Deciding whether or not to use sunscreen, or which sunscreen to use, is a hot topic among the health conscious community these days. After all, most varieties are full of toxic chemicals, so why would you want to use sunscreen liberally on your skin? To address this, many “all-natural” alternatives have sprung up on the market. Consumers can still use sunscreen without feeling guilty!
Or can they?
Should You Use Sunscreen?
It’s been drilled into us from childhood: “You better use sunscreen or you’ll get a terrible burn, get skin cancer, and die!” With such a significant push to use sunscreen coming from doctors, parents, teachers, and even peers, it’s truly amazing that anyone would question whether or not it’s safe to use sunscreen, particularly the “all-natural” products.
But I do.
Why? First and foremost, it has to do with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is synthesized in your skin when the skin is exposed sunlight, and the vast majority of us are deficient in Vitamin D. What does that matter? Well, insufficient levels of vitamin D can result in all kinds of maladies, including osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, birth complications, depression, low libido, and (shockingly!) even cancer!
What’s that? Vitamin D helps prevent cancer? Yet, when you use sunscreen, you block your skin’s ability to synthesize Vitamin D. So, does it follow that if you use sunscreen, you’re increasing your risk of cancer?
It has been known for several years that sun exposure might have a beneficial effect on certain cancers. A 1999 publication of the National Institute of Health (NIH) entitled Atlas of Cancer Mortality in the United States revealed that among caucasians in the United States, cancer mortality for several prominent cancers, including cancer of the breast, prostate and colon, shows a striking latitudinal gradient. Specifically, people living in northern states have much higher rates of these cancers than those residing in the southern states.
The reason for this? Northern states get a whole lot less sunshine than southern states.
As early as 1990 it was proposed that vitamin D, which is synthesized in the skin upon exposure to UV light, might be the agent that accounts for these geographical patterns. (Garland et al. 1990) Less exposure to sunshine means less production of vitamin D. It is known that calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D3, has multiple cellular affects that could confer protection against cancer. The ability to convert the precursor to vitamin D to the active form of D3 (calcitriol) is greatly reduced at northern latitudes, and populations living far from the equator are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency during the winter months. (Tangpricha et al. 2002)
Even more significant may be the observation that patients with malignant melanoma exhibit low levels of vitamin D3 in their blood, and that others have a problem with the receptor for vitamin D. (Hutchinson et al. 2000; Green et al. 1983) The incidence of melanoma of the skin on sites of the body intermittently exposed to sunlight is reduced among outdoor workers compared with indoor workers. (Elwood et al. 1985)
All of this points to a protective role for vitamin D against cancer in general, and melanoma in particular. But the final nail in the coffin of the “sunlight causes melanoma” hypothesis is this:
A comprehensive review of research studies from 1966 through 2003 failed to show any association between melanoma and sunscreen use! (Dennis et al. 2003)
Say what? Sunscreen doesn’t prevent skin cancer, that’s what.
(source)
But, you ask, can’t you get Vitamin D from your food? Is it really necessary to expose your skin to the sun’s harmful UV rays to get sufficient levels of Vitamin D?
Well, let’s think about that for a moment. Vitamin D is only present in large amounts in certain kinds of seafood, and the highest sources for Vitamin D in food are anglerfish liver, cow’s blood, and fermented cod liver oil. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been eating large amounts of anglerfish liver or cow’s blood recently.
Next, I would like to question whether the sun’s UV rays are actually all that “harmful.” UVB, for example, is responsible for interacting with the cholesterol in our skin to produce Vitamin D. Sounds super beneficial to me! And while it’s true that excessive exposure to UVA rays can cause sunburns or premature “aging,” even those effects can be mitigated by a proper diet.
Let me tell you a story.
It’s my own story. I am fair-skinned, and I grew up knowing that a sunburn was just a half hour away if I didn’t use sunscreen. It has always been true. True, at least, until I changed my diet to Real Foods: only eating wild/pastured/grass-fed animals, drinking raw milk from grass-fed cows, and switching to healthier, more traditional fats. I even started taking daily doses of fermented cod liver oil.
Then I noticed a change. I’d go out in the sun, get flushed pink, and be certain that a bad burn would soon follow. It never did. Instead, the pink flush would calmly turn into a light tan.
How can food do this? How can it help prevent sunburns?
Well, remember how UVB interacts with the cholesterol and fats in your skin’s cells to help create Vitamin D? I’m no scientist, but this seems like a worthy hypothesis to test: If that balance of fats in your skin is off, then does it follow that the sun’s UV rays will interact differently with your skin’s cells?
One of the primary benefits of switching to a diet of Real Foods is that you also return to a much more traditional balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats. In traditional cultures, that ratio was anywhere between 1:1 and 3:1, and studies have shown that when it goes above 4:1 we start to experience negative consequences to our health. Thanks to corn-based industrialized agriculture and food products (corn has an Omega 6:3 ratio of 46:1), the average American is eating a ratio between 17:1 and 30:1!
And, according to a study published in The American Health Foundation Journal:
Epidemiological, experimental, and mechanistic data implicate omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as stimulator’s and long-chain omega-3 PUFAs as inhibitors of development and progression of a range of human cancers, including melanoma.
(source)
In other words, a diet based on Real Food (a diet rich in Omega-3s and with considerably less Omega-6s) can help prevent a range of human cancers, including deadly skin cancers like melanoma.
To Use Sunscreen Or Not To Use Sunscreen
For myself and my family, we haven’t used sunscreen in years. We prevent sunburns by getting a diet rich in the proper fats and supplementing with extra fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) when we know we’re going to have prolonged sun exposure. (We also take extra FCLO during the winter months, when we know our sun exposure will be limited and that we need an extra good source of Vitamin D to make up for the lack of sunshine.) If we know we’ll be spending all day in the sun, we’re sure to wear hats. But that’s about it.
If you’re interested in starting to take fermented cod liver oil, check out the listings on my Resources page for some smokin’ good deals. FLCO comes in a variety of flavors and forms, including capsules for those who don’t think they could just swallow straight oil.
What about you? Do you use sunscreen? Have you experimented with taking extra fermented cod liver oil, or having a more traditional balance of fats in your diet? How’s that working out for you?
