How to protect yourself against sunburns?
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Crush
Contributor
Sunscreen is likely even worse for drysuit latex seals.
When diving a wetsuit I always wear a long-sleeved nylon "surf shirt" (also called a sun-guard or rash-guard) under the wetsuit - when I take off the wetsuit, it stays on and protects me with the equivalent of about SPF 50. When out of the water I put on a hat to protect my face and neck - sometimes I apply sunscreen to my face. My legs never seem to get burned. A rash-guard may also help you get the wetsuit on and off.
When diving a wetsuit I always wear a long-sleeved nylon "surf shirt" (also called a sun-guard or rash-guard) under the wetsuit - when I take off the wetsuit, it stays on and protects me with the equivalent of about SPF 50. When out of the water I put on a hat to protect my face and neck - sometimes I apply sunscreen to my face. My legs never seem to get burned. A rash-guard may also help you get the wetsuit on and off.
vladimir
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On the boat I usually wear a hat, a t-shirt, sunglasses, and my dive skin with the upper half tied around my waist. I usually put sunscreen on my face. If there is shade I take advantage of it. That is why I still have my youthful good looks at age 50.
Best to wear a wide-brimmed hat on land and on boat and try to sit in the shade where possible.
Nice to hear someone who's concerned about the effects of sunblock on marine life.
Nice to hear someone who's concerned about the effects of sunblock on marine life.
Saltwater Junky
Contributor
Just dive at night for maximum protection against sunburn.
themagni
Contributor
I live in Canada and dive in a drysuit w/ gloves and hood year-round.
The serious side to that is that I would get a really funny tan/burn if I didn't wear sunscreen. (Thinning hair on top means my scalp would burn, too.) I've enjoyed the gel version of CopperTone, but I don't think they make that anymore. I know of one guy who puts sunglasses into one of those little pouches, but I've never tried it.
I have not had any degradation in my neoprene seal and it does not leak. I was recently able to cut, trim, and sew it back together without issue.
The serious side to that is that I would get a really funny tan/burn if I didn't wear sunscreen. (Thinning hair on top means my scalp would burn, too.) I've enjoyed the gel version of CopperTone, but I don't think they make that anymore. I know of one guy who puts sunglasses into one of those little pouches, but I've never tried it.
I have not had any degradation in my neoprene seal and it does not leak. I was recently able to cut, trim, and sew it back together without issue.
pickens_46929
Contributor
After the first year of diving, I really didn't care what I looked like as long as I didn't get burned as bad as I did my first big trip to Key Largo... think cooked lobster or shrimp color-wise... just this side of sun poisoning... not fun.
So now I make sure to:
1) Wear a skin / rash guard on top to protect arms
2) Put on a wide brimmed hat with neck flap -- not just a baseball cap
3) Sun screen on face / neck (you can get some that is eco friendly)
1 and 2 are not optional and provide me a great deal of protection. #3 tends to wane as the trip goes on because I dislike sun screen... so by the end of the trip I'm probably down to dosing my face once a day or so rather than twice or three times a day...
If I wear a shorty, I just need to make sure to sun screen my legs a bit too.
No more sun burns!
Or as the Aussie's say: "Slip, slap, slop"
1) Slip into a long sleeve shirt
2) Slap on a hat with brim
3) Slop on some sun screen
So now I make sure to:
1) Wear a skin / rash guard on top to protect arms
2) Put on a wide brimmed hat with neck flap -- not just a baseball cap
3) Sun screen on face / neck (you can get some that is eco friendly)
1 and 2 are not optional and provide me a great deal of protection. #3 tends to wane as the trip goes on because I dislike sun screen... so by the end of the trip I'm probably down to dosing my face once a day or so rather than twice or three times a day...
If I wear a shorty, I just need to make sure to sun screen my legs a bit too.
No more sun burns!
Or as the Aussie's say: "Slip, slap, slop"
1) Slip into a long sleeve shirt
2) Slap on a hat with brim
3) Slop on some sun screen
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