Suncreams

[charleville]

A year or two ago, I went into my local IGA store and saw identical tubes of SPF 30+ sunscreen sitting on the shelves with identical active ingredients marked on the tubes.

One brand was the Cancer Council brand and some enormous price and the other was the Black & Gold brand at about 1/3 of the Cancer Council brand price.

So I bought the Black & Gold product and have continued to buy it with no regrets.

However, prior to that, I also had the aggressive Efudex treatment on my face which everyone over a certain age with any sun exposure seems to get done these days and so I am very conscious of minimising my exposure to the sun. Accordingly, when out in the boat, I also wear a generous layer of zinc cream on my face and lots of protective clothing such as a Frillneck hat, long sleeves and gloves (when I can find them big enough to fit my hands.)

As a retiree, apart from fishing I also spend a lot of time in and out of the sun at home and I usually slap on some of the cheap sunscreen on most days on my face with no resulting issues such as rashs etc. Apart from the Black and Gold brand in tubes , I also used the generic brands from Coles and Woolies in their large push-pump containers. No issues with either brand.

I emphasize, though that the sunscreen is not my primary protection. Big broad-brimmed hats sit at the ready at every entrance in my home. I would not spend as much as two minutes in the raw sun without a hat, these days.


.

[Crunchy]

We use invisible zinc it has no chemical sun filters last 4 hr and protects from uva and uvb rays and has no titanium dioxide in it ...matt

No chemical filters is good but invisable zinc = nano particles, the jury is still out on the safety of nano particles - do some web research. Titanium dioxide should be OK, its a natural product (It can be found as a colouring in foods) and provides a pysical barrier but is not effective against the full UVA spectrum. I steer away from anything containing oxybenzone's and cinnamate's as a pedo..peadetri...peadotis...ummm kid doctor told me not to use it on my kids....zinc oxide (Non nano partical) is the best option as its broad spectrum and natural.....sure it looks silly but safest option in the long run apparently. Prolly not a worry for us old farts but for the kids at least...chemical suncreams might be the new smoking one day.

[marto78]

I've used bannana boat for and liked the fact that you didnt have to reapply every hr or so, but after hearing everyones thoughts on this hamilton suncream (never heard of it before today) I'll be off to the chemist to grab a tube before the next trip.
Cheers Marto

[Dodge41]

One brand was the Cancer Council brand and some enormous price and the other was the Black & Gold brand at about 1/3 of the Cancer Council brand price.

So I bought the Black & Gold product and have continued to buy it with no regrets.

I usually slap on some of the cheap sunscreen on most days on my face with no resulting issues such as rashs etc. Apart from the Black and Gold brand in tubes , I also used the generic brands from Coles and Woolies in their large push-pump containers. No issues with either brand.

I have had a lot of skin cancers removed all being damage started 50 years ago.

And after asking 2 different skin specialists about their sunscreen recommendations, both said forget the brand name and buy purely by the SPF number which is the standard, and also apply the screen regularly.

[samsnap]

I'v worked for the top Dermo/Skin Cancer Specilists in Brisbane and they recommend Ego products and the SunSence range of sunscreens (they are up to SPF 100 rated but due to our rules they can't advertise over 30 SPF on them - stupid I know). Life Changing that job was - Charlie if you have had Efudex - I have probably met you (sorry to say - nasty stuff ) COVER UP - LOOK LIKE A TERRORIST - JUST DON'T GET BURNT PLEASE - AND MAKE SURE THE SAME FOR YOUR CREW AND FAMILY ITS THAT SIMPLE End of sermon Sammy xx

[Bros]

I've had some terrible reaction to some sunscreens so much so that I have had to go to the doctor for treatment. I found Hamiltons a good cream but a bit exy. I ended up using the bulk stuff from Big W as I found that to give me no reaction.

If you decide on some put it in a patch on your arm and go in the sun for a while and see if you get a reaction.

I was out fishing once and came across a couple of people in a tinnie and one of them look they came from a traditional muslum country as they were covered from head to toe with the machine gun slit for the eyes.

[charleville]

I'v worked for the top Dermo/Skin Cancer Specilists in Brisbane and they recommend Ego products and the SunSence range of sunscreens (they are up to SPF 100 rated but due to our rules they can't advertise over 30 SPF on them - stupid I know).

That is really dumb if they cannot be advertised at that rating. Any particular reason that you are aware of? eg, Are they inconsistent in their rating above 30+ SPF?

This is just the info that we need on this site. I know that we are supposed to reapply the stuff after two hours but it just does not happen so the stronger the protection whilst on the water, the better.

I was out fishing once and came across a couple of people in a tinnie and one of them look they came from a traditional muslim country as they were covered from head to toe with the machine gun slit for the eyes.

