Sunscreen/sun/vacation threads

[s3rndpt]

Darn...I looked at Amazon, but was only looking for shirts so I missed those. Love that hoodie---I think I may pick one up for later. Too late for this trip, but we're heading to San Diego for Comic Con in July, and it could come in handy then.

I just finished a session on Wednesday, and we leave tomorrow....hoping it will be healed enough by the middle of next week that I can use sunscreen on it too. Otherwise, I'll be the mom hiding in the shade under an umbrella wearing 3 layers of shirts while my kids run wild.

[scubaron]

SeeSea, have a good trip. You will be the topic of conversation and everyone will want to see your back. The fish will be drawn to you because they will see their relatives on you.

[SeeSea]

SeeSea, have a good trip. You will be the topic of conversation and everyone will want to see your back. The fish will be drawn to you because they will see their relatives on you.

Yeah! Thanks! I'm looking forward to the conversation. Maybe I should have put a whaleshark in there to draw them to me. Wow, I didn't think of that. But if my back can be a talisman, we should be seeing hammerheads, eagle ray, idols, angel fish, squirrel fish, clownfish, eels, jellyfish.... :D (Although with the current state of my jellyfish, the only ones we would be seeing are ones that look chopped up by a boat prop. Ack.)

[TrixieFaux]

@s3rndpt

I am going on vacation next week and I'm about 2.5 weeks out from my last session (clearly the timing was planned!). I will be able to wear sunscreen but I was read the riot act to wear sunscreen AND wear a UV rash guard because this piece is in-progress and he wants NOOOOO fading and it has white in it already.

I didn't realize there were so many options. I purchased both of these below. One is a hoodie that is a little loose and of very lightweight material. The other is a very loose wrap kind of jacket you can throw on top of anything. I like them both because the material doesn't cry out "rash guard" or "UV material." It's a little stretchy and a lot like a cotton/polyester blend.

Amazon.com: Coolibar UPF 50+ Women's ZnO Seaside Hoodie - Sun Protection: Clothing

Coolibar UPF 50+ Women's Sun Protective Wrap at Amazon Women’s Clothing store

I also have a couple in-water UV rash guards because I'll be able to get into the water and do some diving.

This is also very cute and wrinkle resistant - I'll be wearing it on the plane so when we get out and if the sun is blasting, I won't have to had to put on sunscreen for the plane ride!!!

Women's Reflection Fall Tee

Hmmm, I'm still confused over the conflicting reports! But my tinted face moisturizer with spf 45 uses Titanium Dioxide (9.015%) and Zinc Oxide (6.035%) and it works quite well at keeping my face from getting a tan or burn.

Also--I have a Coolibar brand cover-up and it is great, love it.

Have a great trip!

[str8shuutr45]

I'd like to throw my $.02 in....I'm in the middle of what is turning out to be a 3/4 sleeve. I am also a sun worshiper. So for the time being, I am wearing a mesh long sleeve shirt while out on my boat. I bring some water from home or the store and soak my t-shirt when it gets too hot. The water cools me down and as it evaporates continues the cooling cycle until dry. The long sleeves protects my investment and my skin also. I can continue with my Tattoo Goo application or Eucerin moisturizing lotion. 2 shirts were less expensive than sun block and will last for years.

[SeeSea]

So for the time being, I am wearing a mesh long sleeve shirt while out on my boat. I bring some water from home or the store and soak my t-shirt when it gets too hot. The water cools me down and as it evaporates continues the cooling cycle until dry. The long sleeves protects my investment and my skin also. I can continue with my Tattoo Goo application or Eucerin moisturizing lotion. 2 shirts were less expensive than sun block and will last for years.

Getting a shirt wet reduces the SPF. And if your shirt is mesh, it's less effective than a shirt you can't see through. You would do well to protect your investment and do the sunscreen too.

Six common sun myths, exposed - CNN.com

Cover up

Think that T-shirt protects your kid from UV rays? Think again. A white T-shirt has an SPF of about 7, but once it gets wet, SPF drops down to about 3, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

"In general, the easiest way to test if a fabric can protect your skin is to hold it up to the light -- if you can see through it, then UV radiation can penetrate it," says Dr. Weinstock. This means you need to apply sunscreen underneath the clothes (and don't forget wide-brimmed hats to shield the face and eyes). Also consider using a laundry aid such as SunGuard, which blocks about 96 percent of UV rays when washed into regular clothes.

You might also try some treated SPF clothing. A few of our favorites: Cabana Life

[polliwog]

Maybe look into getting a rash guard rated SPF 50. I find mine stays damp for a long time and does help keep me cooler once it's wet, even though it's a really dense knit.

[SeeSea]

Maybe look into getting a rash guard rated SPF 50. I find mine stays damp for a long time and does help keep me cooler once it's wet, even though it's a really dense knit.

I agree and good point. I dove a week in the tropics last month and wore a rash guard all day on the boat. After every dive the rash guard kept me cool when it was wet in the hot sun. I alternated both a long sleeve and a short sleeve one - both were UV50. Granted, I spent $50 on each one, but I figure for the investment, of which I am into for 40 hours at this point, it's worth it.

[str8shuutr45]

Getting a shirt wet reduces the SPF. And if your shirt is mesh, it's less effective than a shirt you can't see through. You would do well to protect your investment and do the sunscreen too.

I get what you're saying- thanks - FWIW, when the skin is healed I wear SPF 30 under my T-shirts on the ink. The mesh isn't see through and the shirts aren't white cotton. To that end, I have an awesome farmer's tan...dark face, hands, and legs...my torso is a lot lighter:cool:

[DJDeepFried]

Funny how people think we're such exhibitionists with our tattoos when we're more likely to cover up than anyone.

