Sunscreens - help me stop tanning!

[Deleted User]

 Hey all,

So this is my second week of swimming since exiting the OS, and I've already turned two shades darker from being outdoors . I happen to have easy access to an outdoor pool, and while it's great to swim under a warm SoCal sun, I'd rather not burn to a crisp (although I find that while it's easy for me to tan, I haven't been sunburned yet).

Right now I'm using a Coppertone broad spectrum UVA/UVB sweatproof/waterproof SPF 50 sunscreen. I apply it ~15 minutes before I get into the water, and usually swim for about ~45 minutes at a time. I guess it doesn't help that I'm doing a lot of swimming during my lunch break, but I'll probably make an effort to swim later in the day when the sun is about to set.

Any recommendations on brands or types of suncreens? Also, is there a significant difference between spray-on vs. lotion-based?

Man, I cringe to think how dark I'll be once I'm well into my IM training. Any suggestions to keep me from being inverse-raccooned by my goggles would be greatly appreciated!

John Withrow

Scape SPF50
http://www.scapelabs.com/

coop6

Bullfrog and neutrogena 70+ SPF are two brands that I've found to be fairly effective, and water resistant.

Al Truscott

 

If your goal is to prevent tanning, as opposed to prevent burning and skin cancer, then a true sunBLOCK is the better choice. Just slathering on zinc oxide will stop the UVB rays from kicking off that melanin production. Using anying 45 SPF or higher is more than sufficient to prevent the health risks of burn of cancer. I agree with Neutrogena as my go to screen at this point.

mgraffeo

Keep in mind that sun exposure causes endogenous production of Vitamin D, which is known to protect against some of the damage associated with skin cancer, so eliminating sun exposure is not the goal. If you're wearing high SPF sunblock, and tanning but not burning, you're probably good.

tuckerm

Will second the SCAPE call. Worked wonders for me with one application pre ironman.

Scott Alexander

x3 on Scape. Stuff sticks like glue. Unfortunately, the local places I've found for it are a little more pricey and also difficult to find in large containers.

[Deleted User]

Thanks everyone! I just bought myself a few bottles of Scape, and it works great. I went for a lunchtime swim today (on a particularly sunny day), and I came out of the water without a stupid goggle tan.