Sun Screens

quidsinquentin

Uvistat sun screen @ £2.99 for factor 15 & 30 . Posted this because it used to be the only sun screen that doctors could prescribe (might still be?). In theory this sun screen should on of the more dependable ones - ie it does what it says on the bottle. This was in Sheffield.

swizzle_2

Hi

I have a really sun sensitive son, aged 4, spoke to health vistior who says it`s `normal` to burn after 15 mins without cream.
After some disscussion we now put on cream factor 25 in a sparay and reaply every 2 hours. He wears a wide brim hat and I even got an spf 50 polo shirt for him from down under. Spoke to school nursery who say that they will reapply suncream if he has a problem.

But some one has told me that will not be the case as he go`s into main stream school.

So 2 trains of thought- take him to see gp- if medical problem they will have to reaply-or keep him in at break and lunchtime-sure they won`t want that, or find a cream that does not need to be reappled.

Heared about P20? a once a day cream or also seen a factor 50 for children ad on tv.

What do you think?

My mum was really sun sensitive and used Uvistat, whats the factor 30 like? decided to use spray on ds as easy to apply- did try a factor 40 from avon and it was like tar. Although he is alot better about having it on now- he knows what will happen if he doesn`t- spots!

Sam_26

Beware of the Uvistat in the likes of Home Bargains, as this is a couple of seasons old stock. The new stock is boxed and has an expiry date, which is now a legal requirement.

Old stocks of sun creams can be sold for endless years, but they degrade and you might think you are applying F30, when it has degraded to F15.

On a note about P20, great product, but wouldn't advice use on Children, as only stocks UVB, not UVA, So prevents burning, but not aging.

Other product brands I would recommend are Sunsense (Auzzie brand) and Ultrasun (Use on plane). These :T make very high factors.

SAM

Savvy_Sue

Swizzle, your son might become less sun-sensitive as he gets older - I know I have, and according to Ted's sources, improving your Vitamin D status helps with this.

P20 isn't one I've used. A couple of years ago I bought some ProSport, couldn't find it in the shops so bought it online. It's another once a day cream, but doesn't have the setting time which P20 does. I don't know if it protects against both UVA and UVB, however.

But Boots now do some 'apply once' creams as well, so they would also be worth considering. I think they do a Factor 40 one, as well as 25 and 15. And they were BOGOF when I bought them earlier this year. They seem quite acceptable - my youngest didn't burn while he was away, anyway!

Ted_Hutchinson

Savvy_Sue wrote:

Swizzle, your son might become less sun-sensitive as he gets older - I know I have, and according to Ted's sources, improving your Vitamin D status helps with this.

Not only vitamin d but also omega 3

Supplementary omega-3 FA significantly increases the UVR-mediated erythema threshold in humans. Supplementary omega-3 FA significantly reduces the level of pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive PGE(2) levels in Ultraviolet B-irradiated human skin.
I didn't reply earlier as I'm preparing a thread on the dangers of sunscreens and I felt swizzle may have felt I was getting at her if I posted it here.

Those who want a preview of my new anti-sunscreen thread may care to read Dr Cannell's piece here "If you are comfortable drinking sunscreens, then you should feel comfortable putting them on your skin." I'm sure we all know how transdermal patches work and that they are an effective way of transferring chemicals directly into the body through the skin so if you wouldn't take it through the mouth don't put it on your skin.

sexymouse

I have fair hair and skin, and I use a product from gatineux (sp?) that has a tan accelerant in it. This brings your body's natural melanin to the surface (it is lower down the skin layers in fair-skinned people), helping you tan more easily. This year they have put this ingredient in their sun screens too, so you get protection, and can tan more easily, rather than looking streaky or orange. They sell it on QVC, but you could probably get it in ebay for less. If this has been helpful, please press thanks.

Savvy_Sue

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

I'm sure we all know how transdermal patches work and that they are an effective way of transferring chemicals directly into the body through the skin so if you wouldn't take it through the mouth don't put it on your skin.

I haven't had time to read the link yet, but just feel that there are quite a few things I wouldn't want to drink but I'm quite happy to use on my skin! Handcream, lipsalve, antiseptic cream for infected cuts / spots, verucca treatments, deodorant ... and yes, if I have to be out in the sun for any length of time, SUNCREAM!

