**NEWER 2012 Update with my personal experiences - and in attempt to respond to some of these amazing and helpful comments is coming today! I'll post a link here!**
**READ Sept, 2012 post {
HERE} about a new lotion with AGR!!!!
First of all, I want to say a big, gigantic THANK YOU to all the readers and comments on my original post {
here} regarding PMLE!! It is so so helpful to hear from others who suffer from this and all the wonderful prevention ideas!! If you haven't already done so, please check out that post for additional updates I've made, alopng with the many many wonderful reader comments and suggestions! I promise you... there are others out there who suffer from this who are also looking for anwers!
I feel like I'm going into this summer with a new sense of hope. That is why I am updating and re-posting about this now! Here are some specific ideas/ products we have discussed or have had suggested to us regarding the prevention of PMLE!
* Heliocare/ Solaricare Pills
* Claritin
* Beta Carotene (and any anti-oxidants both topical and orally in general)
* Niacin
* Vitamin E oil (topical)
* Parasol (avobenzone)
* Alphaglucosylrutin (AGR) **if anyone knows of ANY product containing this, in the US or otherwise, PLEASE let us know! It was in the Eucerin Daily Sun Defense Lotion, which is no longer available!)**
* Spectraban Oil/Lotion
Also notable as preventitive:
* Higher SPF sunblock
* Sun hat / umbrella
* Slowly building up your skin's tolerance to the sun
Please check out the new updates at the
original PMLE post and especially the comments for additional info and suggestions!
BIGGEST NEWS YET!! My recent 2-week trip to Sunny California...
While sunscreen shopping for this vacation, I made a HUGE discovery.
Did you notice that the Banana Boat Clear Ultramist Dry Oil Sunscreens now contain Avobenzone!?!? Even the SPF 4 has 0.5%, with 3% in the SPF 15! There is also 3% in the Baby SPF 50 formula, so I suppose that's the most any of the lotions/oils contain. The avobenzone is part of Banana Boat's "Avotriplex" photostable UVA technology. (go to
BananaBoat.com for all their products!)
I checked my sunscreens from last year (even from Banana Boat) and they do not contain the avobenzone... however, the Baby SPF 50 formula did. Needless to say, I've now switched to using only this Banana Boat Dry Oil Spray in SPF 4, 8, and 15. I haven't checked to see if the Spray Lotions by Banana Boat also contain the "Avotriplex" technology. This is a big deal considering it was nearly impossible to fund this ingredient (which is also called Parasol, but the way) in any sunscreen below SPF 30+! I will also mention that Arbonne's Face and Body SPF 15 also contains this avobenzone... and I'm sure there are others.
Now, what does this mean for us? Well, for one, there is now an SPF 4 and 8 option for those of us that still want to get a nice tan, but try to prevent this nasty little rash from appearing! So what happened for me? I started out our vacay by using the SPF 15 Dry Oil all over, even on my legs, which I never do (I know.... I'm bad!) Slowly, as we headed to the beach more, I began knocking the SPF down to 8 and kept it there most of the time. the last few days I used SPF 4 on areas I would normally not use any sunscreen. The result? A really great tan, no burning, and most importantly NO PMLE rash!! Yay! This is especially notable beacuse it was early in the season, which is when we are all MOST prone to developing the symptoms the worst.
I also took Beta Carotene pills while we were in Cali, but that was it, as I didn't want to take anything else (since I'm preggo) and I really wanted to test out my new sunscreens!! I didn't even use my beloved Eucerin Sun Defense lotion (which I bought from Germany.... see original post for more info!) which I've sworn by for years! The ONLY thing I must mention is that I wasn't exposing my stomach to the sun (for obvious reasons.... no one wants to see that... not even me) which is the area I'm second most prone to developing the rash, next to my chest. Sooooo, that one will have to wait until next year, but I am still thrilled with my new plan of action in the sun!
Bottom Line: Before going on a beach vacay, from now on I will start taking Beta Carotene a few days before on through the vacay, and use a sun lotion with avobenzone in it as a moisturizer for a few days before leaving to prepare my skin. A derm doc recommended this to me with the Eucerin back in the day, so I think I'm going start doing it again. Once at the destination, I will start out using an SPF 15 all over (with the avo ... that goes without sayings) and then knock down the SPF during the week as I build up my skin's sun tolerance. I will also bring a hat to help shield my chest for when I feel like wearing it, because I know that helps, too!
Regarding the Heliocare Pills, I am going to try those next year when I'm not pregnant. Has anyone else tried these with any luck? Regarding the AGR, I have no idea why, but it seems to be pulled from all US products, and possibly overseas, as well. I'm still trying to figure out why, because accordign to my research, there have been a TON of studies that show AGR significantly helping to prevent PMLE. My sister is in pharmacy school right now, so I'm putting her on that right away to try and figure something out!
Finally, keep the comments and suggestions coming! And, thanks for reading!
.JPG)
