Sun tan lotion is giving me a rash

[Rhys W]

I was talking to one of the ladies on the clubrun yesterday - she was wearing arm warmers because she said she couldn't find a sun tan lotion that didn't irritate her skin and give her a rash. I mentioned that I'd had itchy ears recently after some long hot rides recently, which I put down to bacteria growing in straps soaked in a mixture of sweat and sun tan lotion. I always give my helmet a soak and a rinse after a sweaty ride, but as an extra measure I'd recently given it a soak in Milton sterilising fluid. Anyway, it was only my ears that were affected, so the straps were the prime suspect.

 As I was talking to her about this, I had every inch of exposed skin covered in factor 30 as usual, anticipating a long hot day watching the men's road race championships. By the time I got to bed last night, every part that I'd covered in sun tan lotion was itchy - arms, legs, neck, cheeks. Strange that it seems to have happened to me suddenly only after somebody told me it had happened to them! It's still itchy now, and I can see fine red spots on the affected areas. I've used the same brand of sun tan lotion for the last 2-3 years with no problems - I don't understand why it's suddenly become irritating. I doubt that switching brands would make a difference. 

[Regulator]

Sounds to  me like a heat rash.  This would tend to appear on the suncreamed areas as they are those bits exposed to the sun.

My skin can get a bit sensitive at times.  The trick is to have a shower after being out in the sun and make sure that you wash the suncream off.  Otherwise it can block your pores causing a heat rash.

I also use the Boots Soltan Extra Sensitive sun cream.  No problems to date.

And don't think about going without sunscreen - a rash is better than melanoma!

[SandyV]

My stepdaughter is allergic to some sunscreen brands (and sticking plasters) - it comes down to a particular ingredient which we try to avoid.

Was it a new bottle - maybe they've changed formulae?

Or was it a very old bottle - sometimes they can "go off" and cause reactions.

Or have you changed soap brands - maybe they're interacting.

Or taking any medications which could it could also react with.

Or were you sweating a lot which could have brought it on.

Or ... maybe it was psychosomatic after your conversation and will be ok next time  

[Jezza]

It could just be that you are sweating more than usual because of the recent humid weather which is causing a heat rash and the sunblock is exacerbating that. If it persists you could try some prickly heat powder after showering.

It's worth trying a new brand anyway since they are all different consistencies. I used to be fine with Nivea sunblock but the last couple of years it has felt like sunburn as soon as I put it on - red and irritated. Same with Neutrogena. I'm OK with Boots Soltan and Piz Buin, but have had reactions to several other brands.  

Edit - what Reg said.

[Rhys W]

Interesting... The bottle is neither old nor new, it's one I bought in the spring, which I've used almost every time I've been out cycling in the sun this year. I've used this stuff (Piz Buin factor 30) for the last few years because it smells nice and appears to be quite sweat-resistant. I did sweat a lot yesterday (rode up the Tumble) so that could well be it. Of course I'll sweat riding a bike in weather warm enough to warrant sun cream, but maybe because it was a long day sitting around - usually I'd be back and scrubbed up by just after lunchtime. The localized red spots on my skin made me think it was related either to hair follicles or sweat pores.

 I have some Riemann P20, I'll try that next time.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Chemical sunscreens give me a very itchy rash but I've been fine since I swapped to physical sunblock. I use Dr Hauschka and Neal's Yard now, and have no problems.

[border-rider]

Physical sunscreens (blockers, the while smeary stuff) are one thing, but chemical suncreams (the transparent sort) get activated by the uV and produce some quite nasty radicals etc. 

[alan]

A rash you say?Apart from the suncream ,review your recent social diary

[Glosbiker]

If it is a heat rash, and it certainly sounds like it, try using Piz Buin allergy sun cream.  My wife used to suffer from really bad heat rash but since using this brand she has had no trouble at all and we've made the stuff work for it's living in temps up to 43 in southern Italy and elevations as great as 4000m in the Alps and Rockies.

I do have my concerns over whether high factor creams impair the skin's ability to work properly especially when exercising.

We thoroughly recommend it, although it's expensive, and at the moment it's half price in Tescos

[The Mechanic]

I have been using Piz Buin all day stuff for a couple of years now.  However, this weekend I got a rash all over my forearms after being out on the bike for a couple of hours.  It was like a coverage of tiny raised pimples.  I suspect it to be caused by the sun cream.

[epa611]

Try Greenpeople organic suntan lotion 

No chemicals and organic 

"Only" SPF22, but we've used this for ages and never been burnt and I'm a typical Scottish ginger nut (then I had hair )

[Jezza]

Try Greenpeople organic suntan lotion 

No chemicals and organic 

"Only" SPF22, but we've used this for ages and never been burnt and I'm a typical Scottish ginger nut (then I had hair )

I had some of that. It was the consistency of emulsion and cost £16 for 200ml. I didn't burn though.

[Rhys W]

I have been using Piz Buin all day stuff for a couple of years now.  However, this weekend I got a rash all over my forearms after being out on the bike for a couple of hours.  It was like a coverage of tiny raised pimples.  I suspect it to be caused by the sun cream.

 This sounds exactly like what happened to me. I think the tiny raised pimples were irritated sweat glands. I think it was due to a combination of things - putting on a bit more than normal anticipating a long sunny day, sweating excessively on a long climb, and not getting cleaned up soon enough (we stayed out to watch the men's RR champs before riding home, so it was after 5pm when I got to have a wash!)

 I've been back to the Riemann P20 since with no problems, so I'll stick to that for this summer.

[rafletcher]

I'm sure it's heat rash, and nothing to do with the cream, as you've been using it for a while. My wife was at Wimbledon for two days, both on centre court (Mon and Tues last week) and she's got some heat rash on the inside of her elbows. temperatures were pushing 40 in the sun.