Rash Guard?

Most Rash Guards are 50 SPF. A plain t-shsirt is probably more like 5-10 meaning the sun can penetrate the material. Rash guards are made to dry quick so you're not left with that saggy wet feeling of regular clothes.

I'd keep making him wear the rash guard, and get it with long sleeves so you don't have to apply sunscreen except to his face, neck and legs. That's what I do with both of my kids because they HATE having to put on sunscreen every 30-45 minutes...If there's less body area to apply it to, the better. :)

Good luck!

A regular tee has an spf of 2-8. A rash guard is typically 50 spf. Our daughter is soon-to-be 8 and we still make her wear a rash guard at the beach and swimming and we'll continue to do so until she fights us over it.

I'm sure it will get "blasted", but I have also seen the studies that show that the chemicals in sunscreen are more carcinogenic than the sun. I put sunscreen on one of my daughters though because she is so fair skinned, but I dont use such a high SPF that she gets zero tan. A tan is natures way of protecting from higher amounts of UV rays IMO.

Regular clothing does not offer UV protection--the UV rays can penetrate regular clothes.

If you spend a significant amount of time at the beach, I'd stick with the Rash Guard. If you are, like my family, only occassional sun-seekers, t-shirts should be sufficient.

ETA: I am assuming you are using the name Rash Guard to refer to any swim shirt that is advertised as offering UV protection. It doesn't have to be the Rash Guard brand.

What is a rashguard?

I suggest putting sunscreen on every part of his exposed skin, regardless of his ability to tan. Face, neck and ears especially. Remember to reapply every 90 minutes. Melanoma is a reality for everyone.

Also, look into swimming lessons at the local YMCA.

I use a swim shirt for DD (some I buy seconhand or get from friends) because it dries more easily had offers SPF protection of its own. If he's already thinking that water is cold, cotton will be worse. When the kids went rafting, they were told not to wear cotton as it would make them cold when it got wet.

Please put on sunscreen, even if he tans. Tan is still damaging to the skin and many people get a lot of unnecessary sun exposure when they are kids. Friend of mine now has precancerous spots on his head, probably from not wearing hats or not putting on sunscreen when he was younger (even with hair, he had thin, very light hair). Melanoma can be fatal.

A plain shirt isn't going to provide nearly the same sun protection as a rash guard. If you don't want to get new rash guards, I would put sunscreen on his body underneath the t-shirt.

I have 2 fair blonde kids.. I put sunscreen on them only on beach days.. not on days were are out and about in the sun at parks..

I think some sun is good for you.

I do not put them in rash guard shirts to block the sun.

I remember reading that a plain Tshirt is really low. I wanted to say it is like SPF 4. IMO at the beach or for a day in the sun you need a minimum of 50 broadspectrum.

i think that the rash guards dont get as heavy as a cotton tshirt would if wet. I dont see why you "need" one just make sure you sunscreen everything that is exposed to the sun.