Anyone got any experience of Suncream Allergies?

[GillW]

My 10 month old DS seems to be allergic to most suncreams - it brings him out in red blotches, and when these fade it leaves his skin with very dry (excema like) patches.

Has anyone else had this? Did you find out what the guilty substance is? Are there any suncreams which are ok (even the sensitive skin ones seem to cause the same problem)? And did you manage to get any tests done to pinpoint the problem?

The Gp we've seen is pretty useless - just says to take dairy out of his diet (although that makes no difference at all and these flareups are definately suncream, not food intake related) and keeps prescribing more Diprobase which I won't use on him any more as it obviously makes things worse, not better (suspect it contains the same thing which is causing the problem in the first place). So at the moment I'm stuck with just keeping him out of the sun.

I'm hoping to see a different Gp to see if we can get something more positive done, but it would be useful to hear if anyone else has any similar experiences.

Yes, I posted a couple of months ago about it, but can't remember where! I found that Ambre Solaire and Tesco's own kids' brands made ds's skin very dry or reactive. The AS one made him come up in a bad rash, which took over a week to go.

I currently use a spray one (can't remember the name - sorry) which is for kids. It is a factor 48, in a white bottle with a pink lid. It was next to the Malibu brand in Tesco. This is a milk, and seems OK on his skin. HTH.

Unguentum Merck is better than Diprobase, as it is thicker. It is harder to rub in, but worth the effort IMO.

GPs have to say to get rid of dairy products, as it is the first call before trying anything else, but, you know your own baby better than they do. If you think it is a reaction to a chemical, insist on being referred for allergy testing. I am lucky that my GP is great, and he did this, without asking me to test a non-dairy diet, because he took my word for it that dairy wasn't affecting ds. We also had a scary moment with egg.

Having said that, we are still awaiting an appointment!!

Good luck with the suncream. It gets expensive trying every brand doesn't it!

I would have thought you could probably find out which ingredient in the sun cream is causing the allergic reactions? Usually zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are touted as the least allergenic, but some people are precisely allergic to those things.

I wonder if you can buy "pure" zinc oxide from a chemist and just mix it with something like olive oil to apply?

Maybe lycra sunsuits are your only way forward!

My dd comes out in a very nasty rash all down her cheek whenever we put suncream on her face. I also got a zinc oxide one specifically to avoid this. Speaking to a friend about it she had the same problems with her ds - she phoned the suncream manufacturer to see what they said as she had bought a super-sensitive one specifically for sensitive babies. The woman on the phone told her that although there are suncreams that are marketed at babies, they do not recommend that any baby under 2 uses suncream! I was furious at such a despicable ploy! So was she!

All I can do is to keep her as covered up as possible and out of the sun.

Interesting, I just visited the doctors yesterday with my daughter who had come up in awful red blothcy rash which I thought was probably heat bumps but thought I'd check (always much worse just after a bath, is this the same with yours??). GP wasn't really much use but I use the Ambre Solaire one and now think it is probably this. GP did say to slather her in Aqueous (sp??) cream which I have been doing and it is going but maybe it's just down to time. Am going on a hunt for a white bottle with pink lid and factor 48 in Boots tomorrow, let you know what it's called if I find it.

I was very sensitive to most suncreams as a child and got red blotches from them. Somehow it seemed to be the combination of the sun with the cream (ie the reaction didn't occur when i put on the cream, it happened when i finally went in the sun). Anyway, I use Coppertone Waterbabies which I buy in the states and it doesn't bother me. I don't know if it's available here. I use it on my son (19 mo.) as well and have had no trouble. However, I would NEVER put sun cream on his face, because if he rubs it in his eyes by accident it stings terribly. I just put a floppy hat on him and it works fine to keep him from getting sunburnt even after 2 weeks by the seaside in italy. As zebra says, the lycra sunsuits seem to be a good solution if you can't get a cream that works. I saw a couple of young very pale aussie kids with them in italy and they seemed perfectly happy. Good luck. I read somewhere recently that allergy testing for children is one of the things that english gps are worst at.

By the way, it's called 'Banana Boat'...I actually remebered to look when I was in the supermarket today!

Don't rely on this being any good, it might still affect your ds/dd. All I know is that my ds is ok with it.

HTH

Our dd has eczema and allergies and reacted badly to a suncream my dfil used on her, a very heavy one from the Skin Cancer Foundation (which definitely had zinc oxide in it but I'm not sure what else). I don't have the tube here so I can't tell you what the other ingedients are unfortunately. She also reacts to most other sunscreens, including most "sensitive" or "toddler" ones. We have found the only one she can handle is the Sunsense Low Irritant one by Ego (which may only be available here in Aust), which contains titanium dioxide as the active ingredient and the preservatives are methyl hydrobenzoate, phenyl alcohol and diazolidinylurea. It's expensive to trial and error them but it really is the only way to tell for sure; patch test on a small area of skin like inside the elbow, and leave for 24 hrs. If the rest of the family is allergy-free, then at least they can use up any products that give a reaction. HTH

Am having same problem with ds. Bought a load of different ones to try and luckily the local Boots took them all back and refunded me. Where do you get P20? Haven't managed to find it anywhere despite seeing ad's for it.

