Spf ???

[brssmnky]

Hi Kids, I'm fairly new to diving and have been trying to get wet at least every other weekend, if not every weekend this summer... my question: I am a lilly white Irish boy and the sun has never been too nice to me, so now that I am out a lot... is there a good sunscreen for divers? My problem is that there are many that say "water resistant" but are not very resistant. What do people use? I am still hurting from last weekend & lobster red! :redhot: :furious:

 

[beche de mer]

Hi Kids, I'm fairly new to diving and have been trying to get wet at least every other weekend, if not every weekend this summer... my question: I am a lilly white Irish boy and the sun has never been too nice to me, so now that I am out a lot... is there a good sunscreen for divers? My problem is that there are many that say "water resistant" but are not very resistant. What do people use? I am still hurting from last weekend & lobster red! :redhot: :furious:

They don't stay on in the water. (No matter what they say.) But UV rays don't penetrate to any depth, so that's OK. So dry yourself off when you come up, and apply the sunscreen again. Wear a broad brimmed hat. Being on the ocean is pretty full-on in terms of UV exposure, because you get not only incident light, but a lot of reflected light from the surface.

Be very careful if snorkling on the surface. Wear some sort of exposure suit, like a lycra suit.

 

[jonnythan]

Put some on when you get to the site, then reapply after your dive.

 

[Queen]

I'm a lilly white Irish girl so I know what you mean! I'm a BIG fan of Bullfrog sunscreen, I find it stays on a bit better than the others in water. Hope that helps.

 

[CuriousMe]

Put some on when you get to the site, then reapply after your dive.

If you read the bottle on most (don't know if it's all) bottles of sunscreen you'll see they're not effective right when you put them on....I think you need them on like 30 minutes before you're in the sun. So, put it on at home when you're getting dressed to go to the boat....then depending on how long your surface interval is....you might just do better wearing lightweight clothing during your SI since the sunscreen won't be effective at first, So, a wide brimmed hat, and a lightweight long sleeve shirt might be what you want to add to your dive bag.

Peace,
Cathie

 

[Queen]

and a lightweight long sleeve shirt might be what you want to add to your dive bag.

Peace,
Cathie

Good suggestion! But remember that a cotton shirt has an spf rating of 6 so don't be lulled into thinking you don't need sunscreen too. Since I'm fish belly white I manage to look uncool in ALL outdoor pursuits.

 

[Firecrizzotch]

I too am a redhead with lilly-white skin (some Irish somewhere back up the line ) and I agree with the Queen. I recently was snorkeling at Molokini in Maui and I only applied some Bullfrog once all day and I wasn't burned at all (except a couple spots I missed ). The stuff I used was "gel-based" and it was like SPF 36 and felt really cool like rubbing alcohol when I put it on.... I got it at Wal-Mart so check it out. Here's the link.

Link

Good Luck!

 

[Wildcard]

Ocean Potion spf 50. Good stuff! Don't forget to protect your eyes with quality sunglasses also.

 

[sstorkel]

I've been using Coppertone Sport very successfully both in and out of the water for the last few years. I generally apply SPF 48 before going outside; as others have said, it's a good idea to give it some time to dry before jumping in the water. I'll re-apply during the day if I feel any "hot spots" developing. Of course, I also make it a point to stay in the shade and cover up when practical! I use the normal "lotion" form of this product. My girlfriend likes the spray-on stuff, but she has to reapply more frequently. And it doesn't come in SPF 48. Haven't tried the gel or stick.

 

[Mrs Fic]

I get my face burned, and was told by my instructor not to apply lotion, as the fumes can be trapped by your mask and burn your eyes. I used Coppertone Sport wax stick on my face...no problems!