(photo by kevinomara)
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I have noticed the same phenomenon. Since I started using CLO (and more recently, FCLO), and eating lots and lots of good fats, I don’t burn easily or badly at all. I used to get terrible burns over and over every summer. Now I might get a very light burn, but never enough to bother me. The only time I’m really careful is if I’m going to be in the sun all day without any cover. I’m more likely to burn then and may use some sunscreen in that case.
.-= Rosie_Kate´s last blog post …Sometimes I Forget… =-.
Rosie,
I, like you, get perhaps one super-light burn each year. And it’s usually not painful. AND it’s usually when I’ve been:
~ out in the sun all day with no cover at all, and
~ eating crap foods (yes, even I eat crap foods when they’re convenient on vacations, etc.)
I use sunscreen, b/c I only need to think about the sun and I burn. But that does require some qualification. I have always lived in the south (think sunny days 340 in a year), love the outdoors, worked as a lifeguard and swim teacher for 7 years and have an abundance of freckles. However, I rarely/never use any over SPF 15, and once I’ve used that for a week or two in the sun, I can switch to SPF 4 to stave off sunburns while getting a light tan (of course, a tan for me is the not-been-in-the-sun-for-years coloring for my sister). I don’t put sunscreen on every day, though, only on days I’m going to be in the sun, in the heat of the day, for 30 minutes or more. I always wear a hat, even for short times out, and try for long sleeves (but sometimes just too hot). A side note: I’ve burned through clothes before, too.
I love the sun; I’d worship it if I didn’t know better. I’m only 32 and I’ve already got a few freckles I’m keeping an eye on or I’ve asked the doctor about. But I try to be reasonable and not fear the sun. I love its effect on me, on my beloved plants and my darling cat. I figure a balance is what is needed, a little sunscreen, a little caution, a lot of water to drink, a schmear of sunscreen occasionally.
.-= Rachael´s last blog post …The End Cometh =-.
Rachael,
So, do you eat a traditional/healthy balance of fats or supplement with FCLO?
My husband and I don’t bother with anything but hats and sensible clothing. I have found that as we’ve been eating better, as you said, I’ll get some pink, but it never hurts, and it fades within a day.
For our one-year-old, we do hats, but we don’t usually spend long stretches of time outdoors. I’m going to start giving her FCLO because we’re going to the lake next month. I also bought some mineral sunscreen, but I think we’ll use it sparingly. (Probably just if we’ll be on the water for a long time.) I don’t know how easily she’ll burn, and if the baby ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
.-= Jessie´s last blog post …Good Thing I’ve Got a Big Garage =-.
Sounds like a plan to me!
One thing to note: my kids are 5 and 3, don’t use sunscreen, and neither’s gotten a burn — even after spending ALL DAY in the sun, at the water, etc. Of course, they have better tans than me, too, since they play outside for several hours a day.
Interesting. Most of my children are very fair, like me. I have rarely put sunscreen on them or myself. When I go to my parents’ who have a pool I get all sorts of flack “they are going to burn if you don’t slather them in SPF 50″. My mom scared my youngest, she thought her flushed skin from running around was a sunburn and she came in crying “I’m burnt, I’m burnt….I MUST.HAVE.SUNSCREEN!” It took awhile to calm her down. Thanks Mom!
Will have to share this information.
.-= Christy´s last blog post …Q is for Q-Tips =-.
I so identify! But my mysterious nay-sayers shall remain publicly nameless.
I’m wondering about all the info I’ve heard stating sun exposure causes premature aging of the skin. I don’t really want that either. Thoughts, anyone?
It’s the UVA rays that cause premature aging. Dr. Mercola’s said on a number of occasions that when you get that healthy pink flush, it’s good to cover up or go inside because after that’s the “tipping point” — the point where you’re not able to synthesize any more Vitamin D and all that UVA simply works to age the skin. I also remember that for a good long while (assuming that you’ve got the right balance of fats/cholesterol in your skin cells) the UVA and UVB kind of balance each other out — each countering the others’ effects. So, that further confirms the idea that for a while at least, those UVBs help you synthesize Vitamin D and they ALSO counter the action of the UVAs.
Knowing this, if you care about premature aging, perhaps you could just make sure you go out in the sun — uncovered and in the middle of the day — until you reach that “tipping point” and THEN put on the all-natural sunscreen, extra clothes, or seek out shade.
Mercola also claims that most sunscreens are largely UVB blockers, which let a disproportionate amount of UVA through and can have a detrimental effect on vitamin D absorption. http://tinyurl.com/6ylhl5
Great post..
I’m a right now working on a blog post about “eating” your sunscreen instead…..People think I am nuts for not using sunscreen..
Jo
Can’t wait to read it.
I’ve only used sunscreen on my 3-1/2 year old once, when we were on a long hike and she was on my back. I didn’t even know about CLO back then, that might have worked too. I keep sunscreen in the diaper bag just in case, but I haven’t had to use it in the past couple years.
.-= Cara @ Health Home and Happiness´s last blog post …Fried Chicken- Homemade and Kid Friendly =-.
Neat!
Great article on the truth about sunscreens. RT @realfoodmedia New post: Should You Use Sunscreen? http://bit.ly/9b13YY
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Good article. My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. He’s extremely pale and used to burn very easily, but he hasn’t gotten a burn in a long time. He stopped wearing sunscreen a year ago because of all the junk in it. I thought he wasn’t getting burned because he’s been using the lotion I make with coconut oil and shea butter. I remember reading somewhere that they both provide some natural sun protection. I never thought of diet playing a part though. Thanks for the information.
.-= Lovelyn´s last blog post …Crazy Busy =-.
I sometimes use coconut oil for sun protection, too. Its SPF is 5, I think?
Just curious… Does anyone think that the oils/fats in the coconut and shea butter absorbing into your skin could help prevent sunburns also? Are they also “good fats”?
Very interesting article. I haven’t heard of this before now…
I haven’t used sunscreen in years. I work long days outside in July and August so I spend time sunning myself in the spring to build up a tan.
In the summer I always have a hat and long sleeves available if I start to pink up.
Very interesting post! I’ve always questioned the overuse of sunscreen because of the connection with decreased vitamin D production. This is the first I’ve ready about all the connections with the omega 3s and diet. I’m really enjoying learning from everyone’s comments and experiences going without it. Once again, modern food seems to be the problem as it is with most health issues these days.
.-= Lori´s last blog post …The Benefits of Food Blogging =-.