I got P20 from our local Lloyds branch, but can't use it as the instructions (inside box Grr !) say you shouldn't use any other creams or lotions before application which isn't an option for dd.

Willow2, got mine at jonny lou-lou's in oxford street

I've bought dd a natural sunscreen from Green People www.greenpeople.co.uk which was developed specifically for the maker's daughter who has skin allergies. I've also bought a pop-up tent from jojo maman bebe which is u.v. protective although as dd isn't mobile yet it's obviously a lot easier to keep her in it!
HTH

Message withdrawn

Thanks for all your suggestions so far.

No luck yet in the search for Pink & White "Banana Boat" spray - but getting close with a purple & Yellow SPF25 Banana Boat Spray (nice short list of ingredients, so sounds promising, even if only in the hunt for the guilty substance), and a Blue SPF30 Banana Boat Kids Sunblock which is PABA free (scented and coloured which I'd rather avoid, but it's worth a try).

Both these are waterproof though and I've also been told that non-waterproof products may also be better as they allow the skin to breathe - anyone know of a non-waterproof, PABA free, scentless, colourless suncream?

We're definately going to try to see a different doctor and insist on a referal for allergy testing - especially as it will be covered on DH's health insurance scheme which also covers DS.

I've just found P20 in Waitrose so bought a packet for my daughter, it's expensive though, £11.99 for a very small tube but it states that you only have to put it on once a day. I've not heard of it before but will report back to you on any reactions.

Janus, there is a website

www.pharmacy2u.co.uk

which has a large P20 (200ml) for £17.95. (P & P is £2.50 unless you spend more than £40 but that should be quite easy as they have loads of stuff.)

Failing that there is a v cheap high st discount shop, pretty basic but with good stuff only its name escapes me just now - it has a plain, dark greyish interior, anybody know who I mean? - which has the 100ml at £9.95. If I remember the name I'll get back to you!

Also, someone recommended Piz Buin "Allergy" to me, it's only Factor 15 but is supposed to be good for sensitive skins. Think it is water resistant rather than waterproof. (It has a mauve box on the front.)

Yes you need to avoid PABA and lanolin too.

I bought one from Elena Schalburg which is meant to be good for excema sufferers (see discussions on excema creams). But DH hated the feel of it on his hands - it feels kind of tacky, but DS seemed OK with it, even when he sucked it off his hands. Elena promises that it is good for preventing excema as well. This is the total sunblock, the factor 20 might feel better. As I am quite sensitive, I use a chemical-free sunscreen from Clinique (with titanium dioxide in it) - so I put this on DS and it seemed fine. Expensive but then you can use it as well, and it feels nice! Also try using an oil or emollient to wash off the sunscreen as soon as you get home, I found this helped to reduce my own sensitivity.

I used Piz Buin anti allergy stuff. It's good, but not a hight enough factore for ds.
I, however, used the factor 40 Ambre Solaire stuff for ds a few weeks ago (it's the blue gunky cream), and the next day, was convinced he was suffering from "Slapped Cheek Syndrome". After a few more days thought, realised it was the Ambre Solaire stuff I'd slapped on him.
I called Ambre solaire, and they've sent me a refund.
Thought it was worth mentioning, as all this experimentation with sun creams can be really expensive.

fms - thanks for that. I'll call them, as Ambre Solaire was one of the brands which I tried without success.

Anyone tried Proderm sun cream (or know where to buy it?) It's apparently derived from an ecxema treatment cream, so that'll be the next to try I think if the Banana Boat ones don't come up trumps (haven't had any sun since I bought them!).

Superdrug's own range is good - Solait.

Ok, so we've had a couple of days of hot weather and already my ds is coming out in prickly heat/ezcema type rash. Mainly on torso, inner knees, elbows and underarms. Don't know whether I'm best to not put sun tan lotion, on as this seems to bring the whole thing on, or not. Also, anyone got any advice on homeopathic treatments for this sort of thing? We saw a homeopath ages ago (he had bad ezcema when he was very young) but for the past year his skin has been pretty good - apart from when he gets hot. Have still got some Morgan tablets from last year which I might try - plus friend has recommended petroleum 6c cream. Anyone know what the best homeopathic remedy is for heat provoked rashes? Alternatively can anyone recommend a web site?

Quick update - the blue PABA free SPF30 Banana Boat Kids Sunblock seems to be doing the trick - shame the sunny weather seems to be over now we've found a solution! Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

Sorry this is going to be a bit vague as I have already recycled todays paper...but there was a bit in the Times today about a certain chemical causing a huge increase in skin rashes. The chemical is something that is often added to suncreams and other products to delay moulds forming. The only ones I remember it definitely being present in are Boots Soltan products and Carex hand wash (both of which I use - or should I say used to use!). HTH.