Turning_into_scrooge

I have a skin condition called Melasma (sp) which causes brown patches to appear on my face when i get sun on it so i use Loreal factor 60 sun screen which works wonders but makes me look ill when its on my face as its so thick and white so i cover this with foundation. Tescos are selling it with 50% off again this year a 150ml bottle is #7.00, dearer than other makes though but for me its well worth it:).

harryharp

gundo wrote: »

I get this as well and I found some fantastic stuff when I was in Thailand a while back. It's talcalm (sp?) powder with menthol in it. It worked really well for me when I was wandering round Bangkok in 35C heat. Exposure to the sun sets it off for me but once I have it, it will flare up just because I'm getting hot.

Sadly I haven't been able to find the equivalent powder here and I gave mine to a friend who suffers from prickly heat rash very badly in summer.

When I get it bad it feels as if someone if holding a candle flame to my skin - OUCH!

Saw it on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=017&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=270123513684&rd=1&rd=1

Ted_Hutchinson

Each of these research based suggestions will improve the time you can safely stay out in the sun without your skin going pink.

1. Improve Vitamin D status with Cholecalciferol Supplements. Vitamin D3 is part of the skin's photoprotection mechanism. By building up Vit d reserves before sun exposure you will tan naturally quicker and so this will also add to the skin's protection. I've already got a good suntan this year just by keeping my Vit d up in the Winter, just going outside a few times and I'm starting to tan nicely.
2. Improve omega 3 status. EPA the omega 3 essential fatty acid found in fish oil or metabolised from ground Flaxseed (or flaxseed oil) if your veggie will also improve the skin's photoprotection properties. If you can't consume it, massage it into the skin, that will take it up and improve the UVR resistance.
3. Use tomato puree 2 tblspoons daily and olive oil ,2 tsps a day per person will lengthen the time it takes for skin to burn. See Tomatoes and Skin Protection What you are adding is the lycopene in tomatoes and polyphenols in olive oil are both phytonutrients.
4. Drink Green tea. If you can't acquire the taste for it hot (nicer with ginger or lemon maybe) then make it half strength put it in the fridge to get really cold then top it up with fizzy bottled water maybe add some honey. Green tea can also be applied directly to the skin or you can wash/bath in it.
5. Pomegranate juice, another high phytonutrient with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Make sure you have plenty of other phytonutrients in your diet. ie raspberries, blueberries, World's Healthiest Foods Highest in Antioxidant
   
   
7. Phytonutrients Systemic photoprotection through carotenoids
8. Nutritional supplements are increasingly used to protect human skin against environmentally-induced damage, most importantly as a consequence of ultraviolet radiation exposure. beta-carotene is a major constituent of comercially available products administered for systemic photoprotection. Studies on the systemic use of beta-carotene provide evidence that 15-30 mg/d over a period of about 10-12 wk produces a protective effect against UV-induced erythema. Beta Carotene Food Sources
9. Improve the antioxidant factors in diet, selenium, vitamin C, Vitamin E have a good evidence to support their use but use natural food sources rather than synthetic.
10. Build up exposure to UVB now gradually, by regular, limited, exposure to UVR. A home solaria sunlamp used perhaps 3 times a week through the winter for just a few minutes each time will harden the skin and enable it to cope with sunlight during the Summer without burning. UV hardening therapy:
11. Read this page of The Vitamin D Council newletter You can find the cheapest high strength Vitamin D from the links page on that site.
12. How can my diet help protect me from sunburn?: answer

be aware that 6 out of ten of UK residents remains Vitamin d insufficient throughout the Summer leaving them vulnerable to cancers, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hypertension,Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, Mental illness, depression, Multiple Sclerosis and more, for each individual dying from cancers arising from excessive sunburn, 30 will die from cancers thriving in Vitamin D depleted bodies and a total of 250 die from conditions arising from too low a vitamin D status. Regular limited direct exposure to sunshine is far more important than complete protection. There is absolutely no point in striving so hard to prevent skin cancer that you actually promote prostate, breast and colon cancer. These are far greater risks and avoiding all sun exposure more than doubles the risk you put you children in. The most wicked, evil and dangerous thing you can do is to put the sunscreen on before your child goes outdoors. That is inviting those risk factors thought to lead to Multiple Sclerosis and the above most common deadlycancers by denying the natural protection afforded by high vitamin d status. There is no point at all in avoiding skin cancer if in doing so your deliberately, knowingly double the risk of breast, prostate, colon cancers and MS.

You have to be aware that Vitamin D protects more than sunburn damages so the research shows even people with active melanomas (the most deadly skin cancer) have BETTER LONGER prognosis if they CONTINUE to SUNBATHE.

The aim of sunblock is to prevent burning, but if you apply it before you go outside and never allow your skin to react in the way it naturally evolved and so preventing Vitamin D production YOU ARE DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.