Sunscreen & Spf

[riggrnr]

What is the best sunscreen & SPF should you get when going to the earstern Caribbean? Would like to get a tan but not burn. Any help would be appreciated.

[Next]

As you know, a bunch of factors need to be considered.

 

I am fair skinned. I wear 30 and will still get some color. The sun near the equator is intense. My advice is to be conservative and then get more aggressive as the week progresses. If you do too much too fast, you risk getting severly burned.

 

If you are a tanner, i.e have the skin that tans easily, I might consider a 15 at first. If you get throught the first few days, then you can scale back to an 8 or so.

 

Again, I'd be cautious. If you have not experienced tropical sun, then go easy. The issue is the angle of the sun realtive to you. It is almost straigt on and so it is more concentrated than the angled we get in the states.

[Livin4Real]

I would recommend a month of tanning bed sessions as well depending on where your from and how easily/not you tan. If you haven't been in the sun for awhile start off at 5 minutes then slowly work your way up to 15 or 20 depending on the bulbs. Regardless whether you live in a sunny area or have to use a tanning bed you should get a good base before going. It's no fun getting burnt and having to avoid the sun on vacation. My wife and I both tan rather easily and still went to the tanning bed before on trip last week and still got a little pink each day and by the end of the week I was using 30 and still getting dark. Make sure you bring a good after sun lotion as well and keep your skin moist otherwise you'll waste that tan you paid good money for :)

[Herschel Dirtwater]

Whatever you would wear to a normal beach in order to get some sun is good, simply double the spf. If you use 8 at the beach, use 25 on the ship. The sun while at sea is very VERY strong. I had a cruise almost ruined a few years ago by getting burnt badly on the first sea day. I am very fair skinned and burn easily, but I did use spf 8 and was out there for about an hour.

 

I was blistered and burnt almost to the point of being a health issue. I had to wear long pants to golf in PR and it was 95 degrees. Formal night was torture trying to wear pattent leather shoes with a tux over red ankles :eek: . All because I was on deck in a lounge chair for 50 minutes with weak sunscreen.

 

Be very careful if you are laying out on deck. While at sea, the sun is multiplied big time. You should try to ease into it and remember that besides being out on deck, you probably have snorklling and beach excursions to deal with also.

 

Just a cautionary tale by HD ;)

[lawyerrose]

As a south Floridian who burns just thinking about going out in the sun, the best I've found is Coppertone's Water Babies. I think it's SPF 50. All I know is I can go to the Caribbean, or go out to the beach in the summer here and spend hours in the sun (going in and out of the water) and have been protected. I've tried a lot of products over the years, but this goes on best, isn't greasy, and works great. Have fun!:)

[be1498]

I don't know how accurate this is, but I've been told that sunscreen loses its potency over time, and one should replace his or her sunscreen supply twice a year if it doesn't get used.

[willysgrandma]

Get a sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF. You'll still tan but gradually with no burn if you reapply frequently.

[be1498]

Okay, I did my homework...this site says you should replace all of last year's sunscreen:

 

http://www.stlouischildrens.org/tabid/88/itemid/594/Skin-Protection--Sunscreen-Its-a-Real-Skin-Save.aspx

[Pam in CA]

Get a sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF. You'll still tan but gradually with no burn if you reapply frequently.

I agree with this. And do not use last year's bottle/tube; get it fresh and new, and check the date when you buy it -- if it's winter or spring, it could have been on the shelf for months.

 

I would also get sunscreen that is as waterproof as possible since you'll be sweating and/or going in and out of water. Put it on before you leave your cabin to give it time to start protecting you. Refresh frequently. Put extra on your nose (nothing like looking like Rudolph for those formal photos).

 

Believe me, it really will ruin your cruise if you get burned. It won't ruin your cruise if you don't come home as tanned as you hoped. Your dermatologist will thank you when you get older. Be conservative.

[jlp20]

I don't know how accurate this is, but I've been told that sunscreen loses its potency over time, and one should replace his or her sunscreen supply twice a year if it doesn't get used.

 

The better brands have expiration dates on the bottle.

[LeeW]

What is the best sunscreen & SPF should you get when going to the earstern Caribbean? Would like to get a tan but not burn. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Tried many products in past, but this stuff is sold at ski shows (US ski team sponsor) and is best sunscreen we have ever used. Son's friend mountain biking in Moab tried one arm with Rocky Mountain Sunscreen 30 and one arm with Coppertone 45. Burned on Coppertone side (and blistered on the spot he missed on the RMS side). The 30 sport cream works well and spreads easier than the 45 and doesn't wash off. On catamaran trip in St Thomas we really only needed to apply once for six hour trip - we had no tan when we sailed in April. Anyway, sells in Colorado at King Soopers grocery but can be bought on their web site in pump bottles or tubes (or by the gallon). Have also bought it at their office in Arvada, CO.

