Do you use sunscreen?

[channlluv]

In my job, I get off at 11:30 am and have to wait around until 3:30 to pick up my daughter. This school year, though, I've joined the Y, so I go swimming there nearly every weekday afternoon. After school I'm busy handling her schedule (carpool, swim team, martial arts), so the middle of the day really is my only opportunity to exercise.

In the fall, when I began, it took me 50 minutes to swim half a mile. Actually, I couldn't even do that. I could swim about five laps is all. Let's say February, it took me 50 minutes to swim a half a mile. I had only been able to get there sporadically because of all the travel I had to do in the late fall and winter (due to deaths in the family). Wait, the car accident was in February...okay, um April. April it took me 50 minutes to swim half a mile.

This week, I swam a half mile in 28 minutes.

The sunscreen challenge, though, is that I go swimming every afternoon right in the early afternoon, from noon to about 1pm. Then I go inside, rinse off, visit the sauna for about 20 minutes and deep condition my hair, then shower and head back to the school to pick up my daughter. I tried sunscreen, but I couldn't reach my back, and it seemed like it all washed off in the pool anyway, in spite of it being "waterproof."

So I have to be honest and confess that I have not been wearing sunscreen on my body until this past week and I'm getting really tan. I'm not burning because I'm in the water 99% of the time I'm outside. Normally I'd be red as watermelon. Now, I love how I look with a tan and so does DH, but I'm getting really freckly on my shoulders and back. A year or so ago, my dermatologist told me "First you get tan, then you get freckly, then you get leathery, and there's really no going back from that." I'm one step away from leathery, so I just bought the Aveeno 70 spf waterproof spray-on stuff so I can apply it myself to my back and shoulders.

I DO wear Aveeno 100 spf on my face, though. It says on the tube it's waterproof. The challenge there is that it affects the seal around my goggles and they often leak, so my eyes start stinging from the sunscreen and water.

Way back then, my dermatologist recommended a laser treatment to get rid of the damaged skin (freckles and the beginning of age spots -- I'm 45) that I had then. I had the procedure on my face and chest - it HURT! But it worked. The freckles turned to what looked like coffee grounds and two weeks later they had all worked themselves free and sloughed off. I had one of those blacklight skin checks and my face looked amazing afterward. Almost no sun damage was apparent.

I think that treatment has made me complacent with using sunscreen now, though. I do use Aveeno 39 spf on my face, neck, and chest most days, but I don't apply it when I'm swimming, except on my face.

I know I'm flirting with disaster here - skin cancer, especially. I need to start using sunscreen all over my body every day, no matter what. I don't want to get all leathery.

I'm not sure what my question is here...I guess I don't have one. I know what I SHOULD be doing. I'm just not doing it.

Roxy

[loopybunny]

I use Hawaiin Island Creations when I ride. That stuff is hard to wash off in the shower with hot, soapy water... definitely doesn't run into the eyes when sweating. They say waterproof, they mean it!

Downside is that it has parabens in it so I don't use it daily, only when I think I'll be sweating a lot like riding or hiking.

I'm sure I'll find out soon it's also tested on animals which will turn me off immediately. I'm refusing to check the PETA company list at this time (although, I've found it inaccurate before too).

hicsuncare.com

[snowroo]

your dilemma is simple. Wear a shirt that covers your back.

Or get that cute pool boy to help you reapply.

I have fair skin. I don't wear strappy, sleeveless clothing. I can't. I'll burn. Or get skin cancer. Oh well. Health 1, Fashion 0.

Kudos on your swimming. That's impressive!

[OakLeaf]

EWG's updated sunblock guide.

[Selkie]

Roxie, what about a rashguard? Patagonia has a very nice one this season---the fabric is wonderful (I wear mine as a top! LOL).

I guess swimming indoors has its advantages.... Last year, I was swimming outside and despite using sunscreen, ended up covered with new freckles (age spots), in addition to some new moles.

[channlluv]

I have a long-sleeved Body Glove rash guard. I bought it for swimming during the cooler winter months. (Don't laugh -- here in San Diego, it dropped into the 60s! Even with the heated pool, brrrr.) It's kind of heavy, though, and in the sun, it's hot. I might try it, even so, because it's only June and I'm already worried about the freckles and possible skin cancer. Thanks for the suggestion.

I did go look at the Patagonia rash guards, but they don't come in my size, alas.

As for the cute pool boy helping me reapply, there aren't any. The lifeguards rarely leave their big chairs unless there's a shift change. Besides, I'm only out there for 30 minutes. I think that's why I'm tanning rather than burning.

I wonder what my vitamin D level is. When I had some tests done in May, it was low. I'm on supplements now, per doctor's orders.

Roxy

[Alex]

Thumbs up to the Vanicream Sport SPF35. Goes on well, the white fades, and it doesn't make me feel like I am encased in plastic. I'll probably still stick with Rocky Mountain SPF50 Sunscreen for all day rides and for triathlons, but I wore the Vanicream on yesterday's ride and during today's run, and it was great. DH bought it after he saw it on the EWG list.

[itself]

My partner just went to the dermatologist last week. Yes, they had to remove a growth on her neck and now the wait for the results. Never been so scared in our lives.

Sunscreen must contain one of these four ingredients according to our dermatologist:

Avobenzone
Titanium Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
Mexoryl

There is a lot of controversy around oxybenzene as an ingredient you DO NOT want in a sunscreen. Needless to say, we just tossed all of our Hawaiin Tropics as it is junk.

I read on ewg that rated sunscreens but I haven't checked ingredients. Badger is supposed to be really good, but the dermatologist did say Neutrogena is one of the best.

My partner is a pharmacist and says that most of these expensive sunscreens are way overpriced. She is going to compound sunscreens and simply take the Trader Joe's sunscreen and add pure zinc to it to get better protection. Cheaper and it will work!

Lisa

[Blueberry]

There is a lot of controversy around oxybenzene as an ingredient you DO NOT want in a sunscreen. Needless to say, we just tossed all of our Hawaiin Tropics as it is junk.

I read on ewg that rated sunscreens but I haven't checked ingredients. Badger is supposed to be really good, but the dermatologist did say Neutrogena is one of the best.

At least some Neutrogena products have oxybenzone in them.

Here's hoping your partner gets good news.

[ScaldedCat]

I used Riemann P20, stinks but seems to work.

[Catrin]

I didn't know that J&J tested on animals... I have been trying their baby sunscreen on my face, and All Terrain TerraSport on legs, shoulders, and arms. I was using Coppertone Sport with a supposed SPF of 50.

[OakLeaf]

I just learned that titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst. Instead of just reflecting sunlight, it actually creates free radicals.

Effect on human skin is unknown, but it sure doesn't sound good. I'll stick with light covered fabrics and zinc oxide, TYVM.