ive tried nivea and suffered

i always burn when using Nivea

Ive always used Avon sun products with no ill effects. I have sensitive skin anyway (eczema) so tend not to chop and change products but thought that Avon was so expensive this year that I had a change. I used Nivea and Piz Buin (Ayrshire - I checked my bottles and yes it contains helioplex but so did last year's bottle and didnt get prickly heat last year so im not sure maybe just unlucky I guess). I found that once I stopped the piz buin this year the prickly heat died down (although I was taking allergy tablets too). I really liked the nivea creams - easy to apply and did go a nice colour. I also didnt burn.

Im still none the wiser but think I may stick to the Avon stuff next time.

Loads of people claiming an allergy to Piz Buin HERE

luci

Interesting. Thanks for the link Luci. I wonder if it was the piz buin now. The rash that people are describing sounds exactly the same as I had. I only used the cream on the top of my arms and shoulders (as this is where I burn easily) and the top of my legs which is where the rash was. Luckily I stopped using it but it does make you think

think ill do a skin patch test over the weekend and see how i go, dont want to end up suffering after reading some of those reviews, 2 weeks to go till hols so will still have time to buy something else if i have a problem

I always have prickly heat abroad unless I towel dry before I sunbathe, never lie on a wet towel as it creates steam, and apply a product called Salcura Sun n tan 30 mins before sunbathing. In Egypt at Easter we had temperatures of 30 degrees plus and I used Piz Buin factor 30, & 50 creams bought this year, which contain helioplex. I think it's possibly the first time ever, that I haven't had any sign of prickly heat at all. I don't usually use protection that high, so I'm sure that helped. ps I still had a lovely colour when I came back, as did hubby who used 50 for the whole week.

Helen does the Salcura sun and tan have any spf in it ? do you apply it before or after sun creams

You apply it around 20 mins before suncream Llindy - it doesn't contain spf. I usually put it on before breakfast and then apply suncream when I return to pick up my bag from the room. Have a look at it here. It's not cheap, but it's worth it's weight in gold to me. I had it on offer for £15.99
http://www.pureandgentleskincare.com/ebuttonz/ebz_product_pages/salcurasunntan-ssa051.htm.

Went to Corfu for 2 weeks and took Nivea suncream for the first time. Both myself and teenage daughter developed an awful spotty rash of red pimples over the tops of our arms and across our chests, nowhere else.
It looked absolutely awful and made our skin quite dry although it claimed to moisturise. I am sure the suncream stopped us developing a nice tan too so very disappointed and will not use it again, will stick to Boots Soltan next time.

Up until the age of 25 or so I could never wear any suncream unless it was clinique sensitive (it was mega bucks back then)!!

when I was in Australia I run out and had to use some of my husbands which was nivea and Hawaiian Tropic. Never developed an allergy to either of these.

Would like to try others but just dare'nt!!

I was also told that if you have too 'high' a factor or waterproof suncream that it blocks your pores and they can't breathe hence you develop prickly heat.

Also, I shower every morning to make sure I have no perfume, after sun, anti bug spray etc on from night before and no deoderant. Im in and out of pool and always have a shower after entering the pool.

I always use the same shower gel too - Garnier Nutralia.

My uncle swore by drinking Tonic water too because it has quinine in it and is supposed to eleviate the prickly heat.

So far so good, but after reading a few have reacted to Nivea I hope they haven't changed the formula.

I have just bought the same old type as before, I know they have bought out lighter versions etc but Im sticking to what I know.

Hopefully all will be fine, fingers crossed

I first suffered with PLE 5 years ago when I went to Zante. Not sure what triggered it as I'm in the age group where it's supposed to ease off! I used all day sunscreen for the first time on that holiday so it's possible that may have caused it.

On subsequent holidays to Greece I've used Piz Buin allergy sun cream and taken anti-histamines and the rash wasn't as bad.

I read this thread before I went to Crete for a fortnight in August and tried to get low-dose steroids from my doctor but she wouldn't prescribe them - just told me to use calamine lotion if I did get PLE!

However, I took notice of the advice on towelling off after a swim and, for the first time in 5 years, I haven't had any sign of PLE. I was also using the Piz Buin allergy sun cream and taking anti-histamines as usual. I also bought some non-allergy suncream while I was there as I ran out (probably due to keep re-applying due to getting dried after every dip) but I didn't get any rash. This was towards the end of the holiday when I'd used up the 3 bottles of Piz Buin that I'd taken with me and presumably my skin had got used to the intense sunshine.

hi there.....

just back from a weeks hol and im covered chest to toe in a rash. I get the same rash every abroad holiday. once in benidorm i was rushed to the doctors as my legs swelled that much i collapsed with the pain. He told me i was allergic to suncream and only to buy nivea or piz buin.

every bloomin holiday im covered... not just little patches... literally chest to toe covered. it looks a mess.
this time i took anti histamines 2 weeks before i went and every day when i was there - it made no difference.
i prepared my skin and used elemis tan accelarator (cost me a fortune) 2 weeks before i went out - it made no difference.

im sitting here after getting home this morning and im itching all over im fed up with this.

whilst sitting round the pool a lady from suncarecentral.com did a wee speech on prickly heat and how the suncreams use too much aqua and plasticy ingrediants, and right enough the back of my piz buin bottle was full of them.

she had a table set up selling natural sun cream, the ones on the webpage suncarecentral.com. i bought a factor 15 and factor 8 to try on my next holiday in july.... has anyone tried and tested these ones before???

Ive no idea if its PH or PLE, never heard of the latter til i read here (ive not read all 14 pages tho lol). I did take some photos of my rash, do you think its worth showing them to my GP????

ill read back for tips.....

