SPF and still burning?

Stheno

hey

I am using a La Roche Posay SPF 50 tinted sunscreen at the moment, but have noticed that in long periods in the sun, I am getting sunburnt, and my skin is taking up to a week to get away from that horrible tight feeling.

Now specifically this is not a day to day issue, but rather happens when I am sailing. This past weekend, I was out on the water for up to eight hours at a time, covered up in the morning, and twice during the day, and ended up with my face still burnt in patches.

On my arms/hands, I use a childrens spf 50 and have a light tan with loads of hideous freckles.

Am i just not applying enough/reapplying often enough?

Thanks in advance

dudara

It's possible that you have windburn from sailing in addition to sunburn.

I'm the same as you - I have to use SPF50 to stand any kind of chance of survival in bright sun. But I'm probably not as diligent as you with the re-application.

Stheno

dudara wrote: »

It's possible that you have windburn from sailing in addition to sunburn.

I'm the same as you - I have to use SPF50 to stand any kind of chance of survival in bright sun. But I'm probably not as diligent as you with the re-application.

I did think it was wind/water burn, by water burn I mean the glare you'd get on the likes of a weekend just gone.

I tend to burn within ten minutes, so I'm super vigilant, peaked hat, sunglasses, and regular application of suncream.

I still end up with lovely bad patches that peel and are rough outlined around my sunglasses

Any suggestions on what else to do? I worked in Malta one Summer and didn't have this problem, despite spending days off by the pool!

The tan/freckles on my hands is there even though I am wearing gloves, the rest of me is covered up completely

Actually thinking on it I think you are right there is a windburn factor, I don't burn on the back of my neck/ears etc, primarily my face where it is not shaded by hat/glasses

confused1986

Are you using enough sunscreen? Recommended daily amount is approx the size of a golf ball.

Just something I heard from the Marie Keating foundation

Stheno

confused1986 wrote: »

Are you using enough sunscreen? Recommended daily amount is approx the size of a golf ball.

Just something I heard from the Marie Keating foundation

on my face alone id apply that much on a day like the one above, when we land id do a fourth application

molly09

I also use that sunscreen but when out sailing maybe using p20 spf50, it is a water resistant formula. However I am no expert !!!! I am pale and burn easily so am always looking different spf's.

Semele

No matter how high the SPF you use, or how often you reapply it, you only get a certain amount of time before you will start to burn. Perhaps you're just staying in the sun beyond the time you have protection for?

It seems confusing but the SPF refers to time, not strength, of the sun protection! Everyone has a natural length of time that they can stay in the sun , with no sun protection, before you start to burn. For me (super pale) this might only be 10 minutes, but for someone darker skinned it could be much longer. So SPF merely lengthens that time.

So say my "natural SPF" was 15 minutes, meaning I can go out bare skinned and have 15 minutes before my skin starts to burn. If I out a sun protection lotion with a factor of 2 on, I get 2 times my natural protection, so I can now stay in the sun for half an hour before I start to burn. After that half an hour, applying more lotion will make no difference, because my time is up! Someone who can stay in the sun without burning for 2 hours however will thus get 4 hours protection from their factor 2 lotion.

I use factor 50 in sunny weather/on holiday, so that increases my natural SPF by 50 times, meaning I have 50 times longer before I start to burn. But the principle is the same- I may reapply it all day (and should, to get the full benefit) but once I've reached my time limit that's it.

The main take-home point: all sunscreens, no matter what the SPF, will equally protect you from burning, until your time runs out. If you're very pale you need a higher SPF, which equals a longer time protected as opposed to a stronger protection.

Stheno

I actually now think it is windburn which is aggravating it, using factor 50 gives me 500 minutes in the sun which is almost 9 hours from the first application, and it's only sailing which causes me to suffer, so I guess, sunburn, windburn, and glare from the water are all contributing

CaliforniaDream

People don't seem to be aware of the differences in suncream.
First thing is, how long before going in the sun do you apply it?
Secondly, is your suncream broad-spectrum?
Thirdly, do you feel the higher spf you wear the less you need to apply? Spf 30 blocks out 97% of suns rays, while spf 50 blocks out 98%. There's really a miniscule difference between the two but people always say 'Oh, I was wearing spf 50'.
I live in the desert and use spf 30. There's really no need to wear higher. The difference is, I make sure to put it on at least half an hour before I go out and I reapply a lot. If you're out on the water I'd reapply every hour. More if you're sweating or in the water.
I still burn but only when I don't reapply enough. Most of the time I'm in 40+ degree heat and have no issues.
Read this for more info.

miss no stars

Bring out a pack of wipes (like the makeup remover type) and clean all the salt off your face before you reapply. I also burn in under 10 minutes (yay!) and I swear by LRP but never, ever, ever leave it more than 2 hours between reapplications. The chemical protection in SPF breaks down in 2 hours max and that's not accounting for waves or working up a sweat. So that basically leaves you with put on in the morning, top up when you're leaving the berth, clean face and reapply after first race, repeat after each subsequent race and every 2 hours thereafter.

Tiddlypeeps

Semele wrote: »

No matter how high the SPF you use, or how often you reapply it, you only get a certain amount of time before you will start to burn. Perhaps you're just staying in the sun beyond the time you have protection for?

It seems confusing but the SPF refers to time, not strength, of the sun protection! Everyone has a natural length of time that they can stay in the sun , with no sun protection, before you start to burn. For me (super pale) this might only be 10 minutes, but for someone darker skinned it could be much longer. So SPF merely lengthens that time.