It’s amazing how many things come back to diet, isn’t it?
My kids and I don’t ever use sunscreen, and we never get burnt. I used to get very burnt in college when I was existing on coffee and fake-cheese fries, but now that my diet is better I never have a problem. My kids are little too: a toddler and a baby. Supposedly babies burn, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. Sometimes we use a hat to keep the sun off our head, but that’s it…. and mostly so we don’t walk around squinting at the zoo.
.-= Nicole D´s last blog post …No, I’m not pregnant… =-.
well, that’s weird. I didn’t intend for it to add that little last blurb about my blog. sorry.
Not weird at all. It’s the CommentLuv feature I’ve got enabled at this site. So, if you enter a web address, it’ll automatically share your last blog post title unless you tell it not to.
I’m sure you’ve noticed it at the end of others’ comments!
Fake cheese fries! WOW. That brings me back. My kids never burned when babies, either — even when I let them lay around naked in the sun while I did stuff in the yard.
I am so glad that you wrote about this!
My husband and I changed our diet to real foods and we don’t get burned anymore. (We both grew up getting burned a lot.) Last summer we began laying out in the earlier morning or later afternoon sun for about 20 minutes a day for as often as we could, to get our daily Vitamin D. Since we were laying out when the sun was not so intense, we slowly built up tans and didn’t need to worry about burning. It was great.
I don’t feel good about sunscreen. If I am going to be out in the middle of the day, I might wear a hat. And I completely agree with you about the effect of diet on sunburns. I had a feeling that healthy fats would protect us against this, glad for the affirmation.
Thanks for posting!
Is there a connection between diet & sunburns? RT @FoodRenegade: I *knew* I wasn’t alone in saying goodbye to sunscreen: http://su.pr/1FQDdY
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Since I got my kids on the real food bandwagon just a little late, they don’t eat the best well rounded real food diet. It’s hit or miss. I also can’t get them to take FCLO, even the Green Pastures flavors, but they will take Carlson’s Lemon flavored. I hope that’s better than nothing!
Sooo….I rely on the EWG’s sunscreen guide (http://www.ewg.org/whichsunscreensarebest/2009report) and use Badger’s SPF w/bug repellent. It’s all natural, local to me, and uses zinc. So far we like it!
.-= Virginia´s last blog post …New Roots Farm Open Greenhouse =-.
Should You Use Sunscreen? | Food Renegade http://bit.ly/9jyF5k An interesting take on the effects of one’s diet on sun burns.
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We have noticed the same thing. Since we started taking cod liver oil and eating meat and dairy from grass-fed animals, we don’t burn (or if we do it’s very slight and it takes a long time for it to happen) — and we never use sunscreen.
When we went to Palm Springs for Spring Break this year, my 3-year-old didn’t use any sunscreen and she didn’t burn. Like you said, she turned pink but it turned into a tan. I love her little bathing suit tan lines now!
.-= Ann Marie @ CHEESESLAVE´s last blog post …New Podcast: Finding Safe Organic Beauty Products with Joanna Runciman =-.
This is a hard one for me as my mom was diagnosed with Melanoma and I’m somewhat vain.
I definitely attribute my smooth skin to hats, long sleeves, and yes sunscreen on occasion. I do agree about the vitamin d but since we rarely have a cloudy day I’m pretty certain I get enough.
I’ve thought about not using it for years and most of the time I don’t except when I’m going to be in the sun for an extended period which I consider an hour or longer. I don’t know about the cancer but I will say that I have very few fine lines and not even one wrinkle (and I live in southern CA). I’ve seen girls 10 years plus younger than me who have much deeper lines. It’s vain, I know, but I’m not perfect and it’s one of my hangups. I don’t want to look 20 forever but I want to look damn good for my age.
.-= Jenn´s last blog post …Strong Man. =-.
This is coming in way late, but I have pillow creases around my eyes and fine laugh lines showing up around them too. I’m 36 and I don’t get much sun; I’m indoors 90 percent of the time or more.
I really think what you eat has more effect on how you age than how much sun you get.
I am so interested in this information. I’ve always had very fair skin and have always burned easily…however, since I switched my diet, I didn’t notice (until I read this article) that I haven’t gotten burned. I simply hadn’t made the connection yet! I even bike to work most days, spending at least an hour in the hot, Texas sun, and still, no sunburn. I will definitely start adding FCLO to my diet and to my family’s!
In addition to a similar diet, I also do make a point to be inside, or in the shade during the hours of 11:30am to about 1pm. I find that being outside, in full sun during that time when the sun is highest, puts me over the edge for a burn. It does tan out over the next couple days, but I still feel hot and a bit off that night, if I’m not careful during those times of the day.
I didn’t know why I was not as prone to sunburns, so I appreciate your explanation and sharing of research. Thank you!
Grew up in S. FL and had many childhood burns. First skin cancer at 33 and used sunscreen daily afterwards, hats, avoid 10-2 sun time etc. For 10 years paid my dermatologist for half a mercedes…lol. But after that I didn’t have a problem. I have drank raw goats milk for 25 years, organic veggies and grass fed goat, beef long before typical, grind my own wheat. Yes, I did end up with a vitamin D deficiency and tried for 6 months going bare skinned, but using all my other safe skin management, 3 areas removed, I’ll risk the sunscreen!! I’ve used neutrogena products. It’s been 21 years since that first cancer. Each persons body is unique.
It isn’t that unique. Maybe you’re like those people she described whose vitamin D receptors are not quite up to normal levels/activity. This is something they’re still studying.
Anyway, not all skin cancers are melanomas. If it’s not a melanoma chances are very good you’ll survive it–to the tune of 90 percent chance or better, most of the time. And unlike melanomas, other skin cancers are not as strictly linked to UVA exposure.
My family has been taking D3 supplements and when we went to Disney World last fall, even though we were out in the sun all day walking on pavement, none of us burned. I also used coconut oil on my face daily all last summer. It helped to keep the burning down and keep the wrinkles away. I have always hated the “slimy” feeling sunscreen had, so didn’t really use it in the first place.
.-= JadeSylver´s last blog post …Potato Soup =-.
