Freethought & Rationalism Archive

BioBeing · 04-17-2003, 10:44 PM

How about SPF 60?

Quote:

Total Block� SPF 60: Has been specifically formulated for individuals who require full spectrum protection from solar radiation for medical reasons. Individuals with Lupus, Skin Cancer, Drug Photosensitivity, or any hypersensitivity to the sun, need to have total protection from all UVB/UVA visible and infrared light. Total Block is a PABA free, liquid cover up & make up base, which can be individually shaded to match your exact skin tone.

Other than that, SPF 50 seems about as high as most go.

FoE · 04-17-2003, 11:07 PM

They have this thing called night. Go out then.

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ · 04-18-2003, 12:50 AM

Wear glass. Glass is completely opaque to light in the UV spectrum, which is why we use glass tubes for florescent lights and quartz for tanning beds. We'd go blind off of the UV in a florescent lightbulb otherwise.

Get the SPF 60 stuff.

livius drusus · 04-18-2003, 04:54 AM

SPF measures the length of time it takes you to burn. For instance, if you normally burn after 30 minutes, when you put on a sunscreen with SPF 10 it will take you 5 hours to get to that same level of sunburn. Of course, you must be careful to reapply over the course of those five hours, keeping in mind that reapplication does not extend the safe window of time, it just keeps it from closing early.

Since burning isn't your problem, I think you need to focus on total UV blockage. Most sunblocks stop UVB rays from penetrating the skin, but not UVAs (which can actually penetrate glass). Look for a full spectrum sunblock like the Total Block BioBeing linked to.

Here's an EPA release with some helpful information on sunblock and UV protection.

Silent Dave · 04-18-2003, 05:06 AM

I burn easily, and don't really care about tanning myself, so I pick something with a high SPF when I wear sunscreen. I generally don't like sunscreen, though. Too oily. I'm more of an indoors person and a night person anyway.

Name the movie: "Anyone not wearing 2 million sunblock is going to have a very bad day, GET IT?"

Dave

HelenM · 04-18-2003, 05:12 AM

As liv said, the SPF factor is what you multiply by to work out the protection: so SPF 15 means it takes 15 times as long to burn with it on as it would without.

I burn very easily. And I mean, burn, not tan. I have a tiny bit of red in my hair and the fair skin that goes with red hair...

I've found that SPF 15 isn't 'total' protection for me if I'm out all day i.e. I've had some amount of sunburn - maybe not bad though - wearing it. I remember getting uncomfortably burned wearing SPF 7 years ago. I can't recall ever being burned with SPF 30 on. I think most people consider 30 to be total protection, for all practical purposes.

My usual problems are a) I don't like wearing the icky sticky stuff so I am loathe to put it on and then I burn; or b) I miss some bit of me and get a strangely shaped bright red mark where I didn't quite reach with the sunscreen. Oh well

Maybe I went into Too Much Information somewhere in this post

Helen

livius drusus · 04-18-2003, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silent Dave
Name the movie: "Anyone not wearing 2 million sunblock is going to have a very bad day, GET IT?"

Oo! Oo! I know! I know! It's Terminator 2 isn't it?

Silent Dave · 04-18-2003, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by livius drusus
Oo! Oo! I know! I know! It's Terminator 2 isn't it?

You got it.

One of the better Arnold flicks, although that's admittedly not a high hurdle to clear.

Dave

Jackalope · 04-18-2003, 05:34 AM

Actually, the clear variety is SPF 65. I know, because I use the stuff. I'm a redhead who also has severe sun sensitivity. I made myself a tshirt that says:
http://gw.retro.com/employees/lee/Ar...ombustable.jpg

It's only sort of a joke. People have suggested that my Medic Alert tag should really read:
DO NOT EXPOSE TO SUNLIGHT
SEVERE GARLIC ALLERGY
IF FOUND AT CROSSROADS WITH STAKE THROUGH HEART, DNR.

SPF65 is pretty damn good, if you don't sweat it off or wipe it off. You should reapply sunblock every couple hours or so. In addition, wide-brimmed hats, parasols and Solumbra UV protective clothing are the answer. Hey if it can work for someone as white as me , it'll probably be overkill for you.

wildernesse · 04-18-2003, 07:27 AM

As a redhead, I burn. I have a watch-line from yesterday's fire drill (all of 15 minutes--including time spent in the shade)!

I have some SPF 75-full spectrum at home. It seemed to work well on our honeymoon in Cancun--no burn at all! (Of course, there were other factors that limited sun-exposure there as well.

