Hi, My name is CS, and im an Assistant lifeguard for Oceanside, and im here to give you a saftey lecture on teh dangers of the Ocean and the beach

One thing that in Jr. Guards they can't stress enough is the importance of sunscreen. I was just wondering how many people have at least a tube of sunscreen in their B.O.B; Sunburns HURT And as im sure all of you know, if its bad, you can;t do anything!

Just wondering how many people actually have some in their B.O.B

My EDC and BOBs each have sunscreen and bugspray, as do each of my kids packs. It seems like a no-brainer. Why wouldn't you carry it?

As a redhead, no one hates the sun more than me. I burn fast, and I burn bad. But I don't need sunscreen. If I wear a wide brimmed hat, long sleeves, and long pants, I'm good to go without any stinky goo.

Down here in Florida sunburn is serious business. I have seen quite a few people suffer 'sun poisoning' so bad it required hospitalization. This over an above the odds of the more common debilitating sunburns and/or possible skin cancer down the road. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a long-sleeve shirt are vital.

It isn't meant as a knock against our northern friends but the sun really is stronger down here. A fact that comes to light when people used to staying out in the sun for hours up north face consequences when they try it down here.

Even those who are used, or genetically adapted, to it there are consequences. All I can do is shake my head when I see ladies I knew a couple of decades ago and the deep tan they craved when they were young has turned into what looks like elephant hide. And they got off easy.

At least one I know has died of skin cancer. A high price for fashion.

spf50 waterproof sunscreen in the kit - 100% deet in the kit, and a tilly hat

As our friends to the north say
"slip, slop, slap"

Supposedly after SPF 30 there is no appreciable difference in the amount of protection...

I actually don't bother with it much. I have Greek blood and heavy melanin, and I just don't burn. My grandparents are all still alive in their 90s, including the pair that have spent their lives on the water and think sunscreen is for pale white people. No history of skin cancer.

I have a tube of Australia-grade stuff in my medical kit. Being the most "flammable" person I know, it was pretty much the first thing I added.

Now that many sunscreens cover UVA and UVB (which is a recent thing) sunscreen is a bit more useful and I do carry it.

I never bothered carrying it before, because I don't burn easily. But, I carry it now that its full spectrum.

Lip balm is more important to me, and I carry the SPF30 kind. My lips tend to dry out.

The sunscreen that doesn't cover UVA and UVB both is mostly just for comfort... according to consumer reports... (yeah, I guess I'm a bit of a fanboy about them). It keeps you from burning but still lets in UV rays, so its unlikely to really keep you from getting cancer.

I should point out that L'oreal had a patent on full spectrum sunscreen for many years, so for those living in Europe and Canada, the above comment is useless. The FDA wouldn't approve L'Oreal's formula, and you can derive your own conspiracy theories about that.

I ALWAYS use/ carry the stuff -my job takes me outside frequently in the Summer...so I carry some in the car and in kits. Add a hat, sunglasses and its good to go. Frequently you can get a small bottle 2-3 oz free when you buy a big one. I also replace the sunscreen every year.

When I get to pretend to be a lifeguard, were constantly on the deck, usually in full sun, for ~4 hours, so i have tried many sunscreens and found one that i really like, and so do a lot of the guards like, its called Head Hunter and is really really nice! I like the not clear one, i think it is the "original formula" or something like that

(no, i am not payed to say this by the company, and i don;t know any representatives of the company, this is all on my own volition and I'm just saying it because I'm a happy customer)

~CS

I'm a long sleeves and hat kind of guy too, but be careful of not wearing sunscreen. You can still burn if you're out in the sun all day, which one might well have to do in a survival situation.

Don't even think about not wearing screen on a sunny day when the surface is reflective (water, snow, white soil or sand, etc.). Besides, modern sunscreens have come a long way. There are a lot of non-greasy ones out there that absorb into the skin. I use Banana Boat brand.

I use sunscreen all the time now, I thought it was a hoax when it first came out, till I tried it.

One time I went fishing in Algonquin Park with 3 friends (2 canoes), it was very sunny and hot and I even got a slight sunburn through my cotton t-shirt.