Should You Use Sunscreen? http://shar.es/m42hN
Another take on this controversy
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I am very fair – blond, light eyes – I think I was born with freckles! I LOVE being outside in the sun and am a stay at home farmer. I use a zinc oxide sunblock on my face only and manage the rest of my skin by covering up with long sleeve shirts and long pants when I think I am starting to burn. I start at the beginning of the summer with only 15 minutes of exposure and by the end of the summer I am able to do something like mow our entire pasture without getting burned. I also use EWG’s sunscreen guide (for my facial sun block) and hope I am doing the right thing! I follow The WAPF food guidelines so FCO is the rule
Thanks for this article! My father always did what he thought was best for me as I was growing up. Unforunately, he was listening to conventional wisdom like most. All of us kids had to slather on sunscreen – as much as possible. And, we had to apply it at least 30 minutes prior to going outside if we want it to be used right away.
We all hated doing this and would most of the time fail to listen properly – kids….
But, with that said, we also did not have the best diets. We certainly ate healthier than most Americans and I am incredibly grateful for that. But, we still ate tons of grains, and our omega fatty acid ratio was waaay off – but probably closer to 17:1.
Luckily, I have gained an interested in overall health starting about 1 year ago and it has certainly picked up over the past few months, even more so the past few weeks since I went Primal and started my new blog.
I have learned that your diet has a HUGE effect on the possible skin damage and this story is one example of proof of that. Since I live in GR, MI I can’t say my much improved diet has had an effect since it has not consistently been warm. But, I am almost certain that I will get burnt much less frequently then any summers in the past AND I will be spending more time in the sun compared to any summers in the past!
Long comment… but, I love this topic to death. Get out in the sun people! Just make sure you have an awesome real food diet too!
.-= Primal Toad´s last blog post …My First Time Intermittent Fasting – Easy =-.
I hate to use sunscreen. For myself, I can get away with it. I”m dark haired. My boys are red-haired and they burn. I don’t use sunscreen on them unless it’s an all day afair at the ball park. This is weekly during the summer. They never do build up a “tan” but rather a reddish skin area farmer’s “tan” type of thing. When we go swimming, they wear the long sleeved swim shirts. It works best for us as they whine and complain not to wear sunscreen!
Since switching to real foods, I’ve noticed that they’ll pink up, but they won’t burn. They don’t peel either. Same for me. I actually used coconut oil a few weeks ago on my face but didn’t use anything elsewhere on my skin. My legs and arms burned (for like a day, then faded to tan), but face didn’t even change color, just a bit more tan. So coconut oil on the face and neck for me this summer.
.-= Motherhen68´s last blog post …131/365 Chipolte & Apple Pie =-.
My son was playing outside about a month ago shirtless, all day. We live in Colorado so we get some really warm days in April. His back looked burnt. I freaked out. I put apple cider vinegar and coconut oil on him for a few days after that. He never peeled. It simply tanned. Whew!
We eat a diet high in good fats and grass-fed meat – pastured pig lard is suppose to have vitamin D. We take FCLO when I remember.
I won’t be putting sunscreen on myself or kids but it’s hard since my husband believes in sunscreen. Skin is the largest organ and putting lots of sunscreen is just bad.
What about sunglasses?
I read somewhere that when you wear sunglasses, your eyes tell your brain to tell your skin that the sun isn’t as bright and therefore you are more likely to get burned. I love my sunglasses, but because of that, I try not to wear them when I am outside with the kids; just when I am driving and inside a car anyways. (can sun burn through car windows? hmmm) Love to have that story backed up, though…
I read the same thing from the book, Survival of the Sickest… Great book! So yes, if his research is correct, this is true. Weird, huh?
Finally someone who believes what i believe, i am from Canada but now live in Mexico with my husband and i have not used sunscreen for over 10 years i believe it’s worse than not using any at all and i dont believe in very many moisturizer creams either. Your skin is your biggest organ that absorbs everything you put on it, think what your absorbing before you put it on your skin.
Peace
Should You Use Sunscreen? http://shar.es/m44Vf
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
As a very white-skinned girl growing up in Arizona, I always covered up and slathered on the sunscreen or without fail would end up with 2nd degree burns. Last summer, I noticed I was not getting burned like I used to and it is wonderful! I attribute it to my diet changes over the last several years, and also to using coconut oil as a lotion. I accidentally discovered the benefits of using coconut oil when I had spent a long day in direct sun without covering up or using sunscreen and KNEW I would end up with a terrible burn. But after the heat exhaustion wore off, I was so surprised to see…nothing! No burns! No way! I am excited to try it again this summer, but on my kids as well.
super interesting article about sunburn and diet: http://www.foodrenegade.com/should-you-use-sunscreen/
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We do not use sunscreen at all unless we are going to be at the beach ALL DAY LONG. That is the only exception, and even then I use it sparingly — only on the kid’s faces usually and only one coat. That is maybe twice a year that we pull it out. The reason I’ve pulled it out then is because I’ve thought that in that case only that the risk of an intense burn might exceed the risk of the absorbed sunscreen toxins. Even Mercola has said that he does use sunscreen on his trips to Hawaii when he’s surfing all day, interestingly enough.
I have thought about trying coconut oil instead on long beach days, but wasn’t sure if it would be strong enough to do the trick.
I have had friends that spend excessive amounts of time outdoors daily. These same friends were tested for Vit. D levels and were found to be quite low. They said they didn’t understand why they would have low Vit D levels considering the fact that they’re outdoors for hours on end. I asked them if they wear sunscreen daily. They replied that they were — thus, the low Vit. D level mystery solved!
I also wonder if sunscreen toxins are a contributing cause of melanoma? It would be interesting to see a study showing whether melanoma rates have increased in proportion to the campaign for daily sunscreen use over the years.
We have noticed this same phenomenon as well. Because I eat better than my husband (he cheats more often) there are times when he will pink up or lightly “burn” worse than me with the same sun exposure even though he has slightly darker skin that always tanned well from a Lebanese background when most of my ancestors are German, Scottish, Irish (all very fair skinned)
And that was even mostly after just adding Cod Liver Oil. Only recently have we started researching Weston Price recommendations more and adding them into our diets.
There’s a time and a place for sunscreen and it’s AFTER some initial exposure (esp face, arms, abdomen) without sunscreen.
Vitamin D is hugely important for not only immune health, but also anticancer (the big ones, Breast, Prostate, Lung, Colon), is imperative to adequate calcium absorption, many mood-related disorders… and has many more benefits yet to be discovered I’m sure.
