Sun Exposure Darkening My Skin

(Pakistan)

i am 13 years old and my problem is that i am living in a country where temperature is really hot and this is affecting my skin badly and i do not know what to do?.UV rays are making me look darker and darker and i am afraid that using sun block in such a young age will make my skin irritate and will affect it many ways tell me what to do to make my skin fair and how to protect it from UV rays?

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Our reply

Hi, and thanks so much for your message. Yes, too much sun exposure can cause sun damage and other skin problems, and there are some safer and more natural ways to protect your skin from the sun.

First, depending on your culture and lifestyle, it may be possible to protect your skin from the sun with a scarf worn on your head, long sleeve clothing, or a wide brimmed hat.

Dressing to protect your skin will have many benefits in preventing sun damage, and when you are older you will find that you have fewer wrinkles and age spots.

Although some sunscreens contain irritating ingredients, there are more natural sunscreens that are less likely to cause skin irritation and that will not damage the skin. Please see our Sensitive Skin Sunscreen page for more information on the types of ingredients which are safer and less likely to cause skin problems.

One problem with the more natural sunscreens is that some look very white on the skin, so you may need to put on some natural mineral makeup to create a more natural look for your skin.

I hope these suggestions are helpful to you! Thank you very much for your question.

Parabens in SuperGoop Sunscreen?

Hi, the SuperGoop! Organic Double, SPF30 contains parabens.

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Our reply

Hi, thanks for your message, I appreciate your letting us know this. Yes, SuperGoop was one of the brands that for a while was in our safe sunscreen store however since then it turns out that they now use a number of ingredients that I would not recommend for sensitive skin such as:

Homosalate
Octocrylene
Octisalate

These ingredients are less potentially irritating than Oxybenzone, the most serious offender when it comes to suncreen ingredients (Oxybenzone is not in SuperGoop sunscreen) however Homosalate, Octocrylene and Octisalate still pose a moderate risk of skin irritation and other side effects, that I would not recommend for sensitive skin.

I did not see parabens on their current ingredients list, but the other ingredients are a concern to me and so we've removed their products from our safe sunscreen store.

Natural sunblock

I love DARI NATURAL's Tropical Butter. It provides natural UV ray protection and also heals windburned and chapped skin. It's very gentle, and does not cause irritation. We use it for little kids at our preschool. It is safe enough for infants!

Sunscreen for Problem of Sensitive Skin

by Sweety
(Kolkata)

my problem is what ever i use, it gave a bad effect on my face, darkness and irritation...and a sunburn ... i am facing a big problem. plz suggest a good fairness cream and a sunscreen. my skin is sensitive.

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Our reply

Hi, and thanks very much for your message. Yes, it is very difficult to find a good sunscreen for sensitive skin. Most of the best non-toxic natural or organic sunscreens still may have ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin.

I've tried a lot of sunscreens for sensitive skin and so far the gentlest and best one I've found is the ***z-cleure-sunscreen.shtml*** . This brand is made for people with allergies and sensitive skin, and the sunscreen is very effective and non-irritating. One of the reasons for this is that it was formulated with a small list of gentle, non-toxic ingredients. This is less likely to contain something that will irritate your sensitive skin.

The nice thing about the ***z-cleure-sunscreen.shtml*** is that is it goes on your skin smoothly, and provides some moisture. It also does not give you that "white as a sheet" look which some natural sunscreens do.

With this or any other sunscreen or skincare product, you need to be very careful of what you put on your face. Always do a skin test FIRST, before you apply anything to your face.

Even a simple, natural homemade skincare product can cause your skin to break out, so always give any new product or remedy a "test drive" on the inside of your elbow, or your wrist, before trying it on your face.

Additional Tips for Reducing Sun Exposure

There are some additional ways you can avoid sun exposure and to find the best sunscreen for your sensitive skin.

• Always wear a hat, sunglasses, and cover your skin before going out in the sun.
  
  
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain Vitamin C and valuable antioxidants which help your body to prevent sunburn.
  