My 2 other partners were in an aluminum canoe, wearing just bathing suits with no sunscreen. They spent the day drinking rum and trolling for lake trout, by the end of the afternoon they were extremely sunburn, but to drunk to feel it. The next morning was really painful for them; sunburnt and hungover.

Mike

Sunscreen definitely works. You're talking to the king of sunburn here. SPF 30 sunscreen has really made a huge difference for me. I used to burn fairly frequently, particularly on snow or at high altitude -- and I wear long sleeves, long pants, and a wide brimmed hat every time I go hiking (well, in the winter I might wear a fleece cap, but sunburn isn't a big issue in the winter).

You definitely can get a sunburn through single layer cotton shirts. To avoid sunburn through clothes, look for clothing with a UPF (like SPF on sunscreen but for clothes) of at least 30.

It's very interesting what can happen when the sun is intense, particularly on water and snow. I got a sunburn under my chin, on the underside of my nostrils, and on the skin above my eyelids, all areas I wouldn't have thought to go heavy on with the sunscreen since sunlight can't hit them directly. Oh, and don't wear really loose, open shorts when walking on snow in spring conditions.

You can also get sunburn through your hair on a high UV day, particularly if you part your hair.

All good info Jim.

My partner at work has thinning hair but hates to wear a hat, he regularly gets a sunburn scalp.

Mike

I always have some sunscreen with me wherever I go, just a habit after living in Hawaii for 6 years and in Japan on and off for about 8 years. Both places you can get burned real quick. I usually find that an SPF 30 works well except for my daughter I carry stronger. Sun burn is no joke and it's really hard to carry even minor tasks while sunburned

Sunburn is no joke; either is skin cancer.
I am in my early fifties and am now having gegular visits to the skin clinic to have bits cut of me. I am fair skinned and live in the country with the highest rate of skin cancer per head of population in the world.
When I was a kid there was no sunscreen or indeed any info or advice to keep out of the sun.
As you can guess SPF30+ is now my best friend; but it's the kids we need to look after, sun damage to skin gets done ealy in life.

RE sunburned scalps - I too hate hats but usually wear one. O do take a good handful of the "goop" and smear it all over my head - makes my hair look like the 1950s, but I don't burn.

Last burn I got was on the BACKS of my ears - I remembered to do the edges, the head behind the ears, the fronts etc, but missed a spot about the size of a dime on one ear, and a nickle on the other

Yup, SPF 30 and a SPF 50 stick

Bill

FDA approved mexoryl two years ago. Also, Neutrogena has great sunscreens containing Helioplex. Ask you dermatologist.

Long-Awaited Sunscreen Approved for Sale

Jul 24, 5:17 PM (ET)

WASHINGTON (AP) - A sunscreen that blocks the type of ultraviolet radiation linked to some cancers, and which has been available only outside the United States, received federal approval Monday.
Called Anthelios SX, the sunscreen contains ecamsule, an ingredient better at blocking ultraviolet A, or UVA, radiation than other sunscreen ingredients currently sold in the United States. Those ingredients mainly screen out UVB rays.
UVB has long been associated with sunburn, while UVA is recognized as a deeper penetrating radiation, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Doctors suspect there is a link between UVA exposure and longer-term effects, including wrinkles, basal and squamous cell cancers and melanoma.
Anthelios is made by the French cosmetics company L'Oreal SA. It has a sun protection factor or SPF of 15.
The sunscreen contains three active ingredients, including ecamsule or Mexoryl SX. Mexoryl has been included in the company's sunscreens sold in Canada and Europe since 1993.
LaRoche-Posay will distribute the product, the FDA said.

It only comes in SPF 15? Bummer.

Well, I guess I could use the Mexoryl as a "primer coat" and put some regular SPF 30 sunscreen on top of it. A bit kludgey, though.

Yeah, you'd think they would at least bump the mexoryl sunscreen up to spf 30 with another ingredient, but in looking at the website it is really made to be a moisturizer which I didn't realize at first.