The UV index was put into existence to give an idea of how long the “average” person (in the geographical area) can be exposed to sun without burning. This should give you an idea of your maximum exposure WITHOUT sunscreen. After this, it should be applied, and reapplied hourly-2 hours and after swimming, sweating, etc.
And for everyone’s sake, buy the organic hippie crap and save your skin from all kinds of unpronounceable and non-biodegradable chemicals (many of which are toxic) in your “store brand” sunscreens!
Should You Use Sunscreen? | Food Renegade http://su.pr/1BqN5y
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to use or not to use… that is the sunscreen question.
http://ping.fm/GybvX
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We are big followers of Dr Baumann, who just recent changed her sun protection advice. She now recommends 15 minutes of sun per day, with the sunscreen protection of your choice on hands, face, and neck.
Great supplements with proven spf include: lycopene, lutien, and Polypodium leucotomos which is a fern extract.
We use natural sunscreens with zinc for everyday, in addition to our supplements. That said, for big hiking or skiing days at high altitude in the rocky mountains, we cover up with La Roche Posay chemicals. The sun is very strong here, and we have a huge population with skin cancer.
.-= Savory Tv´s last blog post …Roasted Stuffed Pears With Cheddar, Walnuts, Raisins and Cherries =-.
considering the history of skin cancer in my family and that i’ll be at additional risk of skin cancer due to the radiation therapy from my lymphoma i will definitely be using sunscreen no matter what the other side effects.
.-= Carrie´s last blog post …Greenest Deals of the Week 5/16 =-.
We don’t use sunscreen.
When I was a kid, I was the blonde (now red-head, naturally) with super fair skin and freckles who always burned. Badly. But I ate SAD.
Now, we eat WAP. And we don’t burn. My kids have never had sunscreen on at all. I’m frequently at playdates where parents are constantly applying and re-applying sunscreen to make sure their kids don’t burn. I never do it and mine don’t burn either. They also stopped getting so many little colds once we started being able to get outside more this spring.
I told my friends this once — about eating saturated fat protecting you and how I don’t burn — and they said “Well, that’s because your skin is more olive.” Umm, no! No one has ever said that to me before! I am the whitest white person ever! But now I tend to tan, and if I do burn a little I rub on CO and it quickly goes to a tan. Of course, I’m trying to detox from years of eating SAD. My kids, who never ate SAD (they are 2 and 10 months) just simply don’t burn. They get flushed pink from heat, but…no burn.
.-= Kate´s last blog post …Do Your Research!: Antibiotics =-.
Thanks for this informative post! I will have to try and do away with the sunscreen since I have been eating better the past couple of years. Old habits can be hard to break. I have noticed that I have not burned this spring despite spending way more time outdoors than in previous years. If I think I might have spent too much time in the sun, I always apply aloe gel and that always seems to keep me from peeling or feeling any pain.
I can’t believe some of the comments I’m reading, especially where kids are concerned. Clearly you don’t live in the southern hemisphere. If ultraviolet is used to disinfect medical equipment, what do you think it can do to your skin? Sure sunscreen is toxic, but so is just about everything else we use from shampoo to toothpaste. I think if you’re lacking vitamin D in your diet, you are probably lacking in other things as well. Eat healthy, dress sensibly, avoid days of high UV and apply sunscreen when necessary. Common sense.
Diet makes a huge difference in your tolerance for the sun; my experience has been very similar to Kristen’s. And the most dangerous skin cancer, melanoma, isn’t correlated with sun exposure (in fact, the opposite) and it occurs often in spots that aren’t even exposed. The other kind of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma? — forgive me if I mix up the names — may need to be frozen off, but is not likely to kill you. That said, yes, do be sensible, start with low exposure and work up to it, cover up or get out of the sun as needed, but slathering toxic creams on the skin to block the sun’s rays is truly self-defeating. I’m banking on the value of sunlight and vitamin D (and plenty of good fats).
Now, does this mean we’ll be safe even if the hole in the ozone layer gets bigger? I wouldn’t bet on it, but good nutrition is still the foundation of good health. Moderate sun exposure is part of the picture, but if one is in say Australia I would be more vigilant about limiting exposure. Personally, I wouldn’t do that with sunscreen, but with clothing or just going indoors.
.-= Jeanmarie´s last blog post …Phone Your Blog =-.
I don’t know why WordPress does this… “Phone Your Blog” is not my last blogpost, or any blogpost of mine at all. Grrr.
It’s because you listed your website as http://[email protected], so it’s looking for the last blog post at wordpress.com, which happens to be Phone Your Blog.
I’ve found this to be true as well. I was shocked when I started taking my CLO that I didn’t burn anymore, but I didn’t, and I wasn’t wearing sunscreen either. I don’t ever stop the CLO anymore.
sounds logical, if i think at fishermen by the ocean. they do’[t have problems with too much sun, as they eat a lot of fish. interesting!
For you who take the cod liver oil–how do you stand the taste? “Fermented cod liver oil” sounds like it would make me absolutely GAG, disgusting!!
Have you checked out the listings for the FCLO on my resources page? They actually come in really tasty flavors these days (my favorite is cinnamon). And for those who *still* can’t handle the taste, even flavored, you can take it in capsules.
I gag at cod liver oil, too (actually, i quite throw up) BUT they have it in pill form (walgreens, walmart, HEB and I’m sure many other places) and if you put the pill in your mouth and drink orange juice or another thicker drink (I use a yogurt heath shot) you do not tase the cod liver oil at all.
My parents never put sunscreen on me, and I got maybe one or two burns a year my entire childhood in the American southwest. I’m Irish, too. We burn like potatoes.
I’m stuck in the unfortunate “college student” phase of my life, so my diet is terrible. Luckily there’s not a lot of sun where I live and the fish here is pretty cheap.
I’m curious about how those who take CLO/FCLO handle the taste. That definitely kept me from incorporating it into my daily routine.
.-= Chasmodai´s last blog post …To Katie Holmes =-.
See the comment I wrote to Wendy above!
We eat pretty well here – and I take CLO (tho not fermented) and eat grassfed. But I’m pretty sure my newfound sunburn-proof skin is from ditching one product:
SOAP!
I am very, very fair and have always burned easily and wore lots of sunscreen. Then I started reading Dr. Mercola’s writing about vitD absorption – did you know that it takes 1-2 WEEKS for the oils in your skin to convert vitD into a useable form? And if you lather up 1-2 weeks after that sun exposure, you’re just washing that vitD all away?
