Restrictions on Suntan lotion?

[travgurl]

Since we are snorkeling in Belize, is there any restrictions or recommendations of suntan lotions to use?

[june2006]

after reading on the boards I understand that sun lotions can be harmful to the sea creatures.

 

They recommended sea safe sunblock ... not sure of the web site however just google it .... cost me 8 for a bottle and i used it for our sting ray tour and in the ocean as it helps ward off jelly fish and sea lice

[driftwood]

I first heard of Safe Sea when I spent a couple of weeks in St. Maarten. It is true that many sunscreen formulations are hazardous to coral animals, and I certainly encourage everyone to seek out products which do not damage the environment, whether or not the government of Belize has yet legislated the matter.

 

Within the past hour I heard a Dr. Pat Raymond on our local NPR radio station pointing out that sunblock below SPF 30 is considered essentially worthless. That is for Virginia Beach. As to Belize, where the sun is probably two f/stops brighter (these ARE the tropics!), make your own inferences. She also pointed out that the product ratings are based on applications approximately four times thicker than most consumers put on themselves: the principle is to put on sunscreen until the skin is really wet, DON'T rub it in or spread it out, and let it dry in place. The doctors prefer you reapply it every hour even if you haven't been swimming.

 

Another thing I didn't know is that ordinary t-shirts are considered to have an SPF factor of 4, which as you know is not significant protection. Special clothing for the tropics is said to be available, some of it in sporting goods stores, and a new product which allegedly helps to increase the sunblocking effectiveness of clothing is just now beginning to be marketed that you can add to the water when you wash the clothing you intend to wear out in the sun.

 

As skin cancer is the most common cancer of all, I suspect we are all getting more sun than we need. :(