posted 05-23-2005 05:33               

Do you have any favorites? Are there any you wouldn't recommend?

posted 05-23-2005 11:43               

Note that for best protection buy fresh sunscreen. After a year old we throw it away. It does tend to expire as far as it being effective. It's not something you can smell or see.

The sun that far south is exceptionally strong and you want all you can get. I only use 50 myself. Near the water you can do a serious job on yourself in just a few hours. My approach is spf 50 and find a palm tree. Bring it with you as I find it is hideously expensive when you get there.

posted 05-23-2005 12:07               

We saw lots of people wearing the shirts on our recent trip to Hawaii (some long-sleeve and both children & adults) so they must be gaining popularity.

posted 05-23-2005 16:35               

quote:

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Originally posted by debraxh:
I like Coppertone "Sport" the best, but I believe it only goes to SPF 30. It dries quickly, is not greasy, seems to hold-up in the water ...

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Ditto vote for Coppertone sport. Clear spray, not the white goopy stuff. Works great for us "baldies".

posted 05-24-2005 05:10               

Titanium Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
Parsol 1789

Without one of these, you are protecting your skin from burning but you are NOT protecting from skin cancer.

Flip the bottle to the back, skip the inactive ingredient list, and check for one of these. If it doesn't have it - go on to the next brand. Even within brands, some types have it, some don't, so be sure to READ carefully.

If your skin is very sensitive, you should look at the Neutrogena face sunscreen. It has the protection you need and does not irritate the skin when applied.

Avoid any with alcohol

posted 05-24-2005 15:49               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Janis:
MAke sure that any sunscree you buy has at least one of the following listed in Active Ingredients:

Titanium Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
Parsol 1789

Without one of these, you are protecting your skin from burning but you are NOT protecting from skin cancer.

Flip the bottle to the back, skip the inactive ingredient list, and check for one of these. If it doesn't have it - go on to the next brand. Even within brands, some types have it, some don't, so be sure to READ carefully.

If your skin is very sensitive, you should look at the Neutrogena face sunscreen. It has the protection you need and does not irritate the skin when applied.

Avoid any with alcohol

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posted 05-26-2005 13:33               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Janis:
...If your skin is very sensitive, you should look at the Neutrogena face sunscreen. It has the protection you need and does not irritate the skin when applied.

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Hmmmmm, I don't quite understand your statement. Neutrogena does not have any of this:
- Titanium Dioxide
- Zinc Oxide
- Parsol 1789

posted 05-26-2005 17:55               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kal:
Hmmmmm, I don't quite understand your statement. Neutrogena does not have any of this:
- Titanium Dioxide
- Zinc Oxide
- Parsol 1789

Do you have a link that provides any scientific data to support this idea?

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The link given above will direct you to a good article on the UVA/UVB issue.

THe last time I bought the Neutrogena Sensitive Faces, it definitely had the proper ingredients. It may have been avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789) or oxybenzone.

I wasn't looking at the bottle when I wrote the email - I just remembered that it passed the UVA/UVB test

posted 05-26-2005 18:24               

quote:

---

....Since PABA and PABA esters only protect against UVB light, check for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that also screens UVA rays. Ingredients like benzophenones, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and avobenzone (Parsol 1789), extend the coverage beyond the UVB range and into the UVA range, helping to make sunscreens broad-spectrum.....

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As the link indicates, the list of 3 active ingredients should be EXPANDED to include the following:

* benzophenones
* oxybenzone
* sulisobenzone
* titanium dioxide
* zinc oxide
* avobenzone (Parsol 1789)
* and more

This means that Neutrogena (8% active ingredients), Banana Boat (3.4% active ingredients), Bull Frog (4.5% active), Coppertone, and others meet this criteria.

posted 05-26-2005 19:30               

He recommended Blue Lizard. But he said it's harder to find. He said I should use the Face one on my face. Duh.

I'll let you all know the results. We'll have 14 people in our group.

posted 05-26-2005 21:19               

Here's one online link for BullFrog Sunscreen http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/2679.htm

here's an online link for Blue Lizard Sunscreen http://store.yahoo.com/coolibar/sunscreen-blue-lizard.html

and a link for Total Block UVB/UVA Protection http://skincarerx.com/total-block.html

and a link for info on z-cote transparent zinc oxide sun protection. http://www.basf.com/corporate/zcote_2002_summer.html

posted 05-27-2005 18:45               

I checked Walgreens, Eckerd, CVS and an independent pharmacy and Blue Lizard was nowhere to be found.

posted 05-27-2005 19:57               

Whatever you settle with use the highest SPF you can find. I generally use spf50. Whatever you do make sure you do use it, and try to stay in the shade as much as possible!

Last year I had a sinus infection and got a prescription for zyphromax (sp?). The last day of my medication I was out in the sun for about 30 minutes (with shorts and a T-shirt) and I got the worst burn I've ever had. This was in March (it was about 82F) and I wouldn't normally even gotten any color from this short of exposure. Due to the medication I was extra sensative to the sun.

Use high spf and reapply often.