My daughter hated bathing as a babe – so I almost never washed her! I never made the correlation, but she also has incredible bone density… so much so her doctors have commented on it. She also never burns at all – or tans really, come to think of it. Now I wonder if it’s because of all the sunlight and lack of soap in her first years of life?
About 3 months ago, I switched from bathing regularly with soap to just scrubbing with a washcloth and a little jojoba oil. Since then my skin’s capacity for sunlight has changed dramatically – I went out on the farm (FULL sun) for 4 hours, just a hat, sleeveless shirt — absolutely no burn. Considering I used to burn in ~15 mins, this is a seriously dramatic change.
Also, my skin feels perfectly clean and is incredibly soft. And bonus? My fine wrinkles have disappeared! I seriously look LESS sun damaged, not more!
Seriously, try ditching the soap. You’ll never go back!
Liz — How interesting! I’ve never been a big fan of soap. In fact the only place I use it is under my arms, mostly because I ditched deodorants a few years back and this is the way I stay on top of any possible unseemly body odor.
I think I can start to believe that going without soap also contributes to not being so vulnerable to sunburns. It makes sense, even based on the same logic I used in my post. Obviously, by not using soap, we’re not washing away all the good oils in our skin (which we’re getting from our good food and FCLO!).
I wish SOMEONE would research this! (As of right now, I’m mostly just speculating based on experience and some related research. But there’s still no studies done about how UV rays interact with the fats/oils in our skin cells based on the different compositions of those fats.)
Over the past year I’ve really been trying to rid my family of chemicals, eat greener, and live a more natural life. I never even stopped to think about sunscreen, but it makes sense! Thanks for the information!
Should you use sunscreen? http://bit.ly/b9JHiM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
while many of the effects you’ve personally observed after changing your diet may be real, UVA/UVB lights are still scientifically mutagens that can fundamentally damage the DNA in your cells. This is why sunburns are linked to skin cancer; the light damages the DNA in skin cells and causes them to experience uncontrolled growth. These types of light also damage tissues like collagen which are responsible for making your skin supple and tight as well as rapid in its regeneration. I would say that moderation is key; yes, vitamin D is essential but too much UVA and UVB can be very dangerous.
Yes, but mutagens only do so much damage, and your immune system is adapted to deal with cells whose DNA are not up to snuff… if you aren’t doing things to damage that immune system, like not getting enough sunlight.
How do you think we managed things when we were still tribal, living in huts, and working outside all the time? It’s been a LONG time since our body hair was thick.
Come to Australia… SPF 30+ sunscreen must be used here… and I’m mediterranean with olive skin…
My father ate a well balanced diet and was in excellent physical condition for the majority of his adult life, however he still died from skin cancer in 2006. He was only 50 years old. I would like to know if you have scientific evidence proving that even with out a burn, your skin is not being damaged?
Ali — I suggest reading the studies listed in the quoted text in the middle of my article, as well as going to the source of that lengthy quotation and reading the complete article I quoted from. Basically, all the scientific evidence suggests that there is NO LINK between sun exposure and cancer, except perhaps a preventative one. This is particularly true of melanoma — which most often appears on patches of skin never exposed to sunlight.
Considering that I am allergic to both sunscreen and sunburns, AND I burn easily (being a ginger), I don’t know what to do other than staying out of sunlight completely.
I usually have to go to the hospital whenever I get a burn or put on sunscreen.
Nice post, Kristen.
I’ve actually started to notice this more and more recently and I was going to start using my free time to research it further. Seems you did all the dirty work for me, so I’ll be reading all your sources listed!
My diet consists largely of organic and grass-fed food which comes locally. My diet is typically 60% fat on any given day.
Everyone in my family burns…except me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been burned before, but I’m the black sheep of an irish family. Since leaving and going to college, I’ve never purchased sun screen. I am extremely active and I will often times find myself outside training for several hours in the sunshine. I always take my shirt off
So far this Summer it’s been over 80 and sunny for the past couple weeks and I’ve been out for long periods of time with almost full exposure. I have yet to burn. I’m not even dark; just a simple light tan.
To contribute a little more information, I believe it was Robb Wolf or Martin Berkhan who blogged a little bit about Vitamin D and how it both protects and causes aging. It was suspected that this reality was nature’s elegance at play here – that being something we all need to be healthy will also initiate our deaths. I feel that there remains a large amount of knowledge that can still be figured out regarding how our bodies and sunlight interact.
.-= Charles Moreland´s last blog post …Rochester Parkour Becomes Official =-.
After 3 days in the sun, this helps: http://bit.ly/cAM4M8 #realfood #wapf
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Should you use sunscreen? – http://bit.ly/b9JHiM
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
We don’t use sunscreen. The chemicals in them are frightening. What we do instead is limit our exposure during the high sun time of the day. We do our outdoor work starting early in the morning and then again in the late afternoon spending most of the mid-day indoors reading, researching, homeschooling and such. We also wear hats and more or less clothing depending on the time of year, day, cloud cover and such.
I am fortunate to tan very easily and darkly. I have darker skin than my wife. She must be more careful to avoid burning. Our sons are between us and our daughter is like me, a little indian.
We don’t take supplementary cod liver oil but we do eat the fat of pastured pigs. They’re eating a lot of grass, clovers and other forages, about 90% of their diet, so they’re probably high in the Omega-3 fatty acids and all those good things people look for in fish. We’re just too far from the ocean to eat a lot of seafood.
Cheers
-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa
Perhaps the increased vitamin A in the diets of those who are using CLO or FCLO has a protective effect as well?
http://drsherylwagner.blogspot.com/2008/05/carrot-juice-protects-against-sunburn.html
Good to know about coconut oil having an actual SPF effect! I rarely use sunscreen for my kids- mostly keep it on hand for if the grandparents are taking them out somewhere. Even the natural brands react badly with my skin and cause a burning sensation upon application, why I always hated sunscreen as a kid, it hurt to put it on! But without it I would burn like a tomato. While all my kids are fair skinned, most are blonde, and have a lot of Irish genes, none of them burn when they are still nursing- protective effects of breastmilk? Still learning about vinegar to cure a burn, interesting stuff thanks for sharing
Thank you for warning people about the dangers of sunscreen, and the advantages of real, life-giving sunlight. People have been made terrified of the sun, and its evil death rays, unnecessarily. On a similar topic, spray tanning prevents the absorption of vitamin D for weeks at a time. See this article.
