Sunburn

[violette]

I jog almost everyday and go on long bike rides on the weekends. I've been slathering 30 spf sunblock and still burn! I have these tiny blisters under the cream like after you burn yourself and there is water in then. What is going on with the sun, does this happen to you. It's like the sunblock is doing NOTHING for protection.

[KnottedYet]

You might be allergic to the chemical sunscreens. Especially if you are getting blisters.

Try using an inert sunblock. (only active ingredients are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) Or wear long sleeves and long pants and a wide brimmed hat.

Checking in with a dermatologist might be a good idea.

And if you have "white freckles" that are blistering after sun exposure (even with sunscreen on), you definitely need to go see a dermatologist.

[Pika]

I agreewith KNott but another possibility is the expiry date on the sunblock- sunblocks can "expire" so you may want to check- where I am ( Canada) I understand that you shouldn't leave them thru the winter in cars, boats etc because the freezing temps ruin them.
Also are you putting it on "thick'" enough. Apparently when they test the spf on sunscreens they test it using a whole tsp per arm leg etc- most people just put it on too thinly so the spf doesn't match up to the claims.
Hope that helps:) We all need to protect our skin!

[Thorn]

Knot's right...Listen to her.

I'm allergic to several common sunscreen ingredients. Blue Lizard Baby (which appears to be identical to Blue Lizard sensitive, but you can sometimes find it cheaper) is all inert ingredients and works pretty well (reapply often because sweat will move those ZnO particles). Prefer Zn0 over TiO2 because it is a broader UV spectrum blocker.

And, I know that this sounds totally stupid, but when you make the appointment with the dermatologist (because you will, right? ;) ) make sure you ask about their experience with sun screens. A friend recommended a dermatologist that....sigh...seemed to know very little about sun screen ingredients--their practice seemed to focus on cosmetic skin treatments....sigh. It took two visits (to someone else the second time) to get to a solution.

[Rumblefish]

Also, how long are you outside running and riding?? Do you reapply sunblock if you are outside for a long time?

I just recently learned a lot about suncreen from a chemistry class. For example, SPF doesn't work the same for everyone...if you get burnt outside without sunblock in ten minutes, then you can stay out 30 times longer than 10 minutes with spf 30, and so forth. Also, SPF only refers to UVB protection...UVA rays can also do a number on your skin. The UVA rays aren't what causes you to burn but it's believed that they can cause some long term damage, so it would be worth looking into the ingredients on your label to see if there are some that protects against UVA rays as well.

Here's a small list of ingredients that also protect against UVA rays, and the % are the maximum concentration manufacturers are allowed to put in.

Titanium oxide 25%
Zinc oxide 25%
Sulisobenzone 10%
Oxybenzone 6%
Menthyl anthranilate 5%
Avobenzone 3%
Dioxybenzone 3%

You might already know some of this stuff, but just in case I thought I'd mention it. I hope this helps and good luck with the sunburn!! I hope you can get it under control :)

[Brandi]

I have seen this happend first hand with someone I know. It was a combo of allergic reaction to the sunblock and we think heat. It is a rash not a burn like you might think.
I use 45 to 50 and I use sunblock with z-cote ( clear zinc) my Skin Doc recommened it. Said I should always use zinc sence I am outside so much with my work and I live in California.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I had to stop using the usual chemical-based sunscreens last year because I suddenly broke out in huge hives one day after putting it on and going in the sun. I read a lot and realized I had become allergic to them. You might actually be experiencing a chemical burn from the sunscreen combined with sun exposure! :eek:
Now i use ONLY non-chemical sun block- you know it from the fact that there are only two active ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I have no problems now, and they protect really quite well. Some of them can be a bit whitish colored but that works in and disappears if you apply evenly.

[coyote]

I had a strange experience last spring. I started wearing sunscreen on the way to work. As soon as I hit the sun my eyes would start watering like crazy. I couldn't see and my nose joined in on the action. I thought it was pollen. One day I forgot to put the sunscreen on. My eyes did not water. I started doing web searches. The sunscreen I was using was supposed to be hypo-allergenic. Apparently the active ingrediate reacts with the sun. It was that reaction that was causing me so much grief. I try to wear uv protective clothing and use sunscreen that has only zinc oxide as the active ingrediant - like Lisa said. I'm rather fanatical about blocking out the uv effects, my favorite aunt died from skin cancer. Living in Tucson, during the summer you can actually feel the sun burning your skin. Its crazy.

[withm]

The offensive agent in your sunscreen is likely PABA, and if you are sensitive to it you will get a reaction like that. Look for sunscreen that specifically says NO PABA. I use Coppertone Sport with no problems, but samples of a Baby Magic product produced welts and blisters the likes of which I've never seen. Read the label - yep, it was all PABA.