 

http://www.rmsunscreen.com/

[Martin and Lindsey]

There are some places that will only let you use Biodegradable sunscreens without oil in to protect the fish.

[NoVa Mimi]

I am a nurse in a Dermatology practice. There are many active ingredients available in sunscreens and many SPFs as well. The main active ingredient is just as important, if not more, than the SPF. Many main active ingredients only offer protection against a specific portion of the UVA/UVB spectrum. UVA causes skin cancer and premature aging and UVB causes skin cancer and sunburn. One of the most popular main ingredients is Avobenzone (also called Parsol 1789), it protects us against all the UVA bands but does not offer protection against UVB bands. Additionally it has been found recently that Avobenzone can be photo unstable. The only active ingredient that provides full broad spectrum coverage is Zinc Oxide. When it comes to Zinc Oxide the higher the percentage of it in the product, the thicker it will be. For our patients we suggest Blue Lizard "Baby Formula" it contains no chemicals, which is what burns the eyes, only Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It has 10% zinc oxide and it does require some work getting it on so one doesn't look "ghostly". Two other, easier to use products, are Olay Complete Defense for SENSITIVE skin which is a great product with a light feel and 6% zinc oxide or Clinique City Block or Super City block which contain 8.8% zinc and is slightly tinted to make it easier to apply (it won't have that white look if you don't rub it in well). I'm sorry this is such a long post, but we see so many patients with skin cancer on a daily basis and I wanted to share this info.

[5kitty]

My dermatologist also recommends that you apply your sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun and then reapply within your first 30 minutes out in the sun. It should be reapplied every 1.5 to 2 hours even if the bottle claims you have "all day protection"!

[charlsee]

Also, don't forget to apply it to the back of your neck and your earlobes. Thanks all for the great advice and information on products.

[Perki]

My dermatologist also recommends that you apply your sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun and then reapply within your first 30 minutes out in the sun. It should be reapplied every 1.5 to 2 hours even if the bottle claims you have "all day protection"!

 

I was just going to post this info as well. Sunscreen will not work IMMEDIATELY you must put it on BEFORE you go out in the sun. My routine every cruise is as I am packing my bag to head to the island and the beach I apply sunscreen (15 me and 8 hubby) and apply liberally helping one another reach spots the other can't. We head out then when we get where we are going we apply again then if we feel a warm spot we reapply and always reapply after we get out of the water. I have NEVER nor has my hubby turned into lobsters on a cruise and I am as white as they come - never tan. He however does get tan and towards the end of the week he will even switch to 15 and me 30 just because we know we have put our skin through so many hours of sun already and don't want to look all wrinkly when we are old LOL

 

PLEASE do not apply at the beach or pool it will be too late once you are in the sun, need to apply before you leave your stateroom. :D

[sms30519]

And don't forget the tops of your feet:eek: ! I remember one year DH put sunscreen on his legs only down to his ankles and the poor tops of his feet were so burnt!

[Coral]

I am a nurse in a Dermatology practice. There are many active ingredients available in sunscreens and many SPFs as well. The main active ingredient is just as important, if not more, than the SPF. Many main active ingredients only offer protection against a specific portion of the UVA/UVB spectrum. UVA causes skin cancer and premature aging and UVB causes skin cancer and sunburn. One of the most popular main ingredients is Avobenzone (also called Parsol 1789), it protects us against all the UVA bands but does not offer protection against UVB bands. Additionally it has been found recently that Avobenzone can be photo unstable. The only active ingredient that provides full broad spectrum coverage is Zinc Oxide. When it comes to Zinc Oxide the higher the percentage of it in the product, the thicker it will be. For our patients we suggest Blue Lizard "Baby Formula" it contains no chemicals, which is what burns the eyes, only Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It has 10% zinc oxide and it does require some work getting it on so one doesn't look "ghostly". Two other, easier to use products, are Olay Complete Defense for SENSITIVE skin which is a great product with a light feel and 6% zinc oxide or Clinique City Block or Super City block which contain 8.8% zinc and is slightly tinted to make it easier to apply (it won't have that white look if you don't rub it in well). I'm sorry this is such a long post, but we see so many patients with skin cancer on a daily basis and I wanted to share this info.

 

Thank you. As one who has had skin cancer - I appreciate your information.

[rubegoddess]

What is the best sunscreen & SPF should you get when going to the earstern Caribbean? Would like to get a tan but not burn. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Hi

When I was there the last week of January I wore spf 40 and returned home with a fantastic tan. I'm very, very pale, but by some stroke of luck, I tan pretty well.