[K&CS]

I know this topic comes up every year, but I thought I'd mention it again seeing as there are a lot of new arrivals!

I managed to get myself quite badly sunburnt yesterday, even though I thought I hadn't been in the sun much at all. I did walk into the next village and back between 9 and 10, but although it was sunny, it wasn't that hot. I then stayed in for the rest of the day until it was time to collect the girls from school at 3. We went down to the pool, but as I'd forgotten Alex's hat, I sat in the shade with him for half an hour while the girls had a swim, then we went home and didn't go outside again at all.

I was astonished when I noticed in the evening that my neck, arms, lower legs and face were bright red. My neck in particular was really painful (lots of aftersun applied!) and isn't much better today. Just to say be very aware of the power of the sun here, even if it isn't a sunny day. They say to seek shade during 11am-4pm and they are right. It is far more intense than the northern hemisphere sun, so don't even think of going out unless you've slipped, slapped and slopped!

Oh, and if anyone has any good tips on how to alleviate the symptoms of sunburn, then I'd be very grateful!

Kate

[jbharvey]

Absolutely. Two weeks ago we were out with another couple from ENZ. I had my arm hanging out of the car a little bit during the day and it became mildly sunburned.

Went to a friend's BBQ on Saturday, was outside in and out of the sun for less than an hour and my forehead and cheeks were burned.

Be careful folks, burns don't here are no joke and neither is skin cancer.

[veronica]

even when it is cloudy the rays that do the burning still get through so you can still burn on an overcast day.

[jo-and-jeff]

Oh, and if anyone has any good tips on how to alleviate the symptoms of sunburn, then I'd be very grateful!
I swear by this, for cuts and scrapes as well as burns of various kinds: Aloe Vera gel with Lidocaine (it generally is a clear blue gel). The Lidocaine is an anaesthetic which helps numb the pain, and I'm absolutely convinced from my personal experience that small wounds heal faster because of the Aloe Vera (it's been a Native American healing remedy for centuries).

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod7871

Jo

[marcia]

Kev get a bit burnt yesterday too - the council here provide their workers with safety sun glasses and sun cream which he did put on, and slapped some cream on his face and arms but forgot the back of his neck!!!!! :mad:

Me I'm still too cold - in long sleeves and jeans still- it has to be a lot hotter for me to bare my pale body and even then I'll sit in the shade!!

Pale and interesting is motto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :laugh

[Angelonthemove]

I agree with the Aloe Vera gel with Lidocaine (it generally is a clear blue gel). Or any Aloe Vera product they used to do a green one with a pump in the UK.
But if you can not get to a shop then natural yogurt is suppose to do a good trick of soothing and moisturising the skin after sunburn.

Angela

[marcia]

You could also try pure Lavender oil - I use it when i burn myself on the oven cooking! ( I get through it pretty quickly - rubbish cook that i am!!! :D )

[Ana&Steve]

I'll third the Aloe for most, ( It makes me VERY itchy, but almost everyone I know swears by it) and also any non-petroleum based lotion will sooth the heat and begin the healing. Will MAF take issue with big straw hats? :)
Ana

[sarahw]

I got very burnt just before my wedding last year & really didn't want to look like a lobster in the pics - I used Hawaiian Tropics burn soother - its a blue gel - its AMAZING!! the burns & marks went down the next day after using & 2 days later for my wedding I had no red showing!! The gel mentioned sounds very similar to this - it probably has aloe vera in it - having an aloe vera plant handy is my absolute must for burns around the home & I have been known to use it directly on sunburn with great results too - not always handy if you're on hols though!

Seriously recommend wearing a hat at all times outdoors - I've just noticed I have burnt my parting ouch - that'll look very nice when it starts to peel!! - I've been out for less than an hour each time on 2 days this week!!

If you burn easily (I'm a red-head) then I'd recommend Hawaiian Tropic all day Factor 30 (don't use it all day but it works as long as I'm out - usually an hour or so). Or my absolute must use product (I should be on commission I've recommended it to so many people over the years!) P20 - it is fantastic - it really does work for all day - by Reimann - buy it at the airport - not cheap - I get people to bring it when they come over - I've never gone red or burnt after wearing it - just straight brown (which is pretty much impossible for a milk-bottle red-head!).

[Smiler]

Kate

Ouch! Hope it's feeling less painful today. :(

I'm trying the preventative measures now. I've got sun screen (and Bushman repellant) all over the place now and make a point of putting it on even if it doesn't look particularly sunny and hot. I keep a tube in my bag, some in the car and some more by the door to slop on as I go out into the garden along, with my hat.

OH had a scare this year with a nasty on his face and he's a ginger milk bottle too, too much of a man to use suncream blah blah blah. :roll I'm always nagging at him to use cream, wear long sleeves and a hat. To make matters worse, he's just had a number 1 haircut (shaved really) and I almost heard it roasting yesterday, when the sun was very hot here.

Can you get the Aloe vera stuff here?

[Trigirl]

he's just had a number 1 haircut (shaved really)

really OT i know but is it called a number 1 cut over here too? OH is in urgent need of one!

[Smiler]

really OT i know but is it called a number 1 cut over here too? OH is in urgent need of one!

Ahh, don't know what he'd ask for at the hairdressers, sorry. It's the number of the cutting blade I used. :D

Just get him to ask for 'bald' and then buy a sun hat! ;)

[Carol]

You could also try pure Lavender oil - I use it when i burn myself on the oven cooking! ( I get through it pretty quickly - rubbish cook that i am!!! :D )


Couldn't live without my lavender oil!
It is fantastic for burns like MArcia says and the only thing I use now on sunburn. Apparantly they used to use it in the first world war on the burns victims - that's good enough for me!


Plus it is great for putting on your pillow to help you sleep -
a few drops in your kids bath with help to relax them before bedtime too.
And spraying a diluted solution on your ironing (if you do any in NZ ha ha) is lovely.

And it is by far the best stuff I have ever found for the dreaded sandfly bite! Just a few drops straight onto the bite takes the heat out of it straight away.

C

[sarahw]

I'd also recommend that the ladies here make a habit of wearing a high factor face cream/moisturiser year round - yes I have burnt in winter!! Evidently the sun you get just driving around in the car & out and about all year equates to one solid week lying in the sun unexposed & with skin cancer rates as high as they are here its certainly something to think about.

Like Carol we have sunscreen lying around everywhere - in the car, in the bathroom, in travel bags & picnick baskets!

[pinkpiggy]

Me - i'd go with the Aloe Vera. Used it last year when we went to Lanzarote, partly for the sun and partly for prickly heat. Absolutely brilliant. Did you know that Aloe Vera juice (tastes disgusting) is meant to be good for arthritis. It's amazing stuff, is natural and usually smells lovely.

[Carol]

Did you know that Aloe Vera juice (tastes disgusting) is meant to be good for arthritis. It's amazing stuff, is natural and usually smells lovely.


My brother is actually allergic to it. It brings him out is a rash no matter what form he uses.
I reckon he must be the only person in the world who is though!
:confused:

[Ana&Steve]

My brother is actually allergic to it. It brings him out is a rash no matter what form he uses.
I reckon he must be the only person in the world who is though!
:confused:
I suspect I am, too. :( Never had it verified by the Doc, but when I put it on burns, it itches like poison oak. Never tried the juice, just in case! :uhoh
Ana

[Aroha]

Yes, definitely go for Aloe Vera...as the others suggest.
I suggest buy a plant and nuture it forever.!! If you get burnt use it ASAP. When needed, take off a piece and keep it in the fridge till you've used all the gel. Very cold, but very soothing.
Lavender oil it also helpful. Just make sure you buy a good quality oil. Chemist shops will be able to advise you on this.
The 'Sunsense' range of face sun block is very good and can be bought at chemist shops only. 'Ecostore' is another place you may want to check out. They only sell natural products, which are very good also. Their shop in Scotland St, Ponsonby, Auckland. Also have a website and I think you can buy on line. Check it out http://www.ecostore.co.nz/

Good luck :cool:

[wiki]

I've got such a massive aloe vera plant here - I'm forever splitting it off and giving to friends for their burns and stings. I've been so surprised that many people (at least that I know in Yorkshire) don't know about how easy it is to keep the plant and use the sap.