Takes a couple days for the rash to go away, but it does. Unfortunatley it looks pretty bad, but at least for me it was not painful, perhaps a little itchy...

[violette]

I use "OMBRELLE" SPF 30 by L'Oreal. I think it's only available in Canada but I could be wrong. It is suppose to be the best sunscreen available and very expensive. It has Avobenzone(Parasol 1789), Mexoryl SX, Octocrylene 7%, Titanium Dioxide 2.5%, etc...

My blisters left as soon as I got out of the sun, then my skin peeled. It's ok today, just looks like I burnt and now peeling. Doesn't hurt or itch. thanks for you infor. I didn't know what was going on!!

[KnottedYet]

Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing into your skin. Then when the sunlight goes into your skin it changes the chemical make-up of the sunscreen. (the chemical sunscreen "absorbs" the sunlight and the energy from the sunlight changes the chemical)

Please try an inert sunblock (which literally blocks the sunlight before it ever enters your flesh, reflects it right off the surface) or long pants/sleeves/hat until you get in to see the dermatologist.

It sounds like you might be reacting to the secondary structure of the chemical sunscreens in your L'Oreal. (a sunburn or a reaction to the primary structure would probably not disappear as soon as you left the sun, but only your dermatologist could tell you what is really going on)

[Thorn]

I use "OMBRELLE" SPF 30 by L'Oreal. I think it's only available in Canada but I could be wrong. It is suppose to be the best sunscreen available and very expensive. It has Avobenzone(Parasol 1789), Mexoryl SX, Octocrylene 7%, Titanium Dioxide 2.5%, etc...

My blisters left as soon as I got out of the sun, then my skin peeled. It's ok today, just looks like I burnt and now peeling. Doesn't hurt or itch. thanks for you infor. I didn't know what was going on!!

Gee, that really sounds like an allergic reaction. As mentioned earlier, PABA allergies were similar. No allergic reaction unless I was in the sun with a PABA sunscreen--then I broke out in little blisters (like pins); step indoors and the reaction would fade away.

I don't know much about Mexoryl (it has only been approved in the US for a year and isn't in common usage). It is a chemical, not a physical block and you could be reacting to it. I can't use sunscreens with Parasol 1789--I break out. There is some controversial research on it that says that under some circumstances (e.g., you don't reapply often enough) you can burn more with Parasol than if you hadn't applied it. But, the research is controversial.

That said, get thee to a dermatologist! And, if you have an open rash or a sunburn, the only sunscreen you should be applying is a physical block--TiO2 or ZnO.

[Torrilin]

I use "OMBRELLE" SPF 30 by L'Oreal. I think it's only available in Canada but I could be wrong. It is suppose to be the best sunscreen available and very expensive. It has Avobenzone(Parasol 1789), Mexoryl SX, Octocrylene 7%, Titanium Dioxide 2.5%, etc...

My blisters left as soon as I got out of the sun, then my skin peeled. It's ok today, just looks like I burnt and now peeling. Doesn't hurt or itch. thanks for you infor. I didn't know what was going on!!

Ombrelle is the best available... if you can take chemical sunscreens. Not everyone can. And it sounds like you no longer can. Sucks, but such is life.

[Grog]

I agree that you could try to cover-up more.

And try Dermatone. It's relatively easy to find in Canada, and works really well. (It's also a physical block.) (Actually I think it's the same as Z-cote.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

There is a brand new sunscreen comparision/rating website just up today!
Check out how it rates the different sunscreens. Lots of good info:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens//index.php?nothanks=1

Here is a related article about the new website and how it came about:
http://www.themoneytimes.com/news/20070620/ewg_exposes_effectiveness_and_safety_of_sunscreen_brands-id-105052.html
I find it really shocking that the FDA does nothing to evaluate or regulate sunscreens, what with so many people getting skin cancer now.

[KnottedYet]

Some of the varieties of Dermatone in the U.S. have chemical screens in them too, so read the ingredients carefully.

[Thorn]

There is a brand new sunscreen comparision/rating website just up today!
Check out how it rates the different sunscreens. Lots of good info:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens//index.php?nothanks=1



Awesome link! Fascinating that one of the sunscreens I tossed and claimed "just didn't do anything", they also say "just doesn't do anything". Hmmm....

Besides listing pros/cons, truths/lies, the general information on that site seems quite good. What a great resource! But as you say...isn't it a shame that the FDA doesn't regulate this? Sigh...


Thanks Lisa!
(well, except that I got lost on that site for too many hours....from work :o )