Sunburn despite sunscreen spf 110?

[mommy111]

Help...I don't knwo what's happening here so I figured you ladies could tell me what's wrong....I am religious about sunscreen and have very sensitive skin that burns easily. I use the neutrogena age shield face cream in spf 110 on my face and hands. I'm still getting sun spots.....I thought maybe that happened anyway, but recently, after a day out in the sun in an amusement park, I came back with a huge burn on my face. Any thoughts? The sunscreen is not expired, this has happened 2-3 times with several different tubes of the same brand of sunscreen, and the sun spots are happening anyways. I drive about 2 hrs in the sun every day (commute to work and pick/drop kids). Should I just switch sun screens, and what should I use? Something that doesn't leave white residue on your face?

[daniele_ut]

Did you reapply the sunscreen at all while you were there? I don't have any experience with that brand of sunscreen, but if you were outside all day without reapplying I think you would burn regardless of the sunscreen you used.

[infomama]

I've never even heard of 110 sunscreen! I use Vanicream (sensitive skin, burns easily) and have never burned. I reapply every few hours. You may just need to cover up! I know lots of people wear gloves when they drive. www.coolibar.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=155697
Coolibar has some nice protective clothes/hats.

[trales]

I would try vanicream, physical blocker and does not leave a white residue. I never burn with it and I do with anything else.

[AshleyAnn]

Did you reapply? Sunscreen needs to be applied 30minutes before sun exposure then reapplied at least every 2 hours. Its also important to make sure you are applying enough, you should apply approximately a quarter sized dollop to your face each time.

[wallawala]

SPF numbers only apply to the UVB protection, there is not currently a rating scale for UVA on bottles. Most of the sunburns come from UVB, but sundamage including sunspots and skin cancers can also come from UVA.

Tanning beds are more commonly now mainly UVA wavelength radiation so you don't BURN as quickly before you tan. UVA of course penetrates more deeply into the skin however, causing just as much sun damage like wrinkles, brown spots and skin cancer!!

Chemical blockers are most commonly used for UVA blocking, and they wear out quickly. Most are 100% gone at 2 hours, thus the recommendations to reapply often. Helioplex is a brand name that neutrogena uses to indicate it has a long acting UVA block mixed in, but "long acting" means it is still 100% gone at 4 hours.

Physical blockers like those in Vanicream SPF 30 or SPF 60 block both UVB and UVA, and don't attenuate, but do wear/wash/rub off like any topical product can.

The block is on an exponential scale so SPF30 blocks about 96% of UVB rays, SPF60 blocks about 97%, so SPF 110 blocks more, but not TONS more. :) To achieve that level of blockage, your really, really need to apply thickly. Like you should feel like it's too much and have to keep rubbing it in. If you put on 1/2 the amount you should you don't get 50% of the number... more like 25% or less. There has been legislation afoot for years that will ban the labeling of sunblocks above 50, because too many people don't apply thickly enough, and supposedly that is more common for the higher SPF numbers. Seems paternalistic to me, but the thought is you'll apply less if you buy a SPF 100+ than an SPF 30, and likely be less protected with a SPF100 then due to misuse.

[Indianamom2]

Another thing to consider is that many medications can make you very sensitive to the sun. For example, BCP's and some (maybe all) SSRI's can both cause extra sensitivity. I know this from a rather bad round of sun poisoning this summer while taking both meds. Apparently my fair skin and the meds are a very bad combo.