Yorkshire Pudding Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Help, Omleteers! YS who has red hair, blue eyes and freckles, is naturally very sun-sensitive. He had quite bad baby eczema, which he's mostly outgrown, but can still be set off by some products. He's always been ok with Boots Soltan (not waterproof) and I've found it's very effective - but now he's itching and his skin is very quickly flaking and cracking with it. We've managed most years with sun-proof suits and hats, but he's just got too big for the readily-available ranges. Does anyone know of an affordable, eczema-friendly sunscreen available in high (and I mean HIGH) protection factors - 50+? Or of anyone selling reasonably-priced sunproof clothing in 7-8 year old sizes? He's the image of my Dad - colouring, looks and character too - and Dad had skin cancer lesions removed (successfully) a couple of years ago. I don't want to risk that with YS! Any advice welcome, or should I just lock him indoors all summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speckleyboo Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 ambre solaire has a spf50 - a kids one and an adult one, ive just bought the adult one, ive been out gardening a lot in the sun, oddly i find boots soltan makes me itchy. ambre solaire was on offer in tesco the other day too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 My daughter buys protective clothes from Lion in the Sun (I think that's right?) - they have some sale items at the moment but are usually fairly expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Ah bless him No helpful advice I'm afraid, but I do feel for you. I'm very fortunate that, as a family, all our skins are tough as old boots and we tan very easily and rarely burn. But I have noticed a definite change over the last few years - in that we have started to burn slightly following exposures that wouldn't have bothered us a few years ago Must be very difficult if you have fair and/or sensitive skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I'm pretty sure E45 do a sun cream...specially for eczema sufferers. Also Weleda do a nice one which only contains titanium particles (no chemical sunscreen) so should be OK. My friend's daughter is very sensitive to sunscreens and is OK with the Weleda one and the E45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I have the same colouring as your lad & also have ezcema, I find E45 one OK, also use P20 its supposed to last all day but i top it up with factor 50. You apply P20 before going out let it dry or you will have yellow clothes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 P20 does not have any UVA protection (or at least it did not when I last checked) so it does not protect against skin cancer, only burning. I used to have some but stopped using it because of this. Please all potential users of P20 check whether it now has any UVA protection before buying/using. Also P20 works by binding to your skin chemically...doesn't sound a healthy option for someone with sensitive skin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I can only comment on my own experiance, P20 works for me & does not irritate my skin, I use factor 50 too particularly on face shoulders etc that burn very easily, the P20 helps stop burning when Im swimming, having had some real problems with burning even with high factor sun creams, if P20 helps I dont care if it is a chemical reaction. I tend to cover up in the sun most of the time, Im the pasty looking woman under the brolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Its great that P20 does not irritate, Tiggy, but if you use it, I hope you also use the factor 50 with, I hope, a high UVA rating as well - on all sun-exposed areas. Remember, the factor rating is just for UVB rays which cause burning. The cancer causing rays are UVA, if the sunscreen does not have a high UVA rating (done on a star system) you are fooled into thinking you can be out in the sun for hours with no danger because you are not being burned but you are increasing your risk of skin cancer. In my opinion, the fact that both UVA and UVB protection is needed is not emphasised enough and people are led to think that 'factor 20' or more is all that is needed. My sister died of cancer (not skin though) last year and I hate the thought that people are being exposed to increased skin cancer risk because they have not been informed about the need to protect against UVA rays. OK, rant over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Its great that P20 does not irritate, Tiggy, but if you use it, I hope you also use the factor 50 with, I hope, a high UVA rating as well - on all sun-exposed areas. Remember, the factor rating is just for UVB rays which cause burning. The cancer causing rays are UVA, if the sunscreen does not have a high UVA rating (done on a star system) you are fooled into thinking you can be out in the sun for hours with no danger because you are not being burned but you are increasing your risk of skin cancer. In my opinion, the fact that both UVA and UVB protection is needed is not emphasised enough and people are led to think that 'factor 20' or more is all that is needed. My sister died of cancer (not skin though) last year and I hate the thought that people are being exposed to increased skin cancer risk because they have not been informed about the need to protect against UVA rays. OK, rant over... you rant all you like : sorry to hear about your sister, I always use factor 30-50 too, I agree people often do not take enough care in the son, us folks with fair skin have no choice so in a way we are the lucky ones - more likely to be extra careful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I had a chat with the suncream lady in Boots last year as my youngest son and I are a bit sensitive (well we break out in hives a lot!). She said that Soltan is one that is particularly good for sensitive skin. I don't want to use that because the year before I had got very burnt using their factor 30 cream. Didn't seem to work at all. I always put lots on as I'm covered in moles. We have switched to Piz Buin which is sort of ok we both get a bit itchy but nothing untoward for the last year or so. Hope you manage to find something suitable. It would be really good if you could try different lotions without having to buy wouldn't it because its quite expensive if you find that you're allergic to it. Luckily for me my OH and ES and daughter have tough skin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I feel sorry for your little one and hope you solve this. Whenever we put suncream on our little one he comes up in nettle rash and his face swells up until his eyes close. We found that Tesco.com were doing deals on spf 50 sunsuits a few weeks ago selling yellow ones for 8 pounds each.. I don't know if the deal is still on. We bought a few and some of the legionaires hats and we make him wear them in the garden. The mildest suncream we've found for him is Simple Kids SPF 50. If we only use it on the exposed part of his arms and legs he doesn't react too badly. I guess the skin is tougher there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I've used the weleda one before on the kids, it's quite heavy though and difficult to rub in so you end up looking like you're about to swim the channel. Do you have a health food shop that stocks toiletries nearby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 Next do spf 40 rash vests up to age 16 starting at about 7 quid http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/children/boys3-16years/36/13 Tesco have the yellow sunsuits in size 7-8 for 8 pounds but they are VERY yellow and you might have trouble convincing your son to wear them http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-0541.aspx Over a certain age the sunsuits become rash vests and shorts. Lots of internet sites stock them but they aren't that cheap, starting at about 10 quid per item Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Thanks all, will do a trawl of health food shops and Boots, and try Next for sun suits. Bright yellow sun suits with bright red hair isn't a good look.... makes him look ill! H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 That Next top is brill for older kids the sunsuit though ewww no wonder they are cheap lol I have always had verying degrees of ezcema since a child and have always used Nivea suncreams. I am not light skinned though and tan fairly easy but still use cream most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riane Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Uvistat is very good for sensitive skins. We can get it on prescription but you can buy it in good chemists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky123 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I am very fair, now in my mid fifties, and have skin cancer. Luckily enough I have the least invasive. I use proderm mousse, now called bergaderm. I buy it on-line. Also use p20, and the other one in a blue bottle, cannot remember the name - sun something. P20 is a pain, bergaderm, fantastic, 1 application enough for 6 hours, will not scrub off.I plaster my GD's in it. I go to the caribbean a lot, never burn with it. I do top-up, but I really feel confident with it. I am still jealous of you tan easy people who do not have ghastly lily white legs like me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