.-= Sarah Cain´s last blog post …The W.H.O. Has Another Plan To Make Us Healthier Through Forced Medicating =-.
How timely this post is! I haven’t read your blog in some months, though I confess that when I began my traditional foods journey, I was reading yours and similar blogs obsessively! Today I came by looking for your make-ahead meatballs and stayed to catch up on your recent posts. I would never have made the connection about sunburn and diet, but now reading your posts and the linked articles, it makes so much sense.
Yesterday I was in the sun with much more skin exposed than usual–I was in the pool with my 3 year old and our friends for hours. I had a feeling that I might get burned, as I haven’t had my shoulders bared in the sun for a very long time, but I was hoping that the sun would help out with a spot that I thought might be potential ringworm. I haven’t worn sunscreen for many months now, nor has my daughter. We are fair-skinned and live in Southern California. This morning I was not looking forward to a shower as I like very warm water and I knew it would really sting. But it didn’t! As I say, I would never have made the connection before reading your post, but I am amazed that I didn’t burn more. And even today, it’s already turning to tan.
And of course in hindsight, I see so many more connections to be made. As a child, we ate a lot of locally raised traditional foods–I LOVED liver and other organ meats, and nothing was low fat. It wasn’t until I was a young adult, and became vegetarian/sometimes vegan, that I had my first cavities and horrible sunburns, among other things. And it was only last fall, after being vegetarian for 20 years, that I started eating traditional foods. My daughter has never had a sunburn in her 3 and half years, though we did use sunscreen from the time she was about 9 months, to about a year and a half. She doesn’t eat as many traditional foods as I would like, but she does still nurse.
Incidentally, I also don’t use soap on my face or body (just shampoo on the head, the pits and the bits!) and haven’t for about 6 years now. But I have had a few sunburns in that time. This mild burn from yesterday surprised me, because I think it would have a lot worse if this was last summer, when I wasn’t eating pastured lard!
Well, clearly I could ramble on. Sorry for the long response. But I’m enjoying and learning from others’ comments above. Thank you for this timely post and the links!
We go camping every year in Northern CA at 7000 feet. Any special considerations for high elevations?
Thanks for this, and I love the photo!
I’ve had a similar experience, which I first noticed last summer. I eat lots more saturated fat (butter, ghee and coconut oil, plus meats) than I did as a kid, and I take FCLO, and Vit. D supplements, and I seem to tan easier and burn less, to the point that I probably am a little too casual about being out in the sun for a couple of hours. I got a little too much sun yesterday, but no pain, just slight tenderness and redness for a little while. I put on coconut oil and stayed more covered up today, and no problem.
.-= Jeanmarie´s last blog post …Phone Your Blog =-.
I have read this line of thinking several times lately and it makes sense. I got afraid of sunblocks when I was pregnant and haven’t worn them since. I am fair (tho not uber-fair) and try to build a base tan and use hat, scarves, shirts wisely. We eat a high-fat WAP diet w/ lots of FCLO. We are trying to apply this wisdom to our toddler (who loves the FCLO, btw), who is very fair w/strawberry hair. She plays outside in dappled shade and has developed a pink to her cheeks and arms which we think is her “tan”. We have hypothesized that early exposure actually helps skin prepare for a lifetime of sun, and that it might indeed be necessary for health. But of course we have no proof. It is a bold and courageous step for us to trust this wisdom, not only for our own skin, but for our dear daughter’s. I think it, just like WAP diet/lifestyle in general, just makes sense. I feel better when I am in the sunshine regularly. My toddler would much rather be nakey than have that old nasty sunblock rubbed on. And it has just been in the last few decades that we humans have spent so much time indoors without “having” to be outside. Better to do it the way we know it has been done for centuries.
Btw, I love the soap idea, too! I only use soap for the possibly stinky parts (no deoderant either!) and it just feels right that way. My skin worked hard to created that nice oil! Why wash it off?
.-= Tiffanie´s last blog post …another try at sourdough =-.
We live in Colorado and we do not use sunscreen. We eat tons of healthy fats. We get pink and than tan but never burn.
I consider sunscreen to be a chemical and avoid it like the plague.
I make sure that my sons go outside every day w/o shirts on so they can get as much sun as possible.
Teresa – We live at an elevation of 5280 and we never burn. We went to the mountains (Winter Park Colorado)over the 4th of July and spent a couple of hours in the sun, swimming and never burned. Everyone warned me: you have to wear sunscreen in the mountains. But we didn’t and we were just fine.
Fantastic article. Right on! I used to think I couldn’t tan, except for an Irish tan. No I have no trouble tanning, I never burn, and my vitamin D level is high.
my family is vegan so we do not use FCLO. do you have another recommendation?
we are now taking vitamins and a d3 supplement.
Only if you must. Obviously be picky on what you use, in those situations. The reality is, unless your swimming you need to cover your skin. Wear thin material that is long sleeved and a large brim hat with gloves. Stay hydrated and you’ll be just fine; also a lot less sunburned!
probably best article I’ve read on this topic.. thank you. I totally agree, completley opposed to sunscreen (hate that my son’s father puts it on him on weekends)
AMEN! I’m much more fearful of the toxicity I would voluntarily be applying to my skin. Was unaware of the EFA connection, though. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for posting!!!
Make sure you have adequate Vitamin D levels and that will help protect you against burning.
Since we went WAP and GF, my blond, Scandinavian-German family has had NO sunburns. Three summers and counting. OTOH, mosquitos still love us.
I agree with this for everyone except myself. We have been doing traditional foods for over a year, eating grass fed meats, eating high antioxidant foods, fermented cod liver oil, and I even take astaxanthin. So Monday I was out in the sun for about an hour, mostly covered except my hands and chest. I got slightly burned, but worse I got my usual sun poisoning rash. I’ve been applying coconut oil, but the worst part is that my energy has been zapped from me all week. Today is the first day I’ve really been up. I have researched and researched ways for me to be outside without sunscreen, but I think I may need it, in addition to my wide brimmed hat and light cotton clothing.. But my kids are also on the same diet and take astaxanthin, and are fine in the sun!
