here comes the Sun. Can't find Suntan Lotion for DS?

[Starbear]

My son is 4 yrs, Every year we try different suntan lotions none of them work. He always gets a heat rash type spots. I can't afford to work through them again this year. What can I do? We are off to Spain in July and he'll need something. Help?

[steviesgirl]

Are you using a high enough factor, i.e 30+? Can't see why suntan lotion won't work unless it's not applied to your ds thoroughly

Make sure his arms are covered up with light cotton (and legs), to minimise the risk of heat rash. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious and sound like I'm lecturing, just trying to cover anything that you might not have thought of before. I find Nivea children's sun lotion factor 50 is good for my dd.

Sorry I can't be of anymore help.

[TooTicky]

I have found Lavera lotions very good, even on my super-sensitive ds2.

[Starbear]

steviesgirl We are prone to allergies. I have tried Nivea as my first choice but no luck. I do cover him but he's skin doesn't like lotion. I suffer the same way but having dark skin so I just don't wear the stuff. But my son is lighter and green eyed.
I'm going to have to make a chart to log how each product works until I find the right stuff. I'll give Lavera a try.

[SoupDragon]

Nivea brings my DS2 out in a rash and he's not sensitive to anything really. I've heard Mners using one by Banana Boat when their children have sensitive skin but I think it can be tricky to find. Perhaps it is heat rash rather than a sun cream allergy though.

[SoupDragon]

Have you tried the once a day ones by Piz Buin and Boots Soltan Once? Maybe they are a different formulation completely t the normal ones.

[Starbear]

Thank you Soup Dragon. We are off to the GP at 10.40am.
So if it's heat rash how should I save him from this problem. It does seem to be worse when I put suntan lotaion on him. Any ideas welcome.

[MadameCastafiore]

We use the spray on Aveeno for DS - it is fab and sooo easy to apply - you get it from soft-skin.co.uk.

[mamadiva]

Hi, my son and I have both got atopic eczema and have the same problem.

I recently bought the asda one it has fantastic reviews in the which trial it was one of few that were actually the factor they say it is!

None of us have had a rash with this stuff and it's only £5 for 2 bottles so bargain!!!

[Starbear]

has the Asa one got a name or just Asda?

[Starbear]

Right been to the G.P they can't help. I'm going to start a chart and work it all out. 1st trying Banana Boat factor 40 as it was in the chemist. £9.99!

[Amapoleon]

Can you get isdn in the UK. It's great for sensitive skins and is sold from total block downwards. If you can', you can buy it in any pharmacy when you get to Spain.

I used to have terrible heat rash and the dr prescribed an anti histamine to take before I went on holiday, maybe they do a kids version.

[Khara]

My ds2 has a bad sunscreen allergy. He had a very bad reaction to Soltan (I think it was the Once variety) which brought him out in a pin-prick rash everywhere and gave him a very puffy face. We used banana boat last year without a problem but this year he seemed to react to it. So far the Piz Buin all-day one seems ok, but we've only used it once or twice so I'm not over-confident that we've cracked it to be honest. It costs a flipping fortune every year to find one he won't react to.

[spicemonster]

There are different kinds of allergy related to the sun - not all of them are caused by the sunscreen. I have a condition called polymorphic light eruption which is caused by exposure to the sun. It is exacerbated by most sunscreens and I can only prevent it by going on sunbeds (not that I'm suggesting you take your DS to the tanning salon!). Basically, exposing the skin gradually to the sun helps but that's not possible in our northern hemisphere.

I've found that Piz Buin allergy doesn't exacerbate it and even minimises the symptoms. But for a 4 year old, I'd put him in a UV suit if I were you.

[asteamedpoater]

My ds1 has the same problem with suncreams and we still haven't cracked it, either. Last year, he was OK with Soltan Once, this year he came up in a pinprick rash all over when we put it on. We have occasionally found suncreams that he only reacts mildly to, following which his skin seems to settle down a bit and tolerate them, but the next year he reacts more vigorously to that type of suncream and we have to start searching again... Most of the time I just avoid putting the stuff on - he's got an SPF 50 legionnaire's sunhat and tends to stay in long sleeves until it's much too hot to be bearable! He also has body-covering swimsuits, to avoid his torso being exposed... Part of me is hoping that as he gets older, his skin will get tougher and less reactive (not that he reacts to anything other than suncream), as I'm not sure he'd appreciate the current covering up approach forever (he's only 5 at the moment). However, there is a lot to be said for covering up in the sun, rather than plastering chemicals all over your body that react with the sun on your skin in ways that are not 100% proven to be harmless themselves, even in people who don't have an immediate physical reaction to them.