  
• Reduce irritants on your body and skin by using non-toxic hypoallergenic skincare products. Remember that even natural ingredients can cause a skin reaction, so while your skin is hypersensitive, use hypoallergenic products.
  
  
• Unfortunately, most hypoallergenic skincare contains chemicals that actually can cause irritation. The only brand we've found that does not use parabens, fragrances, BHA and other harsh preservatives is ***z-cleure.shtml*** .
  

I hope this is helpful for you in finding a good hypoallergenic sunscreen!

Sensitive Skin and Tanning with Isotretinoin

Hi,

My name is Meghna and i have sensitive skin. I was suffering from acne problem since my school days. Now i am 25 yrs old and i has consulted a dermatologist 2 yrs back and he prescribed me to take isotretinoin tablets.

I took the treatment for 2 years and now my skin has become more sensitive than before and i get tanned badly whenever i go out in sun even in the morning.Also i have dark circles around my eyes.

Please let me know what i should do to reduce tanning. Also the acne has reappeared after i stopped the treatment and i have dark circles. Please provide a solution for this.

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Our reply

Hi Meghna, thank you for your message. It sounds like the medication you have been taking, isotretinoin, could be causing the photosensitivity and tanning you are experiencing.

I am not a medical doctor, but I did some initial research on the side effects of isotretinoin which appear to be considerable. This is a very strong drug and you can learn more about isotretinoin to get a better idea about whether you want to continue this therapy. Although tanning and light sensitivity was not on the top of their list of side effects, it is one of the many possible side effects that were mentioned.

I recommend that you talk with your dermatologist about the side effects you are experiencing to see if there may be other alternatives. Medical acne treatments have limited effect since they treat the symptoms only rather than the cause of the acne, and so another approach you may want to consider is more holistic acne treatments. We have a whole section on holistic approaches to acne which I hope can be helpful to you.

Holistic acne approaches are not as easy as taking a pill, and usually require changes in your daily habits, diet and lifestyle, but this may be worthwhile to you in helping to clear up your acne for good.

I am so sorry for this very difficult time you are having with acne, and hope that you can find a good solution that will work for your sensitive skin.

Vanicream SPF 60 Sunscreen

by Darbi
(Milwaukee)

I have the same problem with my skin and need to have a sunscreen. red hair lol. I have found that vanicream makes a good face sunscreen with a 60 spf. It works really well. Good luck on your quest!!

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Our reply

Thanks so much Darby for sharing! I really appreciate your letting us know what you found, and I'm so glad that Vanicream sunscreen is working for you.

Yes, it is certainly much better than so many other sunscreens out there, although there are some ingredients such as the PEG's like PEG 30 that may have some health risks.

On the positive side, the PEG's are a concern for organ system toxicity, but they are not as highly allergic as some other cosmetic ingredients.

We each need to find the balance between which ingredients we are comfortable with, and also the performance of the product and the realities of what is currently available on the market.

Some sunscreen experts say that anything over SPF 20 is very similar, for example the difference between SPF 20 and SPF 30 is very small, so a larger SPF may not make much of a difference.

The real indicator is how it works for you. If it works well, and you find the extra SPF to be helpful, then it is worthwhile!

I've continued to research hypoallergenic sunscreens, and recently found many more safe sunscreen options.

Thanks again Darbi for sharing, and for those who are looking into Vanicream Sunscreen, here are the ingredients:

Active Ingredients
SPF 30: titanium dioxide 5%, zinc oxide 5%
SPF 60: titanium dioxide 7.5%, zinc oxide 7.5%

Inactive ingredients:

alumina, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl isononanoate, cetyl alcohol, isopropyl titanium triisostearate/triethoxycaprylylsilane crosspolymer, magnesium sulfate, methylpropanediol, PEG-12 dimethicone, PEG-30 dipolyhydroxystearate, phenyl trimethicone, polyethylene, polyhydroxystearic acid, purified water, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, stearyl dimethicone, tetrasodium EDTA, tocopheryl acetate, triethoxycaprylylsilane

Sometimes it is difficult to find product ingredients and many companies change their formulations, so please check with the manufacturer to be sure of their most current and updated ingredients lists.