90 degrees?? We just cracked 60 here in MN and it feels glorious!!!
Coconut oil. It equals to a spf of 25 but re apply often if you are out in sun all day.
Michelle — Where did you get that SPF number? According to all my research, coconut oil only has an SPF of 4 or 5.
I have a question, maybe someone can help me out here. I have always tanned very easily, olive skinned. I live in AZ in the high altitudes. I eat mostly all homegrown foods, including milk, meat and eggs. I get these little itchy bumps from being out in the sun. Well each year they get worse. This year so far we had a couple of nice days and the itching since then has been so severe that I can hardly stand it!! The only relief I get is when I put some of my homemade lotion on the area. The bumps are quite large this year and I am covered in them in the areas that were exposed to the sun. Does ANYONE have any help for this? I am quite miserable!! :0(
So interesting. I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but hadn’t looked into it much. So glad to be reading this just as summer’s coming up.
I can only imagine the looks I’ll get from my mother-in-law. “No, I’m not going to put any sunscreen on the kids. Did you know sunscreen causes cancer?” lol
Very interesting reading. I also have wavered back and forth on the benefits of sunscreen. I tend to not use it mostly because I forget about it. I’m going to check into FCLO a bit more.
~Jenny~
sounds like it could be a heat rash of some type?
I get them too. I found a site a few years ago that related it to native american ancestery. I worked outdoors all my life and it usually goes away after a good base tan is in. And I’m not caucasian. Shea butter is a good sun screen too.
Look up sun rash.
I’d read that those bumps are caused by too little REAL vitamin A in the diet. People who get them tend to be poor converters of plant-based cartenoids into vitamin A, so they need to eat more of it in its true animal-based form. I don’t know if that applies specifically to your situation, but maybe it’s worth a try.
a frien gets terrible itchy rash.after he had taken pharma drug naproxin. it’s still in his liver and causes this.
@Deirdre-I am native american descent. That is interesting. This has only started happening in the last six or seven years. Last year they stayed all season long. This is the first year that it has happened this badly and this quickly.
@Food Renegade-What are some good vitamin A animal-based sources?
@Nancy-I have never been one to take any kind of drugs. I have stayed pretty healthy my whole life (thank goodness!).
Currently I get a read itchy rash when I’m out in the sun. Hopefully by changing my diet it won’t happen any more.
I will look into the diet. Thanks!
@ Goats It started for me when I was almost 30. I got a very bad burn hiking the west coast and the next year it started… My driving arm usually is the main spot. I hardly take any drugs for anything few times a year at most.
Very interesting read. Thanks.
Coconut oil has SPF 25, Shae butter is a natural sunblock, Zink oxide is a natural sunblock and healer, Aloe soothes and heals, Vinegar heals, Cod liver/fish oil enables the body to react to sun in a healthy way. Let your body have as much as it can handle safely but remember it takes three days to absorb VT D through the skin into the body so do not wash it away with soap. You all rock! Hope you have fun sun filled days.
im so glad someone is talking about the absurd notion that sunscreen is for the health conscious! i believed it for years until i started thinking about it rationally instead of just buying the propaganda.
Thanks for the article! We’ve been taking FCLO in the Winter, but thought that we could back off a bit once Summer came around and just get lots of sunshine. Now I know not to do that!
I’ve been wondering, however, is there a certain amount of time that we should wait before bathing after getting sun so that the body can properly absorb the Vitamin D? It seems like I’ve heard that it can be washed off…any thoughts?
Thanks again!
@Deirdre-What do you do about it? Anything? Or just live with it? My driving arm gets it the worst too. Sometimes when I am driving and it is really bothering me, I put my arm across me to try and get it out of the sun. It is pretty difficult to drive that way. :0)
This is great – now do you have anything that will naturally deter mosquitos!?
Great post! I’ve heard this before, but you put it in a very easily understandable article.
I have a couple questions.
1. For those that say that coconut oil has SPF 25, do you have any references for this? I have noticed that when I use CO, I burn less, but when I told someone that it had a SPF, they challenged me on it, and I can’t seem to find anything to support this online.
2. Another question about the coconut oil. Since diet plays a huge roll in whether or not we get sunburned, and we need the vitamin D from the sun, why use anything with SPF, including CO? Are people using it after they feel like they will start burning or as an initial preventative measure?
Thanks!!
Ginny — Good questions. I also wonder about the SPF 25 figure. The most I could actually verify was 4 or 5. As for me and my family, we apply coconut oil 30 minutes before we know we’ll be out in direct sun for more than an hour. If we come back inside and find we’ve got a pink flush to our skin, we apply it liberally every few hours to help our skin turn that into a tan instead of burn.
I always *forget* to use sunscreen. Now I realize I’m doing myself a favor. I am fair, but I’ll have to see how I do now that I eat more traditional fats.
Directly from the Cancer Foundation Website
•Over the past 31 years, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined
•About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun
•One person dies of melanoma every hour (every 62 minutes).
SO, EAT RIGHT BUT USE SUNSCREEN!! This should be a no brainer, and if you choose not to, at least protect your children.
In the past 31 years, we’ve seen a HUGE dietary shift to low-fat foods and replacing healthy saturated fats with polyunsaturated yellow, seed-based oils (like corn, soy, and canola oils). Doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me.
And if you’d read the post, you would know that there is actually NO CONNECTION between melanoma and sun exposure. In fact, MOST cases of melanoma happen to skin that is almost NEVER exposed to the sun.
I haven’t used sunscreen in years. I Tend to burn more with sunscreen on then without (and yes I would reapply and reapply). I decided ti just ditch it after I realized that and I would turn pink then fade back to my normal color within a few days. After I started taking cod liver oil I noticed I wasn’t burning at all. Now I have three kids and when my oldest was born I put sunscreen on him when we went to the beach and he would break out in a horrible rash. Obviously he is allergic to sunscreen so I stopped using it. He hasn’t burned since I stopped and we have spent countless days at the beach. My daughter is very fair skinned with blue eyes and blond hair and she hasn’t ever had a burn. I can’t attest to my five month old yet because I dot keep him outside for long periods usually but at both busch gardens and the zoo we go to frequently he hasn’t even turned pink. I do use coconut oil (the real stuff) when we are going to be out for a long time and I’m wOrried about burning but mostly we use hats and tees to block the suns rays