This may sound rather absurd, but has anyone ever read anything about whether using a strong sunscreen can lead to overheating? It was a humid day on the weekend and I had three runs to do. The midday session I applied a thick ‘sports’ 30+ and even though the session was only one hour I cooked. I was wondering whether there’s any way thick sunscreen may somehow block the pores and suppress the ability to sweat and cool down, although I was sweating a LOT (beads sitting on top of the sunscreen).
I only screen my arms and wear sleeves so that is only 1/8 of the total skin area. I figure my legs are somewhat shaded and don’t get burned too often. G
I feel you, I don’t think it’s the sunscreen although I’ve often wondered the same thing. I’d go with Gman’s option of wearing a thin running shirt or similar and just sunscreen your arms, neck and face. I hate running with shirt but some of the stuff out there is really really nice. Asic’s higher end shirts are super thin, as are many of the insports and other brands. Find a really airy one that doesn’t plaster to your skin when wet. I biked today at noon after a long study session, gotta love that heat on Kalanianaole highway:)
I have the same problem/feeling about sunscreen. Try Coppertone Sport Ultra Sweatproof sunscreen. It doesn’t leave a film on your body and sweat is able to evaporate through it. It is the best I’ve found and cheaper than alot of others.
Banana Boat also makes a water proof, sweat proof SPF30 that is very breathable. I used it many times in Hawaii over my entire body with no issues. I even used it over my entire back, under my bike jersey, since most breathable fabrics have poor sun protection.
BrokenSpoke
i used to feel this way and was very particular about it. what i think now is the heat factor was from relying on the sunscreen to protect me, as opposed to clothing. hot sun on skin is just that–HOT! a white think layer with sunscreen under that is much cooler, actually.
I can’t site the source, but do recall reading an article about this very subject that concluded sunscreen didn’t hinder the natural cooling of the body. I haven’t even tried to find the article, I just recall the conclusion. It might of been one of those Active.com articles that they circulate.
You ran three times in one day? Wow. That’s hardcore. I thought only the Kenyans did the three runs in a day stuff.
Anyway, Sunscreen for me is a no option thing. I would get roasted If I was running for an hour in the middle of the day with out it. I have had good luck with the Coppertone Sport line SPF 15 & 30. The trick I have been told is applying the sunscreen well in advance - like hours ahead of time. This allows it to penantrate deeply into the skin and bond with the propoer elements in the skin. If you just slop it on before going out the door in hot conditions, I suspect that you loose a significant part of the SPF Factor due to sweating the stuff right off.
Good question on whether or not Sunscreen useage somehow comprimises the seating/cooling mechanics of the body.
Fleck
This may sound rather absurd, but has anyone ever read anything about whether using a strong sunscreen can lead to overheating? It was a humid day on the weekend and I had three runs to do. The midday session I applied a thick ‘sports’ 30+ and even though the session was only one hour I cooked. I was wondering whether there’s any way thick sunscreen may somehow block the pores and suppress the ability to sweat and cool down, although I was sweating a LOT (beads sitting on top of the sunscreen).
I have heard the opposite – sunscreen and even lotion helps with cooling by holding the moisture on the skin, surface evaporation cooling is more efficient.
Yeah dude, like you ever need to worry about sunscreen again!
But I think sunscreen helps to keep you cooler too. A coolmax singlet which covers the shoulders is also very nice too.
Heh are you doing Honu? What races are you doing up there in God’s Country?
Coppertone, Bannana boat, and all those big companies have a “sports” version, but none have performed as well for me as the KINeSYS brand. No residue whatsoever… actually feels like you have talcum powder on your skin. Went 7 hours at the outdoor demo in Vegas in some serious sun.
Been to the Hottie thread lately ??
I have not had to wear sunscreen for the past six months – long sleeves and tights do a great job at blocking out the sun. Have not had to worry about over heating either.
But – I do have lots and lots of experience training and racing in hot hot weather.
Sunscreen keeps ya cooler as well as a white singlet.
I train and race in Floriduh all year, and the sun here is brutal. I use Bullfrog spray on suntan lotion, and it is good for at least 70ish miles on the bike or a 20 mile run in the middle of the day without getting pink at all. Since it isn’t a thick lotion I can easily sweat through it. I made the horrible mistake of using a thick suntan lotion at T2 on the GCT a few years ago and couldn’t sweat through it. I ended up taking as much of it off as I could at mile 6 with a sponge, and at least finished sweating…but sunburnt. A normal lotion could be big problems in my experience.
I always felt like I overheaded when I wore sun screen…until I tried the Bullfrog stuff. I use the gel and it works really well. The other sport brands might stay on during the swim and such, but would start to sweat much more than usual.
Adam
I have been experimenting with the bullfrog spray this week on my short taper workouts. I’m planning on doing the GCT with just my desoto tri shorts and bullfrog, I hope it stays on all day like it claims. I was able to sweat last night during my run, but it has been cooler up in n. fla this week so their wasn’t a lot of sweating going on. I did the 1/2GFT@ clemont in Oct without a shirt and used banana boat sport spf 30, I didn’t burn but I got a hell of a tan, I had a white stripe where my HRM strap was for about 2mos. It was low humidity that day but I didn’t sweat on my torso at all, I think that the banana boat had something to do with it. A shirt would probably solve all my problems but with a sleeveless wetsuit I tend to chafe my arms when they rub on my lats during long swims, this makes for a miserable run. And changing into a tight tri top @ T-1 while wet is asking for a long transition. I hope the bullfrog works!