Reaction to a combination of sun, suncream and swimming?

[TickledOnion]

DDs have been on holiday with exH. For the 2nd year in a row, DD1 has come back covered head to toe in a rough, bumpy rash. Moisturiser only seems to make it sting more, even the Aveeno with Shea butter that is normally great on her mild everyday eczema. Hopefully a couple of days of strong steroid cream will sort it out.

ExH used a sensitive suncream (nivea or something similar) and she doesn't normally react to it when I've used it on sunny days in the UK. She also doesn't react badly to UK sun on it's own if I forget to put suncream on or to weekly swimming lessons. I think it must be something to do with spending a week in the pool, covered in suncream in a hot country.

Does anyone else have this problem? I've bought P20 for our holiday just to try something different. Can anyone recommend anything else to try?

You see all the typical sunscreens wouldn't work for us - DCs are sensitive, get red, burnt etc
The only thing that helped was organic/natural ones from an organic shop, that have zinc oxide and other natural products

Sorry hit button too soon.... You would need to stay away from core hours though and try maybe max 2 hours under the sun? How long did they stay for?

Thanks. I don't think she is sensitive to the sun, more the suncream. I imagine she's been put all day for 7 days. She's not burnt at all just covered in a rough rash.

P20 brought DS out in a terrible rash and he's not the only one I've heard of.

It just seems so think and clogging.

We use an Aussie make called Sun Sense, it's factor 50 and really thin and easy to rub in like double cream consistency. My 2 younger DCs with dodgy skin have never reacted to it.

When ds skin gets this bad all moisturise really strong him. I now use baby oil to moisturise (which doesn't sting him) and moo goo cream mixed with it to get it back to normal.

Now I've actually got here back I've noticed that the rash is everywhere except her face. She had the same suncream on her face but she won't have had her face in the water. Not really sure what to make of that.

My son reacts to everything, suncream brought him out in a head to toe dermatitis rash for nearly a fortnight this year. We have since twice used Ladival with no reaction! Unbelievable and would reccomend to everyone. Currently on offer in boots

Oh and it's waterproof, I think I've been a bit casual reapplying after pool time.

Chlorine pools are really bad for my eczema. I normally have one small patch on my hand, a week of daily swims and it's all over my arms and legs. Swimming in the sea on the other hand made it go away, even when it was really bad as a child. Seaside holiday next year?

Though what you describe also sounds like heat rash - could it be that or is it def eczema?

Prickly heat?

I've just googled prickly heat. It does look a bit like that. Would she get that all over arms, legs, torso and back?

I think so. There are creams you can get for it. I bought some but in Cyprus for my dd1 as she suffered whilst abroad. Can't remember the name of it though

My first thought was good old prickly heat, I get it everywhere except my face. It is very itchy and I'm talking about clawing at yourself.P20 was too greasy for my skin and brought about the prickly heat quite rapid. The only thing that I was ok with was a natural Aloe Vera product I bought off the holiday Reps and Sun Sense.Its my beast of burden, I read something reccommending Detol soap, I'm yet to try it though and I won't hold my breath.

Yes you can buy cooling sprays that take away the rawness and itchiness, they do make it more tolerable, but mine just becomes inflamed again when I hit the sun.

My dd gets this, it sounds like prickly heat. It's from being hot rather than being exposed to the sun. We also thought it was sunscreen related until we realised that she had it all over her trunk when she had a sun safe suit on and only sun cream on arms, face and legs

My son gets similar on his back and chest. It's definitely worse when he uses very high spf, factor 50 makes it much worse than factor 30. And the 'all day' creams such as p20 or the soltan 'once' creams, make it really flare up. The best way Weve found to minimise his rash is to use a maximum of spf 30, with quite a light formula. Ladival is good (was £2.99 in home bargains a couple of weeks ago, they might still have it!) or the so,tan sensitive (in the White bottles.)

Thanks everyone. I'll get some sunsense and ladival.

My DS's eczema gets even more dry and bumpy with the mixture of Suncream and chlorine pool. He's prescribed an emollient to help which we put on every night but he's still itching a week after we've returned from holiday.

Sounds massively like prickly heat (the sun opens the pores and the combo of sweating and swimming helps the suncream block them causing the horrible itchy rash). The higher the factor the worse the likelihood of getting it (due to the general thickness of them)

Best way to get rid is a hot bath or shower to reopen the pores and clear them. Cold water will then close them

Piriton will help the prickly heat

Spot on for heat rash. I suffer badly.

Things that work for me:

• Allergy tablets for two weeks leading up to and throughout holiday.
• Detol Sensitive Soap used before and during holiday.
• Aerosol sunscreens seem to cause a less severe reaction. Heat rash is about blocked sweat lads = so the more heavy the suncream the more rash.
• Exfoliate after a COOL shower in the evening then NO creams to let the skin breathe.
• If really itchy - hydrocortisone cream applied thinly but washed off before bed.
• Fewer clothes the better - nice and loose so not to rub the skin.
• Lots to drink and stay in shade for part of the day.
• Mines bad enough to get steroid cream from the GP. If she is really bothered see if they will prescribe.