Don't use!! Pink Banana Boat Hypo Allergenic Baby Factor 50 spf!

by Lisa
(UK)

Seriously! i used it 3 days ago and i now look like Jackie Stalone! no joke, i have hives to high heaven, my eyes are swollen itchy throat and ears.. never seen anything like it in my life! i used it once before but thought i was allergic to my puys flea treatment! no!!! it was this cream!

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Our reply

Hi Lisa, I am so sorry to hear of the terrible reaction you had to the Pink Banana Boat Hypoallergenic Baby Sunscreen. Thank you for letting us know about this! I'm really shocked that this sunscreen is marketed as hypoallergenic and safe for babies. It is loaded with ingredients that irritate sensitive skin and that are considered moderate or severe hazards according to the Environmental Working Group.

With these kinds of ingredients, it is no wonder your skin broke out so badly.

I did not research every ingredient, but here are some of the ones that are considered high or moderate hazards to your health. With sensitive skin, it is best to avoid these ingredients and find products that are safer and non-irritating.

The worse one is Oxybenzone which is considered a high health hazard by the Environmental Working Group. In my opinion this ingredient should never be put on babies skin, and should not be in products that are labeled as hypoallergenic. Oxybenzone can produce allergic reactions and has a number of other possible health effects including hormone disruption, toxicity, and bioaccumulation, which means it builds up in your body.

The Center for Disease control in the US studied 2000 adults and found over 95% of them had an accumulation of Osybenzone in their bodies.

That's not the only ingredient that concerns me. Again, I did not look at every one, but here are some that I would never apply to baby's skin or anyone who has sensitive skin.

Imidazolidinyl Urea
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
Octocrylene
Parabens

As you can see, this is a very long ingredients list and it would take a long time to research every ingredient.

Aqua (Water), Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone), Ethylhexyl Salicylate, VP/Elcosene Copolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, DEA-Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Tridecyl Neopentanoate, Stearyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Adipic Acid/Diethylene, Glycol/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Dimethicone, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Cetyl Palmitate, Alumina, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Silica Carbomer, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl, Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

Thanks so much for taking the time to alert us to the possible health effects of the Pink Banana Boat Hypoallergenic Baby Sunscreen. I hope the manufacturers change the labeling on this product so that it does not appear to be safe for babies or people with sensitive skin.

Eczema and Chemically Induced Photosensitive Dermatitis

by Peter
(Bundaberg Australia)

I've had eczema and psoriasis all my life. Sometimes not too bad sometimes not good. I'm now 60 and had thought I could cope with it. When I was young, the only effective sun screen was zinc cream. In the middle 60's UV cream came along; it was an absorber type and did not work for me at all.

Since then all sorts of blockers and absorbers have arrived. Blockers Tio2 and ZnO based sunscreens are far more effective than any absorber. Some manufactures of absorber type products have so called scientific studies showing their absorber products are better than blockers. To the unwary these studies seem convincing. You have to read them carefully to see that in fact, they are based only on the absorbing ability of the chemical concerned. TiO2 and Zno have some absorbing ability, though,their main action is as a blocker.

Until the two Mexoryl, SX and another, can't think of it's name, came along all absorber products missed protecting a small but important range, for some, of UV wavelengths.

This is getting a bit long.

Just over 12 months ago I was prescribed Plaquenil for RA. I wasn't happy, as increased sun sensitivity was listed as a possible side effect. I agreed because it also is used for a type of Lupus to increase suffers ability to cope with the sun. For me it was a complete disaster; burnt badly on day 2, despite my normal sun protection, big hat long sleeves and trousers, sunscreen on face and hands. Dr said the evidence says it will improve in a couple of weeks it didn't. I stopped taking it. Now a bit after 12 months, I'm well and truly in deep trouble.

I'm having an allergic reaction to sunscreens of whatever type. It's become so bad I've agreed to use and take short term some corticosteriods, helped the peeling, not the sunburn.

Attached a couple of recent photos, before steroids and after, peeling improve ,not sunburn.

Regards

I actually entered the right word so I can't now be bothered trying to upload the pictures.




