Burning even with SF50 ?!?

[MiniCooperLover]

So I've used various SF50's for years (Nivea, Ambre Solaire etc) and am always a bit pink despite copious amounts used. My face would get horrible cystic spots, blocked pores so last summer (for Portugal) I had La Roche Posey SPF50 and it was brilliant. I didn't burn, just lots of freckles. The last 2 days I'm more than pink. I know its hot, I'm applying regularly AND Im sitting regularly in the shade but still I'm pink ... What to do ?!?! Is there stronger in effective facial skincare? Or is it because I'm getting older (just turned 43)? We are off to Portugal in July and am getting quite worried. I've always taken care of my skin, will buy a good sun hat but what else do I do ?!? 5 year old will want me in the pool/beach at times (as will I).

[MiniCooperLover]

This is what I've been using.

[HermioneWeasley]

Is it the same tube from last year? Do you need a new one?

[mrsmortis]

Can you see a dermatologist? I burn at 9am in March. Years ago I lived in Germany and saw a dermatologist. They gave me a sort of desensitisation treatment where you have to spend a few minutes (or less, I think I started with 60 seconds) in a special tanning booth every couple of days, building up over time. They also prescribed me factor 100 sun tan lotion for a trip to India. In Germany this was covered by my health insurance. I expect it would need to be private here.

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

What were you using over the winter? If you've been using moisturiser with a very effective sunscreen and you're starting off pale blue with no natural sun protection whatsoever then suddenly being exposed to very strong sun will be a big stretch even with the sunscreen that worked well last year.

[OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack]

i also go pink/burn even with factor 50. i went to florida last april and despite slathering on factor 50 repeatedly every single day, i still came back bright pink. i also covered up with clothing, wore hats and sunglasses so i don't know what more to do myself. watching with interest

[lavendersun]

You need to cover up. I wear factor 50 and find the swiss made one the best

www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasun-Extreme-Formula-Once-100ml/dp/B0026M7SM8?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

But I always wear something on top. I have had several things removed over the years, moles and other odd things and see a dermatologist once a year just for them to look at my skin to see if anything is changing so sun protection is fairly high on my agenda.

Today for instance, lovely day and we went out riding. After smothering myself with swiss sun cream I wore cycling shorts and a long sleeved shirt, have a peak on my hat and then put more sun cream on and this hat when I got to where we were going:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0034KPVXE/ref=twister_B00CL44HAC?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

I just wear linen/cotton, swiss formula and find somewhere shady as often as I can ......I am always told I look young for my age so there is an upside .

[FrustratedFrugal]

Chemical sunscreens tend to lose their efficacy quickly and sometimes sweating or rubbing also renders them ineffective. I'm in the far North and have very pale skin that burns easily. I've spent lots of time near the water this weekend and yesterday my neck burned through a loosely wrapped scarf and spf 30. Today I wore a thick denim shirt and a wide-brimmed UV protection hat with the same sunscreen and didn't burn. We spend a part of our holidays in Italy and there I wear loose long-sleeved cotton shirts and stay under the big beach umbrellas and in cabanas away from direct sunlight. If I'd have to spend lots of time in the pool, I'd wear a UV protection shirt.

[Namelessbabe]

You might have developed a sun sensitivity. It's possible to and more common in 30+ women. Check with your GP? Is it just burning or a rash and swelling too? Look up something called PMLE. And make sure your sunscreen is 5* UVA as well as factor 50 UVB. Not all are. UVA causes lots of allergies. River in make a great anti allergy suncre am. Boots sell it.

[Ifiwasabadger]

I live in a very hot country and it is factor 100 all the way for me.

[VimFuego101]

That's interesting Nameless. Since living in an area where it snows and has very low temperatures for 5 months of the year, it seems like when I do finally get some sun my skin is determined to suck up as much of it as possible and I burn like crazy!

[dragonsarebest]

This may sound stupid, but are you pink because of the rays or the heat? I can go very red but it's a reaction to the heat rather than actually burning, if that makes sense. I do burn if I don't use suncream (eg back of my neck yesterday, schoolboy error) but 9 times out of 10 for me anyway it's just being too hot.