I have always reckoned that I have never met a man who I did not learn something from. I think that we have much to learn in our climate from the people who dress in the traditional Arab way. Wearing loose clothes which cover up most of the body sounds pretty sensible to me as a fair-skinned kid who comes from the far west and now spends much time on the water.


Even more so at Mud Island just to keep out the bloody mosquitoes and March flies!

I actually wear my Adaptacap/Frillneck caps at night there to keep the mossies away from the back of my head and neck.

Charlie if you have had Efudex - I have probably met you (sorry to say - nasty stuff )

My Efudex treatment was precautionary because I was concerned at the extent of the sun spots on my face and yes, in my case, it was sure aggressive and very painful but I am very pleased that I had it done.

Halfway through the treatment, the doctor told me that after that treatment, I would have the face of a 12 year old kid.

"Great!" I said. "Can we make him a skinny kid?"




.

[Grand_Marlin]

Another question...

Do sunscreens go off, or at least lose their effectiveness over time?

Cheers

Pete

[sleepygreg]

Pete, you will find they all have a use by date on the container. When I had the tackle shop, I used to stock the Le Tan range. When I closed the shop, I had a number of containers of the 30+ left so i decided to keep them for my personal use. These last a few years until I looked at the expiry dates, and most of the ones i had left were past that date...I rang the company concerned, and they said its best not to use them as the active ingredients will lesten in effectiveness over time ( I really didnt expect them to say anything else). I elected not to use them if they were more than 6 months out of date. These days i dont have to worry about use by dates, as I use that much of the stuff it never gets that far (though I have a 'grab bag' for each form of fishing I do, and each one of them has a container of sunscreen and a container of insect repellent in it - so i do check the use bys in case i havent done that fishing for a while).

Greg

[Bear001]

I cake the thick zinc on my face like crusty the clown , then hamilton on the rest.

If not too windy then wear the wide brimmed hat, and always the long sleeve shirt.

I am naturally olive in complexion, but getting older and wiser....

Once though, I nearly put on the lure scent as zinc cream....OOOOOOPS...lmao

Cind

The Hamilton Lip Eze stuff is the best around IMO too.

[Grand_Marlin]

Thanks Greg,

I knew they had a use by date, but didn't know if their effectiveness was compromised.

The reason I asked is, my Wife grabbed an old (read very old) tube from the workshop last weekend before being outside.
It acted like putting baby oil on ... it actually made her burn to the point of light blistering within an hour.

Cheers

Pete

[honda900]

Pete,

thats a good point, what about sunscreen stored in in your boat, subjected to temperature and humidity changes, would that affect the effectiveness of the sunscreen? even if it is within the use by date range.

Regards
HOnda.

[Bros]

Whatever you end up doing do something weather it be covering up or use sunscreen as I am now suffering from many many years without hat, shirt and sunscreen.

[samsnap]

ok low down -
Yes Suncreams do expire & you are best to keep them out of direct heat.
It is also very improtant to remember the "forgotten bits" on the face" The inside of the ears, around the back of the ears, the tops of the ears (just smother ya ears!!) also the bridge of your nose and the sides of it where the tear ducts are (careful not to get cream in your eyes!) where your sunnies sit (and rub off the cream!!) and where the wings of the sunnies touch your cheeks near your ears - and your lips (purchase a specific LIP suncream for this as Cindy smartly added ) also the delicate under brow/eye area (I dont know how to protect this area other than good sunnies that are large)it is very important to reapply more often to these areas - due to the high rub off extent - believe me they are the highest danger areas - we hacked away at sadly. The cancer council website is brilliant!!!! Take a look - it has lots of good cover up ideas - nose covers- side wings for your sunnies, frill neck hats, big sunnies, creams, shirts etc.
Don't be fooled by the old Complexion Chestnut - UV rays will still get ya!!
Charlie - Unfortunately its a decision by the Aust Drug Authority to not put anything above 30+ on the tubes -I Think it is due to most if them are made overseas from many different countries & many different rating scales.It would be too hard to regulate to one scale is suppose. The only reason I know SunSense is so high is I know the Reps & they know the Product. I too have "Convict " skin and sinder in 5 sec flat - I swear by SunSence and Hamilton and the "terrorist fashion look"
Hope this Helps
Sammy

[samsnap]

Opps - forgot the backs of your hands, feet/tootsies & neck and the bottom of your nose (the creasey fold bit where it joins your face). oh yeah and don't forget the solar panels for those who are equipped with them - who have hats with those little air holes in them (trust me after years of extended exposure YOU WILL BE SORRY!) bet you never thought of that did ya These are all simple but easily forgotten and on the top 10 excission list with the ones mentioned above.
Sammy xx