Ever feel tired after applying sunscreen?
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free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:21 am

I don't think I'm imagining this but I feel tired after applying La Roche Posay sunscreen. I get a heavy, aching feeling around the top of my back,especially either side of my spine. Does anybody else experience anything like this or is it just me?

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:30 am

Never. Try something else and take your Roche Posay back to the store.

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:34 am

It sounds like something wrong with the bottle that you have, may be it wasn't kept at a proper condition at the store or elsewhere. Like previous poster said you should try something else and take this product back to the store. Another thing to look at: may be you sensitive to one of the ingredients in the product.

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:36 am

Thanks for your response. Have you tried La Roche Posay Anthelios spf50 before or are you referring to sunscreens in general?

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:40 am

Thanks for your response Laral, maybe I am just sensitive to the ingredients. Perhaps my poor liver is suffering from sunscreen absorbtion overload!

I don't know what this ache is, the only thing that eliminates the feeling either side of my spine is if my husband taps on these areas really, hard. Then it feels better. Massage doesn't get to the nub of the ache at all.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:06 am

Camelia, are you able to try another sunscreen product to see if it has the same effect on you?

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:13 am

Hi havana8. I have tried other sunscreens in the past, I can't be certain but I don't think they did make me feel this tired. I've been using La Rochay for well over a year so it's hard to remember. All I know is that if I have a day when I'm not going out and I skip sunscreen, I don't get this feeling. Weird huh?

Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:30 am

very weird! although good for you for noticing and not ignoring it.

So either something has gone "off" with your bottle as Lara1 mentioned or you have recently developed a sensitivity to something in it! Do you have a new bottle you can try? Or I wonder if you were to compare the ingredient listing of the sunscreen with the ingredients listings of the other products that you are using if the offending ingredient(s) might not stand out?

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:37 am

That's a good idea about comparing the ingredients. Infuriatingly, the ingredients are always on the cardboard box and not on the product that is actually kept! However I will hunt down the ingredients on the other sunscreens I've used and see if by a process of elimination, there is a culprit in there somewhere. Thanks for the suggestion.

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:40 pm

Hi Camelia,

Wow, your symptoms sound very puzzling and worrisome! I would definitely stop using the Anthelios - as it may not be agreeing with you. (And, even if it's just a psychosomatic reaction - it's just not worth it...)

Here are the active ingredients for Anthelios:

Ingredients
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 2%, Ecamsule 2% Octocrylene 10% Inactive Ingredients: Carbomer 940, Carbomer Copolymer Type B, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Edetate Disodium, Glycerin, Hyroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Isopropyl Palmitate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Proppylene Glycol, Propylparaben, Purified Water, Stearic acid, Stearol Macrogolglycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Trolamine

It may be helpful to determine whether you're using the US formulation - or the European formulation. (I'm not sure if they differ all that much, but there may be a slight ingredient switch - which may be affecting you adversely...) One thing to be reassured by is that most sunscreen ingredients are meant to sit on the surface of your skin - and cannot (and should not) enter your bloodstream. Luckily, our skin is a pretty versatile and tough organ - so most topical formulations have a hard time penetrating! Wink

I've been using the European Anthelios for years too - and have never experienced any bad reactions. La Roche-Posay does make a pediatric formula of their sunscreen - which may have a milder formulation that might work better for you?

Best of luck! Hope this helps...

Sun Nov 23, 2008 4:50 pm

I used to get nauseous every time my mom would slather the Coppertone on me when I was young. Sometimes I would get to the point of almost throwing up and the only thing that helped was to wash it off. Paba was the culprit so now I have to stay away from sunscreens with that ingredient which isn't difficult now. So annoying too that even some vitamins have PABA and I'll again get nauseous, check the ingredients...d'oh!
You very well could be having a reaction to a chemical in there. I'd return for refund.

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:09 pm

Wow, thanks taobunny for all the information, very interesting. I'm using the European formula. I'm certain it's not psychosomatic but it's possibe that it could be some kind of underlying medical condition that I'm interpreting as a reaction to the sunscreen. I don't understand why it coincides with applying the sunscreen though.

Thank you too Greenhillgirl32, aren't reactions to products just a complete pain!

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:34 pm

If you have reactions to chemical sunscreens, the simplest solution is to switch to physical sunscreen (zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as active ingredients).

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:17 pm

Camelia wrote:

Wow, thanks taobunny for all the information, very interesting. I'm using the European formula. I'm certain it's not psychosomatic but it's possibe that it could be some kind of underlying medical condition that I'm interpreting as a reaction to the sunscreen. I don't understand why it coincides with applying the sunscreen though.

Hi Camelia,

You're very welcome - for what all my nonsense posting is worth... Wink

Anyway, I did some more research for you - and I think there are two basic versions of the European formulation. Mexoryl SX is a water soluble form and Mexoryl XL is an oil soluble form which makes it more water resistant. I'm not sure which one you're using - but it could just be the formulation of the Anthelios is not a good thing for your system. (I've included more information below - but it may just be a bit more babble than you wanted! Embarassed

I think Nimue has an excellent point that maybe a physical sunblock might be a better solution for you.

"The two types of physical sunblocks that are available are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both provide broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection and are gentle enough for everyday use. Because these are physical blocking agents and not chemicals, they are especially useful for individuals with sensitive skin, as they rarely cause skin irritation."

Here's a link to a previous EDS thread about physical sunblocks:

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=5849

Also, http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=11686

I've also heard (but haven't tried) good things about Zo Skin Health - Oclipse (it's an Obagi product, so don't know how you feel about that) which is a physical sunblock with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

In any case - I'm sure the other forum members will have great advice about which physical sunblocks they like and recommend. One thing, though - before you decide to switch and try new sunblocks - have you considered speaking to your physician about your symptoms? It just sounds a bit worrisome - and, while not trying to be a mother hen - it *might* be an indicator of a more serious problem?

Again, hope this helps... Best of luck!

***

Anthelios S: Its oil based formula makes it highly resistant to water and sweat. The Anthelios XL products are not available or approved by Health Canada. Anthelios XL contains Mexoryl XL and the Anthelios S contains Mexoryl SX. Mexoryl SX: A synthesized and patented molecule. A photostable UVA sun filter. Its protective efficacy is maintained over time because this molecule hardly degrades at all in the face of the action of solar energy. Mexoryl XL: A synthesized and patented molecule capable of filtering both UVAs around 350 nm and UVBs around 300 nm. It is also photostable.

Precautions
For external use only. If skin irritation develops discontinue use

Ingredients
Active Ingredients – enzacamene: 5%, titanium dioxide 4%, avobenzone (parsol 1789) 2%, terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid (mexoryl SX) 2% Other Ingredients – aqua, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, isocetyl stearate, cyclohexasiloxane, propylene glycol, cetyl dimethicone copolyol, cyclopetalisoxane, triethanolamine, aliuminum starch octenylsuccinate, butylparaben, capryloyl clycine, dimethiconol, disodium edta, ethylparaben, methylparaben, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, propylparaben, parfum

free skin care · Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:06 pm

I never felt like that. But I feel worried about clogging pore and cause acne.

free skin care · Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:59 pm

No never. This has never happened to me. Try a different sunscreen. I find that Vichy has a good one that's mixed in with a moisturizer. Maybe La roche posay is too strong for you.

free skin care · Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:04 pm

Camelia, that's really odd. I have never felt that way. You should check with a doctor. You might be allergic to some of the ingredients in the sunscreen. Does it happen with all sunscreens you use, or is this the only one? Have you used LRP sunscreen before this bottle?

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