)

What I did last year so that I wouldn't have funky darker-white arms and bright-white back and neck for my wedding is: apply high SPF/full spectrum lotion sunscreen in the morning on all exposed skin (arms, neck, face) and then I carried a bottle of sports spray sunscreen of about SPF 30 with me at all times, and spray throughout the day. Some brands of the spray are icky, so you might have to try a couple to see what you like to use with every day clothes. It seemed to work really well--I was almost uniformly bright-white in August.

--tibac

04-18-2003, 05:34 AM	#19
Jackalope Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Hayward, CA, USA Posts: 1,675	Total Block Actually, the clear variety is SPF 65. I know, because I use the stuff. I'm a redhead who also has severe sun sensitivity. I made myself a tshirt that says: http://gw.retro.com/employees/lee/Ar...ombustable.jpg It's only sort of a joke. People have suggested that my Medic Alert tag should really read: DO NOT EXPOSE TO SUNLIGHT SEVERE GARLIC ALLERGY IF FOUND AT CROSSROADS WITH STAKE THROUGH HEART, DNR. SPF65 is pretty damn good, if you don't sweat it off or wipe it off. You should reapply sunblock every couple hours or so. In addition, wide-brimmed hats, parasols and Solumbra UV protective clothing are the answer. Hey if it can work for someone as white as me , it'll probably be overkill for you.

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04-17-2003, 11:07 PM	#12
FoE Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,168	They have this thing called night. Go out then.

04-18-2003, 12:50 AM	#13
Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Heaven Posts: 6,980	Wear glass. Glass is completely opaque to light in the UV spectrum, which is why we use glass tubes for florescent lights and quartz for tanning beds. We'd go blind off of the UV in a florescent lightbulb otherwise. Get the SPF 60 stuff.

04-18-2003, 04:54 AM	#14
livius drusus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Selva Oscura Posts: 4,120	SPF measures the length of time it takes you to burn. For instance, if you normally burn after 30 minutes, when you put on a sunscreen with SPF 10 it will take you 5 hours to get to that same level of sunburn. Of course, you must be careful to reapply over the course of those five hours, keeping in mind that reapplication does not extend the safe window of time, it just keeps it from closing early. Since burning isn't your problem, I think you need to focus on total UV blockage. Most sunblocks stop UVB rays from penetrating the skin, but not UVAs (which can actually penetrate glass). Look for a full spectrum sunblock like the Total Block BioBeing linked to. Here's an EPA release with some helpful information on sunblock and UV protection.

04-18-2003, 05:06 AM	#15
Silent Dave Banned Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Bloomington, MN Posts: 2,209	I burn easily, and don't really care about tanning myself, so I pick something with a high SPF when I wear sunscreen. I generally don't like sunscreen, though. Too oily. I'm more of an indoors person and a night person anyway. Name the movie: "Anyone not wearing 2 million sunblock is going to have a very bad day, GET IT?" Dave

04-18-2003, 05:12 AM	#16
HelenM Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Ill Posts: 6,577	As liv said, the SPF factor is what you multiply by to work out the protection: so SPF 15 means it takes 15 times as long to burn with it on as it would without. I burn very easily. And I mean, burn, not tan. I have a tiny bit of red in my hair and the fair skin that goes with red hair... I've found that SPF 15 isn't 'total' protection for me if I'm out all day i.e. I've had some amount of sunburn - maybe not bad though - wearing it. I remember getting uncomfortably burned wearing SPF 7 years ago. I can't recall ever being burned with SPF 30 on. I think most people consider 30 to be total protection, for all practical purposes. My usual problems are a) I don't like wearing the icky sticky stuff so I am loathe to put it on and then I burn; or b) I miss some bit of me and get a strangely shaped bright red mark where I didn't quite reach with the sunscreen. Oh well Maybe I went into Too Much Information somewhere in this post Helen

04-18-2003, 07:27 AM	#20
wildernesse Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,578	As a redhead, I burn. I have a watch-line from yesterday's fire drill (all of 15 minutes--including time spent in the shade)! I have some SPF 75-full spectrum at home. It seemed to work well on our honeymoon in Cancun--no burn at all! (Of course, there were other factors that limited sun-exposure there as well. ) What I did last year so that I wouldn't have funky darker-white arms and bright-white back and neck for my wedding is: apply high SPF/full spectrum lotion sunscreen in the morning on all exposed skin (arms, neck, face) and then I carried a bottle of sports spray sunscreen of about SPF 30 with me at all times, and spray throughout the day. Some brands of the spray are icky, so you might have to try a couple to see what you like to use with every day clothes. It seemed to work really well--I was almost uniformly bright-white in August. --tibac

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