Our reply

I am so sorry to hear of the extreme allergic reaction you had to these sunscreen ingredients. Thank you so much for taking the time to share so that others can be aware of the potential side effects of some of these sunscreens. For those who are looking for more information on the danger of sunscreens, please see this article from the Chiropractic Health Clinic which has a lot of helpful background on this.

Stearic Acid in Cleure Sunscreen

by KP
(St. Louis)

You say to stay away from Stearic Acid and you recommend Cleure products but I noticed the Sunscreen of theirs, for one, says it contains Stearic Acid. ???

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Our Reply

Hi, and thanks so much for your message. Could you send me the link to the page where our site recommends avoiding stearic acid? Thanks very much for your help with this.

I personally did not recommend avoiding stearic acid, as I think there are a lot worse ingredients, but we do have many different contributors to our forums, and guest authors that may have different opinions on this.

You can see my own recommendations at our Safe Cosmetics Guide, and also my own experiences with Safe Sunscreens. My recommendations are meant to be a starting point for you to do your own research and to discover what ingredients do or don't work for your sensitive skin.

Everyone is so unique in their skincare needs, and an ingredient like Stearic Acid is relatively mild. The Environmental Working Groups rates it as a very low risk, however that doesn't mean it would work perfectly for everyone.

We recommend the ***z-cleaure.shtml*** products because they are among the safest and mildest of the hypoallergenic products I've found, and they also work really well. Still, like anything, they are not perfect for everyone.

Some people with severely hypersensitive skin may only be capable to using one ingredient skincare home remedies on their skin. Others can only use 100% natural skincare products, others can only use botanical free hypoallergenic products. I wish there were simple answers!

I very much appreciate your taking the time to share your concerns, and please let me know how we can continue to be of help with your sensitive skin.

Maybe you should try this safe sunscreen??

by Elizabeth G.
(Los Angeles)

I've been using Mychelle Sun Shield on my face, and on my body Green Screen Organic Sunscreen by Kabana Skincare. It's non-nano zinc oxide, like Mychelle Sunshield, and has 9 organic ingredients, including Jojoba Oil. Maybe you should give it a try. It's also good for the face (didn't break me out). The minus is that it can leave a whitish tint, but I've found that if you shake it really well, then thin it out with your fingers/palms first before applying, it absorbs better. There's a tinted version as well as a white.
For a safe sunscreen that works, I think it's the best thing out there to put on your screen (and I've tried many different ones).

Hope this helps!

My Experience with La Roche Posay Anthelios 40

by M. Szymanel
(Ohio)

I am prone to atopic and contact dermatitis and psoriasis on my body,and scalp. I have found that I can use this sunscreen product, La Roche Posay Anthelios 40 without breakouts. It does contain titanium dioxide, but in a low percentage.

I keep it away from my eyes, and use it over my moisturizer. It doesn't leave the face white, and mineral make up goes on nicely. Other products I have used have caused break outs.

The one product I really wish I could find is a hypoallergenic shampoo for dry hair and scalp. I use Cleure, and I especially like the conditioner. But it seems that all hypoallergenic shampoos are all purpose; no one seems to offer a very gentle formula especially for fine, dry hair and scalp.

I dilute the shampoo a little with purified water. But I really wish someone would come up with hypoallergenic shampoo in more than one formula. But after 4 yrs of severe contact dermatitis I have had been able to wear make up again, and put together a program to keep my skin clear.

Hair removal has been the biggest problem, allergic to waxing, electric shaving sets off dermatitis, depalitating sets me off. Resorted to using a new razor with little pressure each time, following my husband's suggestion.

I use the Cleure conditioner as a shaving cream, and for several days afterward a moisturizer with 1% hydrocortisone, something I don't like to do, but am 57 and had a fellow worker pointed out to me one day I was working in a professional position, and had to do something about the hair on my face. Surprisingly this has worked well. My husband's comment was that you can't clean an electric razor, and a new blade is clean. What a hassle. Oh well.

