3 year old allergic to sun cream

[Pedalpusher]

my three year old is allergic to sun cream. comes up in terrible blotches which are hot to the touch (actually looks a bit like sun burn, which foxed us at first). currently just using hat and long sleeved T shirts which are working a dream, he is not burning at all, but I don't think I want to go the whole summer like this. Any suggestions? was hoping to avoid a trip to the doctor for this but I guess it might be inevitable.

Have you got any idea what he's allergic to? Different creams use different sun blocking agents so it's worth checking it out. Do feel free to PM me if you want translations of what's on the back of the bottle :)

My DD is allergic to various things and we were advised to try Piz Buin Allergy sunscreen www.boots.com/en/Piz-Buin-Allergy-Lotion-SPF50-200ml_117124/

Haven't tried it yet but will give it a go before we go away later in the summer. Maybe worth a go for your DS.

There is alot of chemicals in sunscreen. Infact they are linking these chemicals to serious diseases like thyroiditis so id give the off the shelf stuff a wide berth.

Google, Green People. They do sunscreen that is totally chemical free, mineral only.

Don't go too mad covering him up constantly either. Vitamin D from the sun is essential for children and adults so a bit of colour by the end of the summer is a good thing.
Avoid buring by keeping him out of mid day (11-3) sun and using the chemical free stuff only if you think you will have him out for a long time mid day. Other wise, Id stick with the hat and sleeves.

I have had melignant melenoma so I don't say this casually. Im very careful myself but I have also had problems related to covering myself in SPF50 for 8 years. I have a severley low vitiman D level which isn't healthy either.

I now follow the mid day rule and if it very hot, a hat, long sleeves and a shady spot. If it's morning or late in the day I just enjoy it like everyone else. I have gone from milk bottle white to cream!

Is it all creams?

DD is allergic to the nivea anti-allergy stuff but fine with boots own brand.

He seems to be allergic to anything with SPF in it but haven't tried Piz Buin so will look out for it. Also allergic to some of my face creams without SPF which he is fond of experimenting with...

Problem is if I try all the creams it will cost me a fortune! Looked at an organic one today and it was £15!

Really agree with what you are saying about Vitamin D quick chat. I think nursery go a bit mad sometimes with the suncream. I also think factor 50 is a bit high.

However, I don't want him to go all summer with no suncream at all so I will probably fork out for that organic one. groan. failing that it will be prescription. have taken a blotchy photo of him to take to the doctors if I can't find one that works.

pedalpusher - there are two main sunscreening ingredients in natural creams, one is titanium dioxide and the other is zinc oxide and either can cause reactions, like anything can and there are many more in the High St. brands of course. So if you can isolate the ingredient that causes the reaction, you can look for another that doesn't contain it. You can do this, you don't have to be a chemist, honest. quickchat is right in more than one thing she says, Vitamin D is essential (with sensible precautions) and there are lots of possibly toxic (depending on who you talk to) chemicals in most toiletries you can buy on the High St, it's not just sunscreens. Can you see either of those ingredients on the bottle that you know he's allergic to?

Liz Earle suncream is great and chemical free

henrysmate you are a chemist. I've checked the most recent cuprit (Nivea, sun kids, pure and sensitive) and it does have titanium dioxide in. perhaps this is it?

Pedalpusher - I'm not, I promise, but I'm so allergic to so many things I've been reading labels for a long time, that's all. But yes, it could be the titanium dioxide that's causing it, but in fairness it could be any one of the other 30 or more ingredients on the label (I've just googled it). The best way to test out the theory is to get a sample of another sun cream that does use Titanium Dioxide but has minimal other ingredients (try Pure Nuff Stuff, they're chemical free and I've found them helpful in the past - and their suncream is Titanium Dioxide based). Then do the same with a zinc-based one (the Badger brand is similarly chemical free) and see what the outcome is. If you do both patch tests in the crook of his arm, you should see a reaction pretty quickly if there is one. Hope this helps.