Ultrasun - NOT Safe As Described

I was in Marrekesh last week where the temperature unexpectedly went up to 39c and cloudless skies. I was ill most of the holiday (virus) and hardly left the hotel room but on the few occasions I did go out I applied Ultrasun 50 to face and bits of feet that were exposed and though they did not burn, my nose and feet are now lightly peeling. The Ultrasun was almost certainly out of date though but I reckon it should not have made much of a difference to its efficacity. The rest of me was covered up. I suspect I will need to wear big brimmed hats in future but I am not keen on things on my head.

I did see this in the paper the other day & I get Which mag so will see what the full report says.I use Ultrasun mainly the face as I am not a sun worshipper and don't 'do' hot countries.If in the future I do I would probably apply more often than once a day.Abbi may have to adjust her spiel to 'I WANT you to apply every----?

I only bought ultrasun once before I went "certified cruelty free" a few years ago. I found the on air spiel of once a day very misleading as the instructions in the box showed for my fair skintone and holidaying in the tropics that I should apply every four hours, which is what id do with a regular sun cream. I've used marks and spencer own brand factor 30 ever since, is certified cruelty free, cheaper, and effective.

I don't pay close attention to the Ultrasun shows because I'm not keen on Abi's rather smug style. Does she give details about the star system for UVA too, or just the SPF for UVB (have I got them the right way round ?).

What annoys me is the way she infers that emergency services supply it to those of their staff who work outdoors eg fire fighters. My brother has recently retired after 32 years in the London Fire Brigade and he tells me categorically that they have never been supplied with any brand of sun protection.

The blasted bird irritates me I have to say. If I didn't know better I'd assume she invented sunscreen lol. And I haven't got to ripe old age of 50 without realising sun protection is important. I've never bought Ultrasun but I did get a sample of the face 50 the once. I have skin like rhino hide really. Its been on the fritz once or twice with acne but on the whole my skin isn't sensitive to anything. I had to wash the Ultrasun off sharpish. My skin was on fire.

I am dark olive skinned and a dermatologist told me not to use factor 50. That it was better to use factor 30 and top up regularly. He felt on balance it was better for the skin.

ERICS MUM said:

What annoys me is the way she infers that emergency services supply it to those of their staff who work outdoors eg fire fighters. My brother has recently retired after 32 years in the London Fire Brigade and he tells me categorically that they have never been supplied with any brand of sun protection.

Click to expand...

She also says it's given on prescription. Well I'd like to know where, because there is no way our CCG would allow us to prescribe such an expensive sunscreen. It's not even in the BNF! (the book that lists all drugs licensed to prescribe in England) . https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/formula...-and-camouflagers/1381-sunscreen-preparations
Ultrasun is an unnecessary cost to the NHS when there are cheaper and just as effective alternatives in the BNF and I cannot imagine anywhere that prescribes it.

I had a sun cream prescribed at one point and though I cannot remember the brand it was not Ultrasun. The one prescribed did make my eyes water even though I did not put it near my eyes

When I worked in a hospital dermatology department, Roc total sunblock was the one given on prescription - but only for people with extreme photosensitivty.

I saw that article - I think it was in the Mail. It was really interesting how the "premium" brands fared worse than yer cheap old Superdrug (from the dreaded High Street) basics. I like Soltan once, but I always reapply it. That's why I call it Soltan "Twice." I have to say I've never burnt, even when using it once a day - and I spent several hours on St Kilda beach.

Soon I will be going on a cruise ship that's the modern equivalent of the Titanic (hope it doesn't sink). Problem is that the super ship (which cost the best part of £1 billion) isn't ready yet and is little more than a floating building site. I will have to slather on the Soltan as there will be little to do other than sit on deck and view the ocean.

Silver Fox said:

I did see this in the paper the other day & I get Which mag so will see what the full report says.I use Ultrasun mainly the face as I am not a sun worshipper and don't 'do' hot countries.If in the future I do I would probably apply more often than once a day.Abbi may have to adjust her spiel to 'I WANT you to apply every----?

Click to expand...