Defo show them to your GP if it's PLE he will prescribe steroids for your next holiday. I always suffered like you until the GP gave me steroids - no problem now!

whilst sitting round the pool a lady from suncarecentral.com did a wee speech on prickly heat and how the suncreams use too much aqua and plasticy ingrediants, and right enough the back of my piz buin bottle was full of them.

Whatever is the root cause of your problem it's highly unlikely to be the 'aqua' content of your suncream unless you experience the same problems whenever you take a shower, have a bath or go for a swim. 'Aqua' is the word cosmetic companies use to disguise the fact that they are charging you an awful lot for things for which the major ingriendt is water! 'Aqua' is simply the Latin word for water and a good many creams and lotions are 'aqueous solutions' ie they are water based rather than oil-based, mineral or otherwise.

The Suncare Central website plays a bit fast and loose with what it chooses to describe as a 'natural mineral' - a lot of the ingredients it lists as 'chemicals' are also naturally occurring minerals as well. It would appear that the main sunscreen ingredient is Titanium Dioxide which is commonly used in many sunscreen creams - not just those which claim to be natural. It's often the sunscreen of choice in total sunblocks. It's a very intense white pigment which is also used in both decorating paints and and artists oil paints. And that's why high factor sunscreens and total sunblocks are so white and can be difficult to rub invisibly on to one's skin. Titanium White is the whitest of white artists colours for the very same reason that it makes a good sunscreen - it is highly reflective and hence reflects much of the light that falls on any object or surface covered in it.

It's use in cosmetics and suncreams is subject to a lot of debate and it's not universally seen as being problem free in use:

http://www.organicmakeup.ca/CA/titaniumdioxide.asp

Your own symptoms sound as if they are towards the extreme end of the spectrum and I think that it's unlikely to be prickly heat which tends not to happen all over the body but to be concentrated in the areas with the most sweat glands. If the rash develops everywhere that you've covered in suncream and/or has beene xposed to the sun then, yes, it could be that you are allergic to some of the ingredients in suncreams (and that include ingredients in the suca central products). Or it could be that your skin is particularly photosensitive. Some of us are just borne that way but it can be a symptom of other health conditions and it really does need to be checked out and other possible cause eliminated Before you try anything else I think that you should definitely go and see your GP and if the rash has faded, then, yes, definitely take the photos of it with it to show him or her.

I find that Boots Soltan range for sun sensitive skin is very effective - it too uses Titanium Dioxide as the sunscreen ingredient and its main ingredient is also 'Aqua'. If your creams from Suncare Central don't list 'water' or 'aqua' as the very first ingredient then you should examine it carefully to see what is because that's what is going to give it its liquidity and is what the rest of the ingredients are in solution in. It's worth noting that any sunscreen is highly likely to also contain some sort of oil-based emulsified fluid content if it's not to be very runny and/or to provide any sort of protection whilst swimming. Without it, it wouldn't be at all water resistant and it would just come off almost immediately in the water leaving your skin unprotected.

Emulsifiers are what make liquids creamy or even solidified. Without them margerine would be just a tub of oil. Egg yolks are the emulsifier in mayonaise, hydrogen is what emulsifies margerine. And the Glycerol and Glycerine that Suncare central list amongst the 'bad' chemicals that are to be found in their competitors suncreams are to be found in food that is marketed as being healthy. Glycerine is a commonly used thickener - especially in low fat substitutes or ready meals and also products aimed at diabetics or for people trying to keep to a low carb diet. Glycerine is used in creams for the treatment of psoriasis and skin rashes. If you go to your GP about this rash, there's a good chance that the cream they prescribe to help soothe it would contain glycerine and skin soaps that contain glycerine as the main emulsifying ingredient are recommended for those with sensitive skin - it reduces the drying effect of the cleansing ingredients on your skin.

There's a lot of bad science being promoted out there when it comes to skin care and that includes such nonsense as the demonstrator from Suncare central trying to frighten you off using things that contain a lot of 'aqua' AKA water on your skin!

SM

SM - thats a great reply, thanks.

i hope ive not been conned into buying these new suncreams..... too late now!!

I have this and it is so painful, i knew the root of my problem after a GP in Egypt said like you i was allergic to a certain sun cream. In my case i was allergic to sun oil with carrot oil in it. The stuff that browns you quicker. I was so bad that i saw a GP in resort, i took antihistamines and had to have an injection as it was a serious allergy, also he gave me some calamine lotion which was great for my itching ( i take this with me now on every holiday)

I can wear Ambro Solaire also Malibu and dry spray oil. Anything with carrott oil is a big no no. Any sensitive creams i seem to be ok with.

I hope you feel better soon x

We have used P20 by Riemann which is a once a day application and cheaper at the airport on the way out in the Duty Free Shops(not Boots !!). My wife gets prickly heat but not so often using this. Wearing perfume makes it worse so best to steer clear in the day. Any perfumed suntan protection would be a definite no. Natural yoghurt or any white alcohol ie Raki helps relieve the swelling and itching. We started using Vitamin B1 as it's suppose to help keep mosquitoes at bay and since then my wife's only had it mildly a couple of times. We would take this for one month before the holiday and throughout the holiday, it is well worth a try. The Health/Herbal Shop couldn't confirm that B1 helps but it's the only thing my wife's had or done differently and the prickly heat has stopped from the first time she started taking them.

Les

I always suffer from prickly heat, particularly badly on my neck and chest. It can get so bad that I want to rip my skin off and have to lie with cool flannels across my skin.
What can I do to prevent it rather than cure it?? I go away in 5 days so I'm not sure that the antihistamine thing will work?
Help I'm starting to dread my holiday!!