So say my "natural SPF" was 15 minutes, meaning I can go out bare skinned and have 15 minutes before my skin starts to burn. If I out a sun protection lotion with a factor of 2 on, I get 2 times my natural protection, so I can now stay in the sun for half an hour before I start to burn. After that half an hour, applying more lotion will make no difference, because my time is up! Someone who can stay in the sun without burning for 2 hours however will thus get 4 hours protection from their factor 2 lotion.

I use factor 50 in sunny weather/on holiday, so that increases my natural SPF by 50 times, meaning I have 50 times longer before I start to burn. But the principle is the same- I may reapply it all day (and should, to get the full benefit) but once I've reached my time limit that's it.

The main take-home point: all sunscreens, no matter what the SPF, will equally protect you from burning, until your time runs out. If you're very pale you need a higher SPF, which equals a longer time protected as opposed to a stronger protection.

You are right about SPF referring to time and not strength. But I really don't think you are right about there being an upper time limit regardless of reapplication. Do you have any sources for this?

BethG

Just thinkiing out loud. If you are sailing would the sweatproof sports sun block products be more beneficial to you than your lie on the beach product?

Stheno

miss no stars wrote: »

Bring out a pack of wipes (like the makeup remover type) and clean all the salt off your face before you reapply. I also burn in under 10 minutes (yay!) and I swear by LRP but never, ever, ever leave it more than 2 hours between reapplications. The chemical protection in SPF breaks down in 2 hours max and that's not accounting for waves or working up a sweat. So that basically leaves you with put on in the morning, top up when you're leaving the berth, clean face and reapply after first race, repeat after each subsequent race and every 2 hours thereafter.

Thanks, makes sense

When I get burnt (and it's only my face, my neck has a light tan, my hands are freckled, it is very gritty, so I reckon you've got a good point, I'm being hit by salt/wind/sun and as you say working up a sweat.

Will try that over the next couple of weeks

ComputerKing

miss no stars wrote: »

Bring out a pack of wipes (like the makeup remover type) and clean all the salt off your face before you reapply. I also burn in under 10 minutes (yay!) and I swear by LRP but never, ever, ever leave it more than 2 hours between reapplications. The chemical protection in SPF breaks down in 2 hours max and that's not accounting for waves or working up a sweat. So that basically leaves you with put on in the morning, top up when you're leaving the berth, clean face and reapply after first race, repeat after each subsequent race and every 2 hours thereafter.

That's not necessarily true if the sun cream I photostable it won't break down under normal conditions. Also make sure you apply the sun cream about 30 mins before sun exposure and then again after 30 mins of sun exposure.
Lastly make sure you're applying about a shot glass full of suncream for your whole body and about a 1/4 teaspoon for your face.

miss no stars

ComputerKing wrote: »

That's not necessarily true if the sun cream I photostable it won't break down under normal conditions. Also make sure you apply the sun cream about 30 mins before sun exposure and then again after 30 mins of sun exposure.
Lastly make sure you're applying about a shot glass full of suncream for your whole body and about a 1/4 teaspoon for your face.

True, but for physical sunscreens to be applied properly you can't really rub them in the way we do, they tend to be thick and cause awful problems with blocking pores skin. They're literally a barrier between your skin and sunlight. Plus, most people only apply about 1/4 to 2/3 as much as they actually need. It's horrid stuff when used properly. So most sunscreens are a mixture of chemical and physical protection. So most sunscreens break down. In fact, the vast majority of sunscreen that's available will break down.

Semele

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

You are right about SPF referring to time and not strength. But I really don't think you are right about there being an upper time limit regardless of reapplication. Do you have any sources for this?

http://www.uvnatural.com/australia/faqs.htm

This is just one mention a basic google search brought up. I've read it many times elsewhere, although it really isn't explained well in most magazine articles etc about sun protection!

I know it seems counter-intuitive at first but it does make sense when you understand how sun protection works. No SPF blocks all of the harmful rays, so some are still getting through and causing damage to your skin. An SPF of 30 or whatever just means that the burning process is slowed down by a factor of 30, but it's still happening. When you come to the end of the time period that you are protected for, you skin has reached the stage where damage is being done, and if you stay out past this stage you will start to burn. Putting on sunscreen again at this stage doesn't undo the effect of having been in the sun for however many hours earlier that day, as the cumulative damage from the rays that are still getting through has built up to the point where you are likely to show signs of burning. You've had your time, basically!

Reapplying sunscreen is just to make sure you have the full coverage you should have and that its effectiveness isn't compromised by it wearing away or being sweated off throughout the day.

jennyjoy

If you have skin that does not tan easily you are most likely getting burnt. 50spf doesn't mean that it's high in blocking the sun and you should only apply it once...there are a ton of articles on it but spf past a certain point doesn't do any better of a job protecting you than lower spf's. I would reapply every hour or so to ensure you aren't getting burnt. If you go in the water, fully dry yourself and then reapply right away. You may not feel like you are getting burnt if there is a lot of wind, so don't go by when you feel your skin getting sun, just go by time when you applied last.

Pythia

As a redhead, I feel I can't rely on suncream. I would never go out for 8 hours in direct sunlight, even with plentiful reapplication. I prefer other means of protection - shade and covering up.

Stheno

I've some red now mixed with plenty of grey, but seem to have found a solution in recent weeks.

I'm applying MUCH more sunscreen than I used to, easily a teaspoon or two to my face and do top it up after cleaning off, and it certainly worked today, I was out from 9-7 and have no nasty tightness or anything.