Silver Fox, can you see what Which? mag has to say about laser eye clinics? I'm considering having my (-1) short-sightedness in both eyes and slight astigmatism in my left eye corrected with Optegra. I went to a company called Optical Express but, short of holding a gun to my head, they couldn't have done any more to make me sign up immediately and that led me to give them a wide berth. Optegra seem much more professional, however I'm interested to know if Which? have anything to say about them.

May said:

Personally I like the stuff and have never ever burned with it and neither has hubby .. It's like anything in life .. Common sense
.... I've never had any problems at all ... Do they mean even though you don't burn it can still be dangerous ? .. .. We do reaply when really hot ... But generally as far as personal experience tells me no burning at all ... However I always carry some around with me .. Nothing is ever definate in life of course .. Only the obvious .... Hope that's not morbid lol

Click to expand...

I agree I like Ultrasun and so does my mum. Unfortunately she has lupus and if she goes out in any sun her skin litterly blisters. Ultrasun 50 is only one of a couple that she can use, the other was even more expensive and not as good. She's housebound now but still needs to either wait for overcast or use the sun cream just to take the rubbish down the garden. I'm a medically retired bus driver I fullishly didn't bother with sun cream but now that I don't drive on a daily basis my skin has become sensitive. Again this has been the one that works for me. It's different horses for different courses and it works for us.

Abi Definately said it prevents prickly heat which in my case it didnt . I have very sensitive skin and avoid too much sun and still get prickly heat. Andrew from Gatineau was saying something similar recently about a tan excelerator he is selling. I think they need to be very careful about the claims they are making for some of these products.

I get prickly heat too. I hardly went in the sun on holiday as was ill and a week later my prickly heat has still not gone down completely.

If I recall correctly, the Which test only tested one protection Factor of each brand. The subjects applied once, then wore a Tshirt and sat in a chair for 8 hours. The test was how badly the cream had worn off each trialist's back. Now, to me, there's another variable or two involved there?
Anyway, it's not surprising that cream rubs off on clothing and towels (that's where the staining comes from!)
You are supposed to put it on so long before getting dressed, to give it time to bond on your skin, and personally, I always reapply after swimming & towelling - or even lying on the towel.

All this was even on the main 6'o clock news, and clearly showed a bottle of Ultrasun as one of the brands with dubious claims.
Get out of that one Abbi.

Yes, they tested one type of 4 brands- Ultrasun, Boots Soltan, Piz Buin and P20, all of which claim to be 'once a day' application
I posted this link down in the drop the other day, but it's probably worth posting here too.. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...sking-skin-damage-watchdog-says-a7050876.html

China Girl said:

All this was even on the main 6'o clock news, and clearly showed a bottle of Ultrasun as one of the brands with dubious claims.
Get out of that one Abbi.

Click to expand...

She'll still carry on and deceitful QVC will continue to let her, if she doesn't now speak honestly (ha! I know) then she should know she has people's health in her hands, I hope she can sleep at night.

I'm not always convinced that Which? is particularly scientific in its tests. I remember hearing a lecture at college from a manufacturer of hosiery who had had two identical products feature in a Which? test. The only difference was the packaging and outward branding (one was packaged for a chain store, the other a named brand). The products themselves had no differences in manufacture or material. Which? found one to be very poor and the other to be excellent....

I use Ultrasun and spend at least 3 months a year in the tropics. It seems to work well for the time I'm out in the sun each day, which is all that matters to me. There is enough residual protection when the sun is losing its potency around 4pm for my needs - I don't then require Factor 50 or 30 but a lesser amount. Ultrasun is still providing that.

I can honestly say it's the only one we use now ...but ..it is sensible to reapply after swimming I think ..I worked at a nursery and some parents did apply Ultrasun but if that was my child I would send some in too and ask for reapliacation after water play with the paddling pools etc ...I used to worry sick about applications on children ,such a responsibility ..maybe various companies are worried about their own brands ...who knows what goes on behind the scenes of various tests ...."all day" is as long as it's tall really ....they should put on the bottle ...responsible use required ..like on gambling sites and alcohol adverts ...maybe, just a thought ..Abbie should wind her kneck in and calm down ..IMHO she obviously sees a credit card seeing there instead of a bottle of suncream :mysmilie_17: