Dr. Jeckyll Baby

We all had a very nice and relaxing weekend that began with Joe pulling a hamstring while playing softball (on his first run), and ended with me pulling my hair out wondering if I should dare put sunblock on James, or if I should just keep him indoors for the rest of his life.  Seems James is allergic to sunblock!?!

See, he's supposed to look all cute and happy, like the picture on the left.  But after applying sunblock he looks like the splotchy, unhappy baby on the right.  He's like a little Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde: one moment he's all happy and exuberant that he found a piece of trash on the floor, but after applying that wicked serum, he turns into this little welted, unhappy monster.  Any suggestions for a sunblock that helps without causing such problems?

If you get the store's newsletter, you've likely seen the hints about the big ol' Labor Day sale I'm planning.  I've gotten some great deals on Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Farmhouse Fannie's, Opal sock yarn (new collections to the store!) and so you'll likely see a huge amount of sale yarn trickle into the sale section over the next week.  I wanted to give blog readers a heads up before the newsletter and ads, so that you guys get first picks.  I don't think I've had such a range of sale yarn before- and it's the first time I've been able to offer a non-wool blend in the sale section as well.  So take a look over the next week or so and see what might tickle your fancy.  It will slowly appear until next Monday, when it all should be up there.

*BTW, the Noro Wave Scarf pattern is now available on the blog and you can also queue it up on Ravelry.  If you knit it, I want to see your pics!

Comments

[Mom2legomanacs]

Is it PABA free? One that we have used with success is Water Babies. Poor guy! He must be miserable.

[jess]

I'm allergic to most sunscreens -- Aveeno makes a baby sunscreen that I can use (yes, I am a 30 year old who wears baby sunscreen). Maybe you guys can try that? Poor James! :( Hope you find something that works.

[Carla]

I remember when my boys were young I found a kidsafe spray sunblock so you sprayed them as they ran by! No good for the face but I could usually get the legs and back!

[Janelle]

What is working well on my boys' sensitive skin is Kiss My Face Face Factor - Face + Neck - SPF 30 - 100% paraben free (there is an old formulation out there that is NOT 100% paraben free, look for it on the label). See http://www.vitacost.com/Kiss-My-Face-Face-Factor-SPF-30. Read more about sunscreen at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens2008/index.php. I normally don't push info but this has made a huge difference in our lives! Boy 1 says "I can't even smell it" (this is a big compliment) and Boy 2's eyes don't run anymore.

[Jean Marie]

Poor kid!

Check with your pharmacist (and also you might try asking a dermatologist); I had a product called Vanicream recommended (regular sunscreens make me feel nauseous) but it's only available from the pharmacist here in VA (not Rx, just not on the regular shelves here). Seems to do the trick on my skin without making me feel sick.

[KT]

Don't put it on his hands. My boys look exactly like James before I learned not to put it ontheir hands. I notice his rash ison his face and not his body- just a thought. Putting it on their hands= rubbing their eyes= ICK!

Good luck!

[Kathy in KS]

I had a similar reaction with those spray on kinds. I don't remember the brand, but it was a yellow can/bottle. I usually buy the Target generic 50 proof, and have no problems there. From now on I only buy the creamy ones, not the spray on kinds.

[babyface]

I certainly wouldn't use the
commercial sun blocks on him
anymore. Try a health food store, or call you pediatrician;
he may have some help for you. See if you can get him to wear
a little hat also or at least
a visor.

Consider if you really NEED to sunblock his face? I'd opt for chemical free-sunblock like a brimmed hat if at all possible. If he's sensitive to chemicals, and you don't know which one, it seems kinder to avoid them all than to use him as an experiment.

[Abby]

Poor James! Having grown up when being "brown as a berry" was considered a good thing, I never put sunblock on my kids when they were little. (Where does that expression come from? I've never seen a brown berry.)

I love the overalls. Does he have a jean jacket too? I don't know why, but I love denim on babies.

[Risa]

My girl had a problem with sunscreen last summer and wound up with welts on her face. Definitely not a happy baby. Look for a PABA free sunscreen. We've been using Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30 with great success this summer. Poor James!

[Donna]

Neutragena makes an SPF 70 [http://tinyurl.com/6otnv5] that I like - I have had problems with a lot of others but I can use this. Oddly enough it develops white streaks after you've had it on for awhile but it works well - I have super pale, super sensitive skin & I have no problems with it. I also like the fact that it doesn't have that super greasy feel that most sunblocks do. They also have an SPF 30 for sensitive skin [http://tinyurl.com/57stxh] which I used to use (& I could swear that I have some sensitive skin in an spf 50 that I bought at the beginning of summer) but I find that I don't have any problems with the others with the Helioplex. If you want to be even safer, try California Baby [http://tinyurl.com/5p2xwm] - they use titanium dioxide as a physical barrier rather than a chemical sunscreen like PABA. I haven't used it but I have used other products of theirs like the Calendula Cream & it is fantastic for sensitive skin even if it is pricey.

[A]

This won't help much for the face, but you can add sun protection to clothing with a RIT product (the makers of RIT dye): http://www.sunguardsunprotection.com/. I've never seen it in a store, but it can be ordered from that website or from http://www.ritdye.com/Buy+Rit+Now.28.lasso

[Teyani]

oh poor baby.
I can sympathize - my oldest daughter (with the palest blonde skin of any of us - is allergic to every single sun screen available on the market.

test a little of each on some area that won't hurt him too badly , like a leg.
My girl gets a rash from all of them within 10 minutes of application, so you'll be able to weed out the "offenders" really fast.
In the mean time, I'd stock up on baby benydryl... so sorry little guy.

[Beth]

I m allergic to a lot of cosmetics too, almay is one brand I can often use.

[rachel Bobrow Steinberg]

we use California Baby SPF30+ Sunblock Stick. Look for something that is PABA free as well as Paraben- and Thalate- free. Actually we use a lot of California Baby products in general - sunscreen, shampoo, baby lotion. Erin hasn't had any allergic reactions to this stuff- and it's also nut, soy and a whole lotta other things -free. And, because the sunscreen comes in a stick we make a game out of "painting" Erin with the sunscreen - and we are obsessive about sun exposure - we even have a UV filter cover for our stroller. (My husband's whole family are very fair skinned) We got the California Baby sunblock in a natural food store, but it is available online -www.californiababy.com. Good luck!