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Our reply

Thank you so much M for your very helpful suggestions, and for sharing your experience. I am so glad you found a sunscreen that works well for you and that does not cause the "white as a sheet" effect! :-)

Yes, most hypoallergenic product lines I have seen do not have a wide range of choices, and one option is to adapt the products to your own needs. That is a great idea to dilute the shampoo for your fine hair!

I live in a very dry climate and in the summer the sun is very strong, so I add a little jojoba oil to my Cleure shampoo and conditioner for extra moisturizing.

Ah yes, hair removal options for sensitive skin ... that is a challenge since so many options cause skin irritation. We have a new section of the site on Home Laser Hair Removal and I am hoping to add to this as I learn more. I've been looking for some safer options and here is what I've found so far for safe hair removal options. Thank you M for sharing your experience!

Found a Super Sensitive Suncreen that Works For Me

I have super duper sensitive fair skin. I need to wear sunscreen. Took me 29 years to find one I like. It's called "White Sunscreen" from the Japanese skin-care company DHC. I have oily skin that gets flaky when irritated. This stuff doesn't make my skin greasy or irritate. I have been using it for 5 years now.

A Good Sunblock for Sensitive Skin?

Do you happen to sell sunblock products? I'm an active person and I do my exercise outdoors 2-3 times a week. And I would love to use sunblock made for sensitive skin. I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

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Our reply


Ah, the question of a good sunblock!! I live in Central Oregon and the sun is very strong here, it has been a challenge to find a good sunblock for sensitive skin.

Here is what I've learned so far about sunblock for sensitive skin, and some of the ones I use with their benefits and drawbacks here at our sensitive skin sunscreen page.

And here are some of the sensitive skin sunblocks I have tried, or will try, when I run out the ones I am currently using!


The biggest problem for me with using safe sunscreens is that they make my face white, so I've been experimenting with using mineral makeup, after applying sunscreen to my face. This actually has increased the sunblocking ability of the sunscreen as well as looking a little better! :-)

What has worked best for me, is using the mineral treatment from my favorite wholesale skin care products on top of my sunscreen. The other mineral makeups I've tried look kind of flat and settle into wrinkles, but these leave a very natural finish and does not clog the pores or look like I have makeup on. It also seems to be good for the skin as I don't break out from it.

I find it a challenge to get the right color of mineral makeup and so I use two shades of the minerals, which I can mix and match. Please do share what you learn about finding a good sunblock for sensitive skin!

New Safer Sunscreen Options

I just looked up Supergoop! sunscreen based on that link that's up. It contains Vitamin A, which may seem great, but is not recommended by the EWG. Vitamin A in sunscreens has been linked to skin cancer.

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Our reply

Thanks for your message! Yes, I thought we had removed our links to Supergoop after reading their more recent ingredients lists, but it turns out we still had one up and I thank you for letting me know! There are a number of other sunscreens available that are safer, they all have their benefits and drawbacks. One of the more notable new choices is DeVita Professional Skin Care - Ultra Solar which is a salon quality sunscreen that manages to work well without making your skin excessively white, and can even be used on your face. Some reviewers said the ingredients list on the product they received varied from what is on the site, but the ingredients are still safe and effective.

I've updated our site and also our non-toxic sunscreens store. I check the ingredients when I add a product to the store, however over time, companies may change the ingredients lists. I appreciate your feedback which helps us to stay current!

My sunscreen contains octyl methoxycinnamate ...

by shyma
(india)

Dear Mashubi

My sunscreen (SPF30) contains octyl methoxycinnamate and benzaphenone 3. Th rest of the ingredients mentioned on the pack are essential oils and herb extracts.

This sunscreen has not had any adverse effects on my skin. I have been using this everyday for over a year now with very good results.

I suddenly came across a webpage that talked about the harmful effects of octyl methoxycinnamate. I am a bit worried. Do you think I should continue using this product since it has worked for me so far?

Thanks.

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Our reply

Hi Shyma, thanks for your question. Each of us is faced with these kind of decisions daily, as we learn more about the effect of chemicals on our health. We are each unique and we need to listen to what our bodies, and our intuition are telling us, along with the research that tells us about the effects that these ingredients may have.