[polliwog]

It finally happened: Tattoo Guard Sunscreen Spray Spotted in the grocery store this evening. I didn't compare prices to see if they were charging us more for the privilege of buying magical "tattoo" sunscreen.

[Rikhall]

It finally happened: Tattoo Guard Sunscreen Spray Spotted in the grocery store this evening. I didn't compare prices to see if they were charging us more for the privilege of buying magical "tattoo" sunscreen.

It costs more like almost twice the price

[polliwog]

As my grandma would say, there's one born every minute.

[Rikhall]

As my grandma would say, there's one born every minute.

Suppose itl make those underboob infinity symbols last a lot longer

[SeeSea]

To that end, I have an awesome farmer's tan...dark face, hands, and legs...my torso is a lot lighter:cool:

LOL - I'm with you on that. I have an awesome diver's tan. Tan face and hands and feet. Gotta love the SPF 2 million wetsuit.

[SeeSea]

Well, this could go in a couple threads, but since we talked about UV clothing here I'll post here. I just had a session last night on the upper part of my back. I have to go out on the water today with family and need sun protection. Obviously, I can't put sunscreen on the raw skin, so I brought along some of my UV shirts from vacation. But all of them are white or very light-colored because who wants to wear black in the sun!?! Now I realize that I need a darker colored one so the morning after goop doesn't show through. Yet another tattoo lesson learned.

[pidjones]

For those wishing to be frugal (or, like me you're just plain cheap), Walmart Starter brand and Target Champion C9 have long sleeve microfiber shirts that are basically the same as a rash guard. I've bought C9 from sale racks for $10. I wear them on the motorcycle under mesh armor for cooling in summer, and under solid armor in winter for insulation.

[SeeSea]

For those wishing to be frugal (or, like me you're just plain cheap), Walmart Starter brand and Target Champion C9 have long sleeve microfiber shirts that are basically the same as a rash guard. I've bought C9 from sale racks for $10. I wear them on the motorcycle under mesh armor for cooling in summer, and under solid armor in winter for insulation.

Why risk blowing away a very expensive investment by using a shirt that wasn't designed to provide skin protection? Microfiber does not make it a rash guard.

rash guard: A rash guard, also known as rash vest or rashie, is a type of water wear, an athletic shirt made of spandex and nylon or polyester. The name rash guard reflects the fact that the shirt protects the wearer against rashes caused by abrasion, or by sunburn from extended exposure to the sun.

[pidjones]

Why risk blowing away a very expensive investment by using a shirt that wasn't designed to provide skin protection? Microfiber does not make it a rash guard.

The ones that I use are microfiber nylon-spandex. They are opaque. Other than the price (and perhaps fashionable logo), they are the same. Use what you wish. I offered information that others might choose to use or not. It's not designed for motorcycle cooling, either - but it works great for that.

[SeeSea]

I'm not trying to be a dick. I just did a lot of research and shared it here, and wanted to caution that microfiber doesn't equal rash guard qualities for UV protection. There are several companies that claim their shirts have an SPF rating, which is false. SPF is for skin care products. There are actually standards for clothing that claim UV / UPF protection. That's not to say a particular shirt won't provide some protection, but it will give confidence that the shirt will provide what is claimed.

Some of the UV stuff is incredibly soft (although some scratches like sand paper!). No fibers at all, and it feels great on raw and healing skin, which is a bonus. I got a great shirt from Columbia on sale for $35 that I've been wearing all weekend.

But as always, YMMV.

[Russ]

I've just come back off holiday, and have a weird issue!

I used SPF 30 all holiday but on a couple of areas where it may of rubbed off,

waist band, just bellow neck line and just above knee, some of my tattoos have reacted, they are all fully healed but the blue in the tattoos has gone lumpy and raised up! its quite itchy too!

my arms often get caught in the sun without sunscreen and this as never happened.

as this happened to anyone else? is there anything I can do?

as I said it is only on the blue

worst thing I'm going back on holiday on friday!

PS I'm not 100% its down to the sun could be a reaction to lotion? I'm not sure :confused:

[SeeSea]

How old are the tattoos? I have a blue problem with one particular tint, and I recall at least someone else here having a blue issue, but after tattooing. I've not heard it mentioned specifically after the sun. Ask your tattooer about the extra sun. Others have mentioned parts of a tattoo get raised or irritated after sweating, humidity, hot weather, so maybe that's involved. Let us know if you learn anything.

[Russ]

One was done around March the other is a back piece that was finished in January but the blue was put in before that.

I doubt I'll see either tattooer for at least a couple of months, one travels the world and is pretty hard to get hold of and the other is not really local to me.

I'm not overly concerned it's not all the blue in the tattoos just in certain areas! Lower thigh, lower back waist area and shoulder area.

My guess would be it's an allergic reaction on sensitive areas triggered by the sun! It's just strange I've never had issues on my arms and often get caught out without lotion.

I'll try some antihistamines and see if that works.

[SeeSea]

Hmmm, I'm not a doc, so I'll just defer to what others have mentioned elsewhere - try the antihistamines and if that doesn't help and you remain concerned, see a doc/dermatologist. I hope it resolves and it doesn't make itself a habit.

- - - Updated - - -

^^^ and make sure you wear that sunscreen! ;)

[Fala]

I STILL have raised areas from high humidity days and from sweating - with a 2+ year old tattoo and a more recent 8 month old one. It's only in the denser areas - is that where your rash-like stuff is happening? If so, try to let it breathe, keep it out of the sun, keep it cool and dry. See how that goes with the antihistamine. I agree with @SeeSea - if that doesn't work, go see a dermatologist/doc!