One thing I have been told is that lots of people react to PABA (para-amino benzoic acid) in suncreams, so you should ensure they are PABA free. I have a feeling, though, that most sunscreens no longer have this in, anyway, although some still have Padimate O or octyl dimethyl PABA in, which are PABA esters and also provoke allergic reactions in a fair number of people, so avoid these, too! Basically, I think the general advice is that you should try to find a sun cream where titanium dioxide (or zinc oxide) is the main active ingredient, as this is an effective block against UVA and UVB and doesn't tend to provoke allergic reactions in the way many other chemicals often used in suncreams do. Oh, and one other thing - I've read somewhere that cinnamates in suncreams are also somewhat more prone to provoke reactions in people with sensitive skin that other types of UVB absorbers.

And finally, please tell me if you do find a good suncream, with high UVA and UVB protection, that your ds doesn't react to, as I'd love to save my money and just get one I'm fairly certain will work on my ds!

[Starbear]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm going to have to work my way though them. I'll post my findings as summer progresses. Today has been grey so, now we just want some sun!

[aprilflowers]

My child has atopic eczema - use only zinc oxide based suncreams which form a barrier rather than slapping on chemicals
Neals yard lavender and Dr.Hauska have been brilliant - no reaction
Green people are very good too - no reaction either

good luck

[spiderlight]

My 2-year-old comes out in big red bumps within minuts of us applying every sunscreen we've tried apart from Lloyds' chemists' own-brand Soltan - might be worth a try.

[Starbear]

aprilflowers Interesting will look out for those. Spider I will add Soltan to my chart

[PortAndLemon]

I get polymorphic light eruptions and the only sunscreen that really helps me is Piz Buin Allergy. Someone on here recommended it and it did make a big difference (mind you, I've never had a problem with being allergic to the sunscreen itself, just with the UV light, so it's a different situation).

[PortAndLemon]

(ah, I see spicemonster has made the same recommendation. It might even have been her who originally recommended it to me)

[Starbear]

Port I just have to study my son a little closer to work out what the real problem is.
You might be right. So Piz goes further up the chart. Better get off here and draw it.

[anchovies]

My recommendation is ultrasun, either the factor 30 that is only available in John Lewis (currently on 50% extra free) or the reflex 30 which is a physical suncream with no chemical filters. I get bad prickly heat as does ds1 and these are the only suncreams that stop it completely.

Previously we've both had the same problem as alot of others, what works one year is a disaster the next but I have been using ultrasun for 3 years now and would highly recommend it.

[Starbear]

Ta! On the list, Anchovies.

[MadameCastafiore]

here - this worked for my DS last year on hols so have stocked up again.

He has had excema since birth and all the Aveeno products really help.

[asteamedpoater]

Hi, Starbear,

Not necessarily helpful, but I wanted to make the point that there are two possible types of allergic reaction following putting on a suncream: one is a direct reaction to the cream, which would happen soon after, or almost immediately after putting the stuff on; the other is photo-contact dermatitis, where you don't actually react directly to the cream, but do come out in a rash when the sun shines directly on those bits of your body that have suncream on (ie it's something to do with the reaction of the sun on the suncream on the skin...). The latter type of reaction sounds pretty similar to polymorphic light eruptions to me, except for the fact that the latter doesn't require the addition of suncream for it to occur (and in fact is likely to be helped by the addition of suncream). Chemicals that are actually absorbed by the skin and subsequently have to be broken down by the body are more likely to cause either of these types of allergic reactions, hence UVA and UVB absorbing chemicals being quite likely culprits for causing the allergy and physical blockers that sit on the skin instead of being absorbed by it being extremely unlikely to cause any reaction (ie zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). On that basis, anchovies' recommendation of reflex 30 sounds worth looking into! I've also been recommended to try the Green People products, but when I tried their website this pm, couldn't get access to the ingredients info., nor get any info on their UVA rating.