[ExtremelyConfidential]

Dragons point is very relevant....I'm hypersensitive to sun. I've been also advised that some melasma can be triggered by heat (not just light). If so, for you, you could get freckles in the dark if warm enough for long enough

I use that LRP one by the way...v good as it combines particle as well as "chemical" IE chemically organic agents.

[specialsubject]

There's only so much UV you can take.

Is that a real sunscreen or the office to restaurant to spa facial stuff? If the latter it is useless for more than a short time outside.

For your holiday - rash vest, board shorts and big hat in the pool. Cover up outside it. Same as your kid.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'm a burner, and I like the LRP, but I think because its tinted you don't slap it on as thickly as maybe you need to. I use it when I might be dressed up and sitting outside for lunch as a protective foundation, but for a day out its P20 spf 50 all the way for me since I found it really did work.
I combine with a hat and long sleeves.

[Namelessbabe]

Vim yes, I have pale skin so have never been great in the sun but developed an actual allergy in my early 30s. Saw a dermatologist who diagnosed it.

The sun cream I mentioned is by Eucerin not River In!

[leadrightfoot]

First check your sun screen it is probably out of date. Check for a POA (period after opening) if no expiry date.

You could be more sensitive / need to cover up more anyway or you could be using non functioning sun screen (due to its age), especially if it worked last year

[MiniCooperLover]

Hello all, it's a real sunscreen. I've got the lightweight Sf50 which is probably more of a 'wear on your way to work' like Citiblock, but this isn't that. It's a proper SF50 that takes time to rub in and doesn't expire until Dec 2017 (bought new July 2015). It may be a sensitivity to skin (proper Celtic skin) plus the sun is becoming terrifyingly strong here in comparison to precious years. As mentioned I genuinely do not spend a long time in the sun, I prefer the shade anyway, but this is the one cream that doesn't bring me out in lumps.

[Cerseirys]

Are you rubbing the cream in? Big mistake. You're supposed to spread it into a layer over your skin and let it soak in for twenty mins before you go outside.

[margaritasbythesea]

Interested!

[ExtremelyConfidential]

Also Celtic skin. To get really thick enough layer of lrp on I have to mix the plain white with tinted to get colour about same as my skin tone then spread a layer on like thick foundation. For rubbing in (and I wear this as an underwater) I use lrp Anthelios ka which is like a clear moisturizer. I have to be absolutely obsessive.

[ExtremelyConfidential]

Anthelios KA ... moisturizer with very high ppd and almost total uva/uvb block for people hypersensitive to UVA. Not sure if it's in UK yet.

[LogicalThinking]

There is still a perception that very high SPF is better. It really isn't. There is so little difference after SPF50 that it's not worth getting (which is why SPF50 is the maximum that can be sold in most of the world)
Make sure you use a broad spectrum 5 star rating UVA/UVB.
The way it is applied is also very important. Don't rub it in too much, it needs to form quite a thick layer on top of the skin. Most people don't use enough.
Reapply every 2 hours.
If you burn easily you have to get out of the sun. You can't just apply more, it doesn't work like that.
Clothing is the best protection. Any close knit fabric is good - hold the fabric up to the light, the less light that comes through, the better protection it gives. Proper UV clothing is the best.

[LogicalThinking]

Anthelios KA is not proper sun protection, it's a moisturiser.
From their website "Precautions: This is not a suncare product."
It doesn't specify UVA/UVB so it probably doesn't protect against UVA.

Anthelios has an excellent range of sun care products, but KA is not one of them.

[ExtremelyConfidential]

Yup. In any case, "spf" only refers to uvb protection....

this is where lrp (and most good SEasian brands) get popular for skins that are hypersensitive to uva, hyper pigmentation, melasma etc.....they have dedicated UVA rating and/or PPD ratings.

Even the rating as good broad spectrum protection as per current UK guidelines won't necessarily offer anything like adequate UVA protection for a fair skin that's truly sun sensitive.

[Treetopchallenger]

It needs to be applied 20 minutes before you got out in the sun and very liberally so it's still wet on the skin. Then let it sink in. I'm an average bottle of sun team it has 5 applications for the average adult body. It needs to be applied 2 hourly, if you are sweating then maybe more.