Bloody Suncream allergy - any suggestions on what to try?

[Namechange1567]

DS is allergic to suncream and uses ROC but I can't use it.

I'm allergic to nivea, my GP suggested (oh so helpfully ) trying sensitive suncream. I tried Soltan sensitive and have had an even worse reaction to that than the nivea (put it on 4 days ago, still have an itchy red rash now).

Anything else worth trying, I don't want to spend a fortune buying £8 bottles only to find after one spray I can't use them [frustrated emotion]!

Ooh just read this and thought ooh I wonder.
I always get a "heat" rash on holiday. Itchy spots and hives. I take Piriton to calm it down. I wonder if it could be sun cream.

I can use aloe sun cream from the health food shop
Its only SPF 15 though. I find it hard to find one that doesn't trigger a reaction

Ultrasun. Pricey, but it works for us.

I've just had Uvistat recommended to me for my son who has bad eczema. My friend who suggested it uses it and she is allergic to everything! Available in boots apparently for about £15

Try the Australian 'Blue Lizard' or 'Vanicreme' (?Vanicream) I have only tried Blue Lizard and it has a weird texture that takes a bit of getting used to but it's the only one I can wear that doesn't make me itch like hell around my hairline initially and by the end of the summer, all over. The bottle changes colour in sunlight too which is endlessly entertaining for the DCs! I luss Blue Lizard!

Sunsense, john lewis sell it, and you can get online, another Aussie one.

Thanks all. I'll try a couple of those suggested and see what works

Ds has a SS allergy. We had a dermatology referral and got patch tests does so we know exactly what causes his reaction. Ask your GP to refer you, it's a common allergy to have considering the creams are all chemicals we can't even pronounce.

My difficulty is finding a SS without the ingredient DS is allergic to. Especially when brands feel the need to "improve" their formulas and add the stuff he can't use!

We use banana boat 50%, DS1 who is allergic to everything has always been fine with it. It's not cheap but Boots often has it on 3-for-2.

Are you sure it's a reaction to the cream and not the sun? Just asking because PLI can cause allergic-looking reactions during the first strong sun exposure of the year, so especially this time of year, but this should calm down as your skin acclimatises later in the summer.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymorphic_light_eruption

It causes horrible raised blistery itchy bumps.

Sorry that should be PLE not PLI

www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Polymorphic-Light-Eruption.htm

More info here with a pic.

I'm allergic to suncream but I can use ultrasun and P20.

Yes, not the sun as I have tested it out on my skin when it hasn't been sunny,

Have a look at the green people products.

Amazing and all organic

Another vote for banana boat spf50 here, it isn't too thick and sticky either. Asda sells it and is much cheaper than boots (£6 a bottle last summer).

I get a prickly heat reaction with every sunscreen going except P20. Probably because, unlike all other sunscreens, it's a clear runny liquid rather than a thick cream.

Clinique is the only one that I've had success with for y very allergic daughter.

I knew you were going to say Nivea! I had horrendous hive-like rash last year after using Nivea, really awful. The Banana Boat one is fine for me, as is the Boots own brand.

I have a sun cream allergy. In my experience, hypoallergenic/sensitive labels are meaningless without knowing the ingredients you are allergic to. I am allergic to a couple of commonly used ingredients, and I now use mineral suncreams rather than chemical ones.

Mineral suncreams form a physical barrier, rather than being absorbed into the skin (as with chemical suncreams, causing the allergic reaction).

The downside of mineral suncreams is that they tend to have a white sheen to them as a result of the titanium dioxide/zinc oxide barrier.

I have very bad eczema and my skin is photosensitive. I had tried everything high end to low and it all made me flare up or get awful heat rashes. Started using Sunsense last year and it has made such a difference, I haven't dreaded spring/summer this year as I know the sun won't make me come out in a huge weeping red mess

I use the tinted face cream and the standard factor 50 body cream. My DDs use it too with no problems.

Green People and Blue Lizard are both mineral based, rather than chemical.

Could you do a cheeky spray of a couple of them on you in the shop and come back in a couple of days if you haven't reacted?