Sunblock Question.

[ScubaBuddha]

I understand that not all sunblocks are created equal. I will be working at high altitudes soon and will be in the sun frequently. The skin on my face is already showing some sun damage. I found this sun block for sale at Watsons the other day and I would like to know if it is going to give me the best protection, assuming the labeling is correct. I have never seen this sunblock before, and it is half the price of the competitors. It seems kind of generic. Is there better protection? I'd like to know what some of the terminology used means.

Thanks in advance.

SB

[seedy]

I first arrived in LOS 2005, starting riding my HD shortly after.

My nose would get burnt very easily, scab, peel, bleed, scab, peel ....

Tried many brands before I found the answer - Nivea Sun moisturizing immediate sun protection 5 in 1 spf 50

Comes in a blue bottle w/yellow top.

Never had any problem since. I apply at every gas stop - probably overkill but no burning.

[Sheryl]

With sun blocks, there are 2 considerations:

1. The SPF (sun protection factor -- the higher, the better

2. The medium it is in i.e. gel, liquid, cream, water soluble/not water soluble, waterproof/resistant/neither etc . In terms of comfort , appearance and also how sweat/water proof it is. If you find them all comfortable enough and aren't likely to get wet or sweat a lot this point isn't very important, but otherwise it can matter quite a bit.

At a high altitude it will probably be very dry so the waterproof/resistant aspect may not matter for you. In which case anything with a high SPF should be OK. Just remember to reapply anytime you wash. You might prefer a cream base (as opposed to liquid, some of which may contain alcohol or other drying agents) as at high altitudes the skin dries out easily.

[ScubaBuddha]

With sun blocks, there are 2 considerations:

1. The SPF (sun protection factor -- the higher, the better

2. The medium it is in i.e. gel, liquid, cream, water soluble/not water soluble, waterproof/resistant/neither etc . In terms of comfort , appearance and also how sweat/water proof it is. If you find them all comfortable enough and aren't likely to get wet or sweat a lot this point isn't very important, but otherwise it can matter quite a bit.

At a high altitude it will probably be very dry so the waterproof/resistant aspect may not matter for you. In which case anything with a high SPF should be OK. Just remember to reapply anytime you wash. You might prefer a cream base (as opposed to liquid, some of which may contain alcohol or other drying agents) as at high altitudes the skin dries out easily.

Thanks Sheryl.

I have done a fair amount of research on the topic, but there is a lot of conflicting info out there. I found one site lists XYZ brand as the best, then another that specifically named that brand as coming in the worst in testing!

Obviously the higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) the more protection. But it gets confusing when you start talking about UVA/UVB, broad spectrum, ACE force antioxidants, PABA Free, organic vs. inorganic, physical sunblock vs. chemical sunblock, PA+++, zinc Oxide, titanium oxide, mexoryl etc. etc. I was hoping to find someone who really knew what the latest and greatest was.

I still don't have my answer, but for those with an inane curiosity like me, here are some interesting tidbits I found at wikipedia and other places.

Sunscreens contain one or more of the following ingredients:

Organic chemical compounds that absorb ultraviolet light.

Inorganic particulates that reflect, scatter, and absorb UV light (such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or a combination of both).

Organic particulates that mostly absorb light like organic chemical compounds, but contain multiple chromophores, may reflect and scatter a fraction of light like inorganic particulates, and behave differently in formulations than organic chemical compounds. An example is Tinosorb M. Since the UV-attenuating efficacy depends strongly on particle size, the material is micronised to particle sizes below 200 nm. The mode of action of this photostable filter system is governed to about 90% by absorption and 10% by scattering of UV light.

Depending on the mode of action sunscreens can be classified into physical sunscreens (i.e. those which reflect the sunlight) or chemical sunscreens (i.e. those which absorb the UV light).

Even some products labeled "broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection" do not provide good protection against UVA rays.[15] The best UVA protection is provided by products that contain zinc oxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule. Titanium dioxide probably gives good protection, but does not completely cover the entire UV-A spectrum, as recent research suggests that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide at wavelengths between 340 and 380 nm

Your sunscreen should be water resistant, with an SPF of at least 30. Above 30, there's not much more protection. You need to reapply any sunscreen every 2 hours or so anyway and after swimming or sweating. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of a lotion on most of your body, or "spray as much as can be evenly rubbed in," says Jessica Krant, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, "then go back over every area and spray them all completely again."

Almost every tested sunscreen contains some ingredients associated with adverse health effects in animal studies. Oxybenzone and other endocrine disruptors may interfere with hormones in the body, and nanoscale zinc and titanium oxides are linked to problems such as potential reproductive and developmental effects.

[wellred]

I'm of Indian origin, and didn't use any sunblock when I was in India around 5 years ago. Can I get away with it or would you still advise me to use sunblock?

Thanks

[BKKdreaming]

is there an expiration date for Sun Screen ?

I do not see any dates on the bottles ,

I got some 100 SPF sunscreen theother day here in California,

one thing to note 100 SPF is not 2x as go as 50 SPF , I am sure its a liitle better but its not a normal ratio to compare the SPF

BK

[ScubaBuddha]

is there an expiration date for Sun Screen ?

I do not see any dates on the bottles ,

I got some 100 SPF sunscreen theother day here in California,

one thing to note 100 SPF is not 2x as go as 50 SPF , I am sure its a liitle better but its not a normal ratio to compare the SPF

BK

How did you buy 100SPF in the states. They changed the laws a few years ago. Now they can't say over 50.

In a very unscientific test, I put the Watsons 50 PA+++ on half my face and arms, and Nivia Whitening 50+ DNA protect on the other and spent a day in the sun. Seemed to be no difference in protection that I could tell. (I know tanning only tells half the story)

[rijb]

This is a pretty good article. It was in my reading list. protect and treat

[kenny999]

If you will be working in the sun at high altitude why not cover up like the workers here do, I am thinking it would be the safer option!!!

[ScubaBuddha]

If you will be working in the sun at high altitude why not cover up like the workers here do, I am thinking it would be the safer option!!!

I will be mostly but you can't be 100% covered up all the time. Also depends on the activity.

For the cheap charlies out there like me, I stumbled across this 250ml 30SPF sunblock by Aron in 7-11 for just 39 baht! That's just .16 baht per ml compared to Nivia's .54 baht per ml. Says UVA/UVB and contains titanium dioxide. Great for people like me that go through a lot of sunblock, have been known to occasionally donate sunblock to airport security, or just plain lose sunblock like crazy. Watch this space for another unscientific test!