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RealWorlder · 06-22-2004, 08:31 PM

Hey all I am lifeguard and I wear suncreen with an spf of 50 its coppertone and it comes a green bottle, I bought it at a baby store. Well I apply it all over my upper body and face and neck and I am still tanning! I have had this since last summer (I bought the bottle last summer) so can sunblock go bad? I think its not working because I still burn in some parts and def tan. Does anybody recommend a good sunblock with a high spf for the face and body?
ALso, has anybody noticed bumps in their chest and upper arms when they tan? Does this mean that my skin is sun damaged? They are little whit bumps that I appear in my chesst, shoulders, neck and upper arms when ever im out in the sun for too long.

Blue-eyedBelle · 06-22-2004, 09:31 PM

Sunscreen should be replaced every year - it can become ineffective.

Is it water-resistant? It should be applied 15-30 minutes prior to exposure and reapplied every 2 hours, and also after perspiring or swimming.

Are you applying enough? The average-sized person should use 1 oz. (about the amount that would fill a shotglass) for their body.

Does it protect against UVA & UVB rays? To protect against UVA, it will contain benzophenones, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, avobenzone (Parsol 1789), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. The best are Parsol 1789, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. To protect against UVB, it will contain one or more of the cinnamates (octyl methoxycinnamate and cinoxate) and/or salicylates (homomenthyl, octyl, and triethanolamine).

You want a sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF. Lotions last longer than gels.

Some good water-resistant ones are Bullfrog, Iguana, Ocean Potion Body Wax, & Hawaiian Tropic makes one that is water-resistant, too.

Also, sunscreen will still allow some rays to get through, so you may still tan.
The best you can do is apply the sunscreen & try to stay under an umbrella - especially from 11am-2pm.

QweenyBluEyes · 06-22-2004, 11:40 PM

I get white bumps too, its because your skin is dry. I have very dry skin on my arms and get them. So I have to put intense moisture lotion on morning and night.

greenfairy84 · 06-23-2004, 06:25 AM

Ooh,i didn't know sunscreen expires.It should really say that on the bottle.
I was gonna ask if it used to prevent tanning when you first started using it?

dani_78_78 · 06-23-2004, 08:32 AM

I have banana boat sunscreen. I called the number on the back of the bottle and they said that it doesn't expire for like 4 years from the manufacture date. It is kind of cool too because you can give them the number from the bottle and tell you around the time when it was manufactured. I tan when I have sunscreen on too but I don't burn. I would also follow the directions. I does say to put it on 15 min before going out in the sun. Another thing to think about is if you are taking any medications. Some medications cause you to burn.

Blue-eyedBelle · 06-23-2004, 09:40 AM

Interesting - I've always been told to buy new sunscreen each year. I just looked at a bottle of Ocean Potion & it has a phone number, but no other info (no expiration date or identifying number) - other than the UPC code - how do they identify the batch? I'm sure it varies from product to product, but I'm just curious.

RealWorlder · 06-25-2004, 07:55 AM

Thank you all for responding. Yeah I didnt know that sunscreen expired. Well I mean I have it for not even a full year. So why do you still tan with sunblock? I thought getting a little color meant sun damage? IS there a good sunblock for the face, I really dont want anything to break me out. I worry more about my face then the rest of my body. Ill probably buy one of the sunblocks mentioned above.

lovely.lady · 06-25-2004, 08:13 AM

Heya, firstly SPF 30 is the highest SPF that actually works out it's "term." So SPF 50 wouldn't work any better than 30. And yeah, you can tan safely through sunscreen. Neutrogena makes a sunscreen, and that would be good to use for the face.

joquiero · 06-25-2004, 08:17 AM

Yeah, sun blocking properties deplete with time. You probably bought on old bottle. They say you should replace you tanning lotion every year.

Blue-eyedBelle · 06-25-2004, 10:42 AM

You're right, no tan is a safe tan (unless it's a sunless tan) - a tan means that skin damage has occurred. But some people will tan regardless of what they do - my dh is Italian, and even wearing a sunscreen with a 30 SPF & avoiding the sun 11am-3pm, he will still get very dark. But at least he guards his skin as much as he can. That's the best you can do unless you avoid the sun completely - which obviously isn't an option for you! LOL!

I love Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch for my face - it comes in a 30 or 45 SPF. It dries to a completely matte finish - it's not sticky at all. I am prone to breakouts & my dd has very sensitive skin - we both use it daily without any problems at all.

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