Chemical Sunscreens for Me Then

Threw out the tube of Ego Sunsense 'Sensitive' sunscreen (for the body) manufactured by Ego Pharmaceuticals. I think it has been discontinued. But I had an unopened new 75g tube and used it for the first time. Read the ingredients: titanium dioxide 9.8%, zinc oxide 2.0% with preservatives of hydroxybenzoates. Normal stuff.

This tube hit every marketing spiel I usually fall for in skin products — 'for sensitive skin', 'pediatrician tested', 'dermatologically tested', 'suitable for babies and those with sensitive skin', 'free from chemical absorbers, lanolin, fragrance and color', 'made & tested in Australia', '4 hours water resistant', and of course 'SPF 50+ and UVA & UVB Broad Spectrum Lotion' which would be the whole point of a sunscreen.

MY SKIN FLARED BIG TIME. WALAOEH. I haven't had it flare like this for a while from a skin product. Food, yes. Used it for a morning outing with the dog when the UV was high and the sun was in full force. Came back and took a shower because I was grimy and sweaty, and itching. The itch set in in earnest that afternoon. Hives flooded my shoulders and arms, pretty much exactly where the sunscreen went. I'm so lucky that I'm lazy and didn't bother to put it all over my body. I literally put them on the shoulders and upper arms.  

I nursed hives, some bits blistered and turned bloody, for almost six days. It was bad. One antihistamine couldn't control the breakout. For six days, between a daily Clarityn-D and steroid creams in the nights, in the day, I slapped on Egoderm ointment (haha yah) and rolled eyes at the irony of it all. Yup, I did my homework about chemical and physical sunscreens, and such. I think I can't use physical sunscreens (also known as 'mineral'). Something in it reacts with the UV and irritates my skin, and I don't know what it is. I do react to many skin products branded 'organic' or 'plant-based' or 'mineral'. *shrug 

Went out to buy a new sunscreen from La Roche-Posay. Didn't even bother to look around very much for another brand. I'm sticking to what's safe. I'm not reacting to its formula for the face, so I figured it should be okay for the body. Took a hard look at its list of ingredients. It sold me the same words on the label, and I chose to believe its 'Tested under dermatological control. Allergy tested'. The brand's Anthelios range offers sunscreens that combine both physical and chemical filters. That should work better on my skin. The one I use on my face is a chemical sunscreen.

After six days of itch, the hives subsided somewhat. A few patches of itch remained. It was time for me to brave the sun and try out the new sunscreen. Here goes nothing huh. Slathered it lightly over the shoulders and arms. Took a shower when I came home. I had peace. The skin held. Thank goodness.