In each situation we need to balance out the risks involved with a questionable ingredient, versus the effects of using alternatives which may or may not work as well.

I do my best in my own health to be aware of what research is out there on the ingredients in skin care, and to then ask my body and my intuition what it would prefer. I've found that my body knows what it needs and this has actually saved me quite a bit of time and money!

There are many ways to attune to your body's wisdom. There are techniques that can help you to know which products, supplements or even foods are best for your body. They have different names such as kinesiology self testing, bio-energy testing, or body dowsing. I'll have more on this in an upcoming newsletter.

I try to stay away from getting fearful, and I encourage everyone to find the balance which works for them.

In your situation, you can do some research on this ingredient, focusing on more reliable sources of information. One that I use is at the Cosmetics Database, you can see their information on Octinoxate.

This information source, like most, are not perfect, but they do their best to assemble the information and research on different ingredients. They also have a useful sunscreen guide which they update every year, you will see the link on that page.

Our Sensitive Skin Sunscreen page shares some of my experiences in trying to find an effective sunscreen that does not contain the more irritating ingredients.

I hope this information is helpful to you in making a decision about whether you want to use sunscreens with octyl methoxycinnamate.

Ombrelle Sunscreen

by Stephanie
(Canada )

I have recently in the past 5-7 years found my skin breaking out due to the sunscreen I was using, when i first found out I had been using Coppertone so I switched and tried Banana Boat and the same thing happened after continuous use during the summer, I have also tried Ombrelle and I have come to find that this one seems to be doing the trick I havent used it on a regular basis but there has been summers in the past I have used it and didnt break out in a rash so I am geared to be using this sunscreen again this summer and hoping for no rash! The only downfall of this sunscreen product is that it was very thick and leaves you feeling very sticky and feeling very uncomfortable.

sunscreen worth a try

Ultrasun brand, it's a swiss brand. that's quite hard to get hold of. Quite popular in the UK.

My son, who has very sensitive skin, is very hard to find a sunscreen for, as most really sting his skin. Ultrasun is the only one that I've found that doesn't. Was looking for another brand if possible, as I live in Australia, and it's v expensive to ship ultrasun there.

UVA Sunblock in Powder Foundation

Which sensitive skin care brand has the best UVA sunblock in a powder foundation which doesn't accentuate wrinkles?

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Our reply

Hi, and thanks for your message. That's a great question! I have found it very difficult to find sunblock and sunscreen products that do not contain Octinoxate or Octyl Methoxycinnamate, which is an ingredient that is widely used even in "natural" sunscreen.

I prefer to avoid this ingredient and the only solution I've found to the challenge of finding a good UVA sunblock in a powder foundation is to layer my products.

Here's what I do ... I use my regular skin care products, then I add a layer of a safe sunscreen (see some of the brand's I've tried at our sensitive skin sunscreen page.

Most of these safe and nontoxic sunscreens leave the skin with a white look, and so after this, I apply a safe mineral makeup that does not accentuate wrinkles. That's a whole other story, finding mineral powders that don't accentuate wrinkles!

Most brands of mineral makeup contain Bismuth Oxychloridewhich creates a satiny sheen on the skin, however it can also cause serious skin problems. The solution is to find brands that can create a satiny sheen withou the Bismuth Oxychloride.

The one is use is made by our wholesale skin care products company, and it contains pearl, silk and other natural ingredients that create a beautiful finish without skin irritation. This is the only mineral makeup foundation I've tried so far that does not settle into wrinkles, it actually covers them.

There are other options as well which I haven't tried yet, I've been researching these and here is what I've found so far.

Silk Naturals - I've never tried this, but customers love it and I think it is the addition of silk which makes the mineral powder more satiny. This brand may be less likely to settle into wrinkles because of the silk.


Here is our Sensitive skin sunscreen page which has more information about sunscreen and the brands I've tried or researched.

Here are some additional safe sunscreen choices that I haven't tried yet but which contain safe ingredients that I would use.

I hope these are helpful for you, and thanks again for your question!