Is Sun Clothing a Good Buy ?

I personally LOVE them- it really helps with my 3- it's hard to keep up with sunscreen with 3 busy little boys. so all i really have to worry about is thier face. Although I do initally apply sunscreen all over before I put the rash guard on.
But yes, I like them

I have not used rashguard. but check onestepahead.com while planning your trip they have some great sun protection/ beach fun stuff.

we use rash guards all the time. I love not having to put sunscreen on such a large part of his body, so they come in great!!!!

Absolutely. I have a couple from LL Bean, but they also sell them at Target. I have a fair skinned 2-1/2 year old, but we've been using them since he was 10 months. Get a size larger than he wears, we've found the necks tend to be small, and they can be hard to get on if they are still wet. He doesn't mind wearing them - its the only way he's ever been to the beach. And it is much easier as you don't have to apply and reapply sunscreen except to their face and hands.

I buy sun-suits for our fair-skinned girls because I like for them to be able to swim when it's sunny out, and I don't like slathering sunscreen over every nook and cranny, LOL! I just bought a new suit for my daughter from Land's End. They have a ton of suits with all kinds of different coverage ranges. I went with a cute short-sleeved top and little skirt. VERY cute!! Good luck!

Buy one! They are WONDERFUL, especially the shirts. My son is 2 and we're out in the summer a lot - It completely protects them from the sun and they are very comfortable. Don't use a t-shirt - they don't block UV rays. They have cute ones @ Target and are around $8 each.

My son had a couple of different rash guards last summer and they were great! He wore them every time we went to the beach and when we went swimming and he didn't mind it at all. My son is now 20 months old and very fair skinned, so he will be wearing the swim shirts (rash guards) again this summer. By the way, Old Navy has some great ones!

Coolibar and Sunprecautions are both good companies to purchase sun clothes/beach wear from. A bit expensive, but generally if kept well, can last a couple of seasons.

It's good to get the long sleeved and to-the-knee water wear-then you don't need to slather on the sunscreen all over the body--just be sure to still put it on the face and neck!

My girls have been wearing them for the past 3 years.

When my five year old was an infant, we found a very expensive sun suit for him in Florida; they were a rare find. I'm glad we got it. Fast forward four years, and now even Old Navy sells sun shirts. I'm just grateful they've gotten "cool" so my kids aren't the only ones protected when we go to the pool. I think these products, along with good hats, great sunscreen (I like California Babies or Aveeno Baby for the boys) applied regularly can help. My father recently had a melanoma removed from his chest and my father in law died from melanoma five years ago this July. Start early getting into good sun habits.

I don't have any experiance with the sunguard clothes but my daughter had a cabana for my scond grandson.There hispanic but she is still being careful.

Hi A.,

Sun is a healthy form of Vitamin D if you don't get too much. A fair-skinned person needs a lot more protection. Make sure you read the ingredients on the sunscreens as some might protect from sunburn and maybe even skin cancer but some cause it.

Also, a beach umbrella can be good but in the Florida sun, the sand is so white, it's like sitting on a mirror. The umbrella won't do any good without additional aids. The SC beaches are a different story. I think sun clothing is a very good idea either way. Remember, early mornings and late evenings are the best time in the sun for babies.

Have fun on your trip!

M.

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!!!

We have used rashies since my son was born. My husband is from Australia and on their beaches you do not see children, girls and boys, without their rashies and sun hats that cover the backs of the neck. Of course the Australian sun is MUCH harsher than ours here but I figure the more protection for my milky fair child the better. I still put sunscreen under the rashie before putting it on, as well as his boardies. Some rashies DO NOT contain sun protection in the fabric, so be sure to double check. Good luck and have loads of fun at the beach!!!

I have 3 very fair-skinned kids and I love the spf swim shirts and trunks. We live at the beach and my two-year old did not get one burn all summer. They even sell them at Target this year at spf 50 for a very affordable price.

My daughter and I love the sun & swim shirts (there are so many nicknames for them). She will be 11 at the end of this month and has been using them on and off for her whole life. She has received some pretty bad burns when without the spf shirt and in the care of an adult who did not really take into consideration the red hair and fair skin. For a little one, I would go with the SPF hat, shirt, & shorts combo (by hat I mean the big, floppy, wide-brimmed ones). Remember to keep him well hydrated.
For the bigger kiddos who are running around constantly, swimming and whatnot, the rash shirt are a blessing - they let you have peace of mind that they aren't getting overexposed and the wild ones can run and play without having to stop repeatedly to reapply sunscreen as well as wait for it to dry. My red-head won't go without one now and wears hers even to play in the back yard sprinkler.
Have fun on your holiday!

hey A.,

i have 2 little boys, one that is 26 months and one that is almost 7 months. so, my little one hasn't had the chance to really be in the sun yet, but my older one has. i have always put a long sleeve swim shirt on him and i will continue to do the same for he and my little guy. it is so great!! you don't have to apply sunscreen all the time on their upper body or hope that you didn't miss a spot while applying sunscreen. long sleeve ones aren't always easy to find, but i found one at gap online last year. it was a little more expensive than the ones that you buy at old navy, but it was really soft and worked great. i actually bought it a little big and he'll get to wear it this summer too. so, i would definitely recommend sun shirts.

have a great summer!

J.

I just got a beach umbrella at Costco that is SPF rated. I plan to sit under it while we are in Florida -- because I am very fair! An SPF rated umbrella may be good for you as well.

B.

I have used "rash guard" shirts for my kids every year for 7 years. We live in SC and go on two week beach trips. The shirts are comfortable and allow them to stay out longer and have prevented burns. They are great for preventing "boogie board" rash as well. I highly recommend them!