Thoughts on 50 SPF Swim Swimsuits with Long Sleeve/pants

Hi S.! I bought one through One Step Ahead for my son since he is very fair as well & it's fabulous! We live in MN so we spend every chance we get at the cabin & on the lake. They dry pretty quickly, so he never seemed to get cold & they're lightweight & seem pretty breathable, so he never got too hot either. They're great at the beach because they keep the sand off too! Go with a slightly larger size though, as they seem to run a bit small! =0)

I don't know anything about the product but if your chid has issues in the sun like I do you may want to have your child get regular blood tests to make sure his/her vitamin D level is all right. I recently found out that my efforts to stay out of the sun due to a nasty 2nd degree sun burn had caused a severe vitamin D deficiency and I now take supplements to remedy the problem. I've noticed a difference since I began taking them in my overall energy and well being... Discuss the sun issue with your pediatrician.

My 3 kids all wear long sleeve swim shirts all summer. They hate sunscreen and all have fair skin. We don't burn, and no one argues over standing still for sunscreen application anymore. We used the one piece suits up until the child was potty trained. After that, you need easier access to the potty, so the two piece suits work better. Sunscreen has creepy chemicals in it; too much sunburning will give you skin cancer...go with the SPF 50 suit.
If the suit is dry, it gets pretty hot. Don't put it on your child unless she is going to get wet. She doesn't have to be soaked, but wearing a long sleeve swim shirt at an amusement park all day (for example) would overheat you pretty badly.

I wear a long sleeve swim shirt too. www.coolibar.com has the best designs for adults. Lands End has good ones for the whole family.

S.

I would buy lightest colors available and have a sprinkler handy, it's by far the best way to protect skin.

Hi S.,

We actually live in Australia (the skin cancer capital of the world) and those "suits" are completely the norm here. Every child and even quite a few adults (especially surfers) wear them. We call them rash shirts. They are an excellent choice and no one ever seems to hot or cold in them. They dry pretty quickly and are fairly breathable.

S.,
I have fair skin and love water sports so the 50 spf shirt has been a life saver for me. You won't have to worry about her getting too hot. Just keep it wet and she will be cool. Monitor her to make sure she doesn't get cold. You could wrap a towel around her until she dries if she does get cold.
Victoria

We also have family history of skin cancer and a son with very fair skin (mine is olive, he gets it from his Daddy). Him and Dad both wear short sleeved rashguards with plenty of sunscreen on the exposed areas. That in conjunction with a wide brimmed hat for my son has worked really well--he has never had a sunburn. I do think that the pants and long sleeves would get really cold. My son is sometimes shivering in his short sleeved rashguard.

My husband recently went to the dermotologist for the first time and had 15-20 pre-cancers burned off the back of his neck. He didn't have any on his face where he uses sunscreen religiously, and none on his back or anywhere else. So I'm sure you already know this but don't forget the skin that is still showing--I know I'll be more careful about my son's neck and other areas from now on.

My son swells up like a ballon anytime he uses sun screen. We there for have resorted to a long sleeve spf shirt. He wears it when he goes swimming as well as playing outside. and has never complain about being cold or hot. He is 3 but started wearing them last summer. I haven't tried the pants we keep his sun to many short sessions outside.

Since you have such a concern due to fair skinned child, I would consult a dermatologist for the best advice on sunscreen and if the suits work or not.

I'm in TX and the thought of the long sleeves/pants is really icky to me but I am not faced with your situation.

We use a lot of the clear zinc oxide on face, nect and ears.

I have used a short sleeve and shorts version last summer for my son, and didn't have issues with him getting hot or cold. They are a different type of material than regular swimsuits. The ones I have are very breathable, and not tight either. Some are tight. I'm not sure what that difference would be. I got a long sleeve for this year, but haven't used it yet.

Regardless, they are the BEST way to protect your baby's skin. They can be expensive, yes, but since I have to worry about skin cancer in my family too, I don't mind this expense at all. I have gotten more burns than I can count in my life. I hope to save my child from having to deal with that. Regular clothing only provides an SPF of 4 or 5, not nearly enough. And one severe burn in childhood can double your chance of skin cancer as an adult. And also, it is a WHOLE lot easier to just put sunscreen on the face, ears and hands. :)

I got this brand this year, they had some on half price a couple weeks ago. www.uvskinz.com