Latest news with #ultravioletA
New York Post
28-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