family who keep telling me how high that is and how I won't get a tan.:mad: Isn't your skin more important?

I think it's reasonable but not high!? I have a dark complexion, very swarthy you would say but I have paled out as i've gotten older

Please advise me I'm not crazy ?! :eek: What factor do you wear for which skin type? I bought loreal spray on lotion. (was reduced to £3 as my boots store is no longer stocking that parricular product)

Also, does anyone have any good products they can recommend to protect hair - dyed but in very good condition. I see Aussie miracle do one .

really appreciate the help and advice

Zip:A

vixarooni

No its not high, i would say thats the minimum i would use wherever i was...i think i normally go for an average 25, but i'm fair skinned.

When you're older and everyones wrinkly you'll be able to have the last laugh! We hope......ha

zippychick

No i don't think it's high either nowadays! The woman in the chemist said it was too low! Why don't people care more?!

CupOfChai

I'm sure I've heard tell the advice is everyone should use at least SPF15 to guard against the damage the sun can do. Even dark black-skinned people are/were supposedly meant to use SPF15.

Anyhoo, no, SPF15 and 20 isn't high at all. Sunscreen of any factor does not stop you getting a tan. You are surrounded by idiots. Besides, a tan is damage. In a few years you will have remained smooth and youthful, whereas they will all look like handbags (brown, leathery and wrinkly ).

I have very pale skin, and burn shockingly easily (I have actually got sunburnt on rainy days!) so I use the highest I can get which is SPF50, and make sure the UVA rating is 5 star.

BTW, no offence meant in case I just called your mum an idiot or anything!

j.e.j.

Boots No 7 does a hair protecting sun-screen spray, which i found quite good.

Re. sunscreen, I guess if your skin is darker and tends not to burn then maybe factor 10-15? If you're swimming there's a sunscreen called P10 which stays on even when you're in the water.

zippychick

Call whoever you like idiots!

My friend got factor 10 for her 8 yr old boy - I can't understand that! She said he won't tan on a higher factor.

No im happy with my relatively sensible decision!
I will check the UVA rating - im so clueless!

maman

CupOfChai wrote: »

I'm sure I've heard tell the advice is everyone should use at least SPF15 to guard against the damage the sun can do.

I picked up a leafet at the hospital (dermatology) and that recommended Factor 15 which is what I've bought. Don't forget it's not only the factor but applying regularly and thoroughly too.

Hermia

I never go below a 15. In summer in Britain I will sometimes go up to 25. Abroad I wear 30-50. I have a lot of moles & I burn easily (despite having some Indian blood) so I am careful. What also makes me cautious is looking at my aunts on my mum's side. Two have always covered up in the sun and two have always loved getting a tan. You can see a real difference in their skin. The two tanners always get annoyed because people assume they are the oldest in the family and they are actually the youngest!

bratz81

gosh no they're not high! They're what I could class as pretty low tbh. I wear factor 50 every day, no matter what the weather.
Sun damage causes aging, and a tan is damage so why purposely damage your skin is my feeling. Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of tans anyway.

VioletBaudelaire

I wear SPF 40 every day (and 50+ when it's hot, like today)
I don't like sun tans at all, I want to stay as pale as possible!

chatbug

I also have a dark complexion and would not use anything less than SPF40. This year went for a for a SPF 50 and still got a great tan and only went for one week.