My only regret is that I can't take this plant back into NZ... I'll have to start again :)

[borea]

I'd also recommend that the ladies here make a habit of wearing a high factor face cream/moisturiser year round - yes I have burnt in winter!!

Not just the ladies. Have you noticed that a lot of NZers' skin seems to be about 10-15 years older than they are? I use SPF 15 or 30 moisturizer on my face after shaving every morning. It's likely to get me beat up if the the wrong blokes hear about it, but I'm not interested in having 45 year old skin when I get to 35.

[Nienke]

:clap

[Tia Maria]

Sarah W wrore:

I'd also recommend that the ladies here make a habit of wearing a high factor face cream/moisturiser year round

Antbody know of a good foundation with sun factor protection. I always used the Body Shop one in the UK, (just for wrinkle protection!), but SFP 8 just doesn't cut it out here.

Along with those kiwis with older looking skin, I've also met a lot who are fanatical about sun protection for themselves and particularly their children as many of them know people who've had a skin cancer scare.

Cheers

Tia

[sarahw]

If noone else can recommend any (I usually just wear face cream in summer) I'd recommend you pop along to Farmers & ask for a bit of advice on foundations - they're pretty good there - or some larger pharmacies might have someone that can help.

You're right - there's a huge number of people in NZ & Aus with skin cancer - one of our friends just had a malignant melanoma removed.

[Howie]

I think my dog's been getting sunburned. She has white on most of her face and part of her nose is particularily pink. I've got some sunblock for her nose, but one of her eyes also has a lot of pink around it. When she's in the sun all day, the next day there's a bit of a scab around the pink part of her eye. it's too close to her eye to put some sunblock on. any suggestions? I really don't want her to have to wear doggles all the time.

[Ana&Steve]

Do they have doggie sun visors there? If not, you could mail order some.
Found this at PetSmart.com
Doggie Visor (http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 5885&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302032064&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1165811847467&itemNo=2&Ntt=visor&In=All&previousText=visor&N=2)
Good Luck!
Ana

[Tate6]

Hey all! My sister took a trip to NZ 2 years ago and stayed at the Takamatua Lavender Farm in Akaroa (the woman has since sold it to someone else but not the recipes for her products). She got along wonderfully with the owner and bought LOTS of lavender products to bring home as gifts. Everyone loved them so much, my sister started a company--Naturally New Zealand Heavenly Skin Care and Gifts. She works full time at another job and runs her business from home. She has exclusive distribution rights in the US and Canada for the lavender products and another company called INI.

ANYWAY, the best thing we have found is the ALOE SOOTHER WITH LAVENDER for sunburn and other burns. Takes the sting away and keeps it from blistering! We have used it on my daughter when she was only 1 year old and we use it all summer here! It works great!!
Here is my sister's website
http://www.nnzheavenly.com/catalog.php?item=29&catid=skin%20care&ret=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nnzheavenly.com%2Fcatalog.php %3Fpage%3D1%26category%3Dskin%2520care

Try it!! The other products are great too! This woman has been very good about making products my sister has suggested and asked for. My sister does her own pictures and labels and names of products. We have a blast doing it.

[lisa]

I remember last year that my neck got burnt through factor 30 and today even though we've had hailstones and the sun has hardly shown itself the UV index in the paper was 11+ (extreme) and I've been shivering all day!!