Huge reaction on sun and sunscreen

[SalsaNorway]

Dear all!

Yesterday I was outside walking for 20 min in the sun with sunscreen with spf 50 and ended up in the doctor's office in the evening...
It was a sunscreen from bioderma, which I have put before a few times. My face is very red, itchy, warm and swelled.
The doctor prescribed 1% hydrocortisone cream, which has reduced the redness a little... However my face still looks strange.
Uff! I get so frustrated and depressed. Why did this happen? I must be able to have a short walk with high spf with my child without having problems.

I've heard that oil-free sunscreens may be better. Any suggestions? I'm afraid that this might happen again.
I seem to react on the too heavy ones, when my skin can't breathe too.

What is your 911 help when this happens?
Can I use hydrocortisone for some days?

Please help me out here guys!

Thx

[Melissa W]

Salsa, so sorry that happened! I also have a huge problem with topicals and the only sunscreen I can wear is one with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. I am not familiar with your bioderma sunscreen but I react to any sunscreen with "chemicals" and that is why the physical sunblocks work best for me. What did your doctor say about why you reacted to the bioderma?

I think it is OK to use the steroid for a few days as needed. I know I have to when I have reactions like that. Every now and then I get hives (not sure why) and I have to apply a steroid or it keeps getting worse.

Hope you feel all better soon!

Best,
Melissa

ETA: It's also always a good idea to wear an spf protective hat as that keeps your face cooler as well as providing extra protection.

[SalsaNorway]

Hi!

Thx for your answer.
I guess the cream was too thick... I seem to have some problems when my skin gets warm and doesn't breathe well. It was just a regular doctor, so they neven know much about rosacea and can't really help.

What do you do when this happens to you? I'm still swollen in my face.

Which sunscreen do you use?

Anyone tried sunsense daily face spf 50?

[Ghost]

Salsa, As Melissa noted, a hat is always a good idea. Did you wear one?

Were you OK with the bioderma on other occasions? (Is it the Bioderma Photomax? This is so mild. It's made for people who get facial laser treatment.)

Generally enough heat brings out the redness, too. Don't forget that redness = inflammation. And inflammation is a physical, but not well-understood, thing.

Various other things could have played up the redness: food, wind, allergens in the air. It's really endless; and boy, I know how frustrating that is.

I don't have bioderma right now, but I would not hesitate to use it, since it was good for me in the past. I use la prairie spf 30 as a base moisturizer-spf. Goes on every morning. On top of this I use Zinco, which you can get from Rosacea Care.

And always a hat. Even if I don't leave the house with a hat on, I have one with me. Sometimes I carry an umbrella (on really hot sunny days when I'll be outside for a long time). When in the tropics and I'm walking narrow town streets there is no umbrella room so I cover my head and the sides of my face with a rayon (tropical batik) or cotton scarf and put my hat on top of this. I can bring the ends of the scarf over my shoulders and decolletage.

Anyway, let us know how your skin is doing. If it is demodex rosacea, they'll use any reason to pop out and heat is a very big one.

By the way, my 911 for a red face by accident was the translucent Zinco. It is very soothing to me. You can also try zinc diaper rash cream. I know you might worry that this is too thick/greasy. I never had a problem with it. I believe it even helps control the demodex by smothering the older ones.

[Melissa W]

Salsa, the sunblocks I use are different depending on the occasion. I use Vanicream spf 60 for sensitive skin for sports- when I plan to be outside and active. It is very thick though so not sure that would be your best bet. I use face COTZ spf 40 for every day use. It is micro-ionized zinc oxide and goes on very smoothly and lightly and looks great on its own or under makeup. I used to use Linda Sy's Zinco spf 20 (now made by Rosacea Care as Ghost posted) for every day use and though I still like it I decided spf 20 wasn't sufficient.

I hope you are feeling better now!

[SalsaNorway]

Hi there!

Sorry for my late reply and thx so much for your answers!
Not much time in front of a computer with a baby...

First of all yes, it was the Bioderma photomax, so strange I reacted so bad and I was not wearing a hat...
How can I know if it's dermodex rosacea. I guess I don't really know which rosacea I've got yet. Haven't got a doctor treating me neither since they never know about rosacea at all. Confusing! How can I know which one I've got?

Today my skin is much better, but it even hurts bad putting on a mild cream like cetaphil restoraderm and my skin is very dry
Luckily it wasn't swelling as bad as some times before and is much less red now. I guess the hydrocortisone did it's job even though I shouldn't use it. I guess there are no other 911's when your face gets like that, or is it? What do you put when your skin is dry after such an episode? Do you get them as well?

I guess the only sunscreen I can put is the Clinique super city block spf 40, even though my skin prefers no such cream at all. I also had the sunsense daily recommended once, but haven't tried it.

It's important that the suncream isn't too thick, seems like it happens then.

Any other tips guys?

I use the Jane Iredale amazing base foundation and toleriane ultra cream from La Roche Posay daily and usually this works. When it comes to sunscreen, still searching. Then Cetaphil restoraderm when my skin is super dry.
Used to put Rozex cream too, but not when I was pregnant and now is breast feeding. What do you use daily?

All the best and hopw to hear from you again!

[Ghost]

Salsa, congrats on the baby.

You can see above what I use for sun protection.

As for demodex/rosacea (no derm has ever said I have this. I think they're not supposed to or something!) I use (as you might have read in my other posts) ivermectin as the silver bullet. But you can't use this now.

You likely can use tea tree oil, however. If you can get the brand Thursdays Plantation of tea tree oil products, try these for the rosacea. Use tto soap, shampoo, conditioner. At night put the oil on your face. You can put something like sea buckthorn oil* on first (it's very soothing) or jojoba... and then dot on the tea tree oil.

*very soothing and demodex don't like it.

[flushedbean]

Salsa, my skin is CRAZY with any topicals too. I can be fine one day and then the next, everything is awful. The heat is key and nerves as I get upset about this. Wearing a hat is good, but you know, it also makes me warm having my head covered, so it is difficult. You know, the Jane Iredale has sunscreen in it and it's great you can use that... it bothered me, but maybe that's all you need? I think it's an SPF 20 or 22 right? That combined with a hat might be better for you than irritating your skin with something heavier... the hat will do the protecting and the Jane Iredale can catch the stray rays that sneak through. Just a thought. I'm still working on a strategy for this over a year after it all started. I feel for you, I really do. I'll let you know if I find anything helpful and you do the same ok? best to you...