Just say NO to conditioner

[Pedge]

No, it's not sticky at all. I don't coat my entire body with it, just a light layer on my calves, upper thighs, and forearms-it's slick! And since it's water soluble, I don't think it harms anything.

I might have more trouble than most getting my wetsuit on, cuz I wear a 7ml, so it's like putting on a suit of armor. (I get cold easily!)

 

[debdiver]

I don't worry about my hair until it's time to get out of the water. I may pull it back in a pony tail, or a braid while diving. I also only put sunscreen on my hands and face, as that's all that's showing!!

 

[Mitzi]

I did a livaboard from Sharm in December and took with me a pot of Henna Wax. Put it on before the dive brief and the sun will activate it, by the time I got out of the water most of it had come off but if you rinse your hair and reapply straight after coming out of the water by the end of the week I had soft, shiny, managable hair that had been deeply conditioned. I didn't notice any slicks in the water or taste. It smell great too. I have curley hair so it might be different for others.

 

[SusiQ]

So let me sum it up, to see if i undertand.... conditioner probably shouldn't be applied in excess... and neither should sunscreen if it fogs up your mask...but on that score I have one question.... even if I am going out in a boat to a reef 15 minutes away, I'd like to be protected (since I have very fair skin) above the water's surface for the outbound trip even if then i'll be going 30-60 feet down.... I can always reapply sun protection, going back on the boat, but just HOW much sunsreen can fog up your mask--and are you talking about what you put on YOUR FACE??? It's one thing i fear , since I'll be diving with soft contact lenses and don't want a foggy mask to ruin a dive...

PS one other thing I've never seen addressed is the wearing of soft lenses with my mask while diving/snorkeling--- I used to do it with gas permeable leneses and had no problem, but this will be the first time with my new, soft lenses and I just wondered if there are any other considerations?

THANKS TO ANY OF YOU WHO CAN HELP ME OUT!

 

[deepbluegirlca]

Hi! When I booked in for a 30-min dolphin swim in Xcaret, Mexico - they told us we could only use one special sunscreen to be in the water with the dolphins so as not to harm their environment. It is called "Environmentally Safe Sunscreen" spf 25 - "protect yourselft without harming marine life". 1-800-4-ECO-SAFE caripac@aol.com mail orders Eco-Safe 1-800-432-6723. They are in Florida.
hth

So let me sum it up, to see if i undertand.... conditioner probably shouldn't be applied in excess... and neither should sunscreen if it fogs up your mask...but on that score I have one question.... even if I am going out in a boat to a reef 15 minutes away, I'd like to be protected (since I have very fair skin) above the water's surface for the outbound trip even if then i'll be going 30-60 feet down.... I can always reapply sun protection, going back on the boat, but just HOW much sunsreen can fog up your mask--and are you talking about what you put on YOUR FACE??? It's one thing i fear , since I'll be diving with soft contact lenses and don't want a foggy mask to ruin a dive...

PS one other thing I've never seen addressed is the wearing of soft lenses with my mask while diving/snorkeling--- I used to do it with gas permeable leneses and had no problem, but this will be the first time with my new, soft lenses and I just wondered if there are any other considerations?

THANKS TO ANY OF YOU WHO CAN HELP ME OUT!

 

[Ladygodiver]

Something advertises it's self as 'water soluble' and it's okay right? These products just dissolve in water, they don't become neutralized. Fish 'breathe' water, it's what they need to live, we all know that.
By following some of the logic here, than can one assume that second hand smoke is not bad for a person on land? It dissipates in the air, the same as sunscreens and hair products dissipate in the water. You can't see it so it can't hurt you?
The answer is obvious.
Long sleeves and hats for sun protection, wide tooth comb for your locks. Look after the environment that you are a visitor in and it will be there for you in years to come.
I have found that the fish don't really care how I look, and yes I have long hair but I keep it tied back to dive and it's not that bad to comb out afterwards. Gently.

 

[deepbluegirlca]

I agree with you in genral. The "water soluble" bit made me cringe a little when I read it. Polyclens (a paint brush cleaner) is water soluble.....so that isn't an assurance of much else. This sunscreen product I mentioned, however, is an organic based product (I've read the ingredients and as we consume 98% organic food & (use) home care products I am familiar with this type of product ingredients). It is far less harmful (if at all) than the tons of waste dumped into our oceans by cruise liners. Another can of worms, yes, but lets consider all the facts.
I think as long as we make a careful choice and as along as we are discussing it, like here and now, then we are headed in the right direction!

 

[Ladygodiver]

I certianly agree with you about cruise liners polluting and cities and a whole lot of other things working together to destroy the water but let's try to tackle the problem on a smaller scale first.
Organic can be good if it's used in the right enviroments but what if what's 'friendly' up here is not 'friendly' under there? How about a little test? Set up a salt water aquarium and then stock it with fish, sea horses, coral and other things you will see down South. Now put sunscreen (or conditioner) all over your hands and arms and stick them in the tank for 20 minutes and then sit back and watch the effects for the next 24 hours. This is a overdramitization but said to prove a point because to me, if anything has to pay with it's life for my vanity then the cost is w-a-y too high.

 

[deepbluegirlca]

That would be a great test! I am, however, confident in this product as it is specifically designed to be safe for marine life. I guess if you can't believe a product's claim then we have to doubt a lot more. This is a company who seems to be reputable enough for conciencious marine operators to not only recommend it but to allow it only on their site.
For me it is a little more than vanity, though. A few years ago I really burned my back very badly while snorkling in the Caribbean. It almost spoiled the rest of the trip. After that I always wore a t-shirt while enjoying surface activities. For diving... it is the boat trip out that puts you at risk and not the minimal surface time I would think.

 

[Ladygodiver]

Well deepbluegirlca we certianly have given people something to think about and options, may they now be either better informed or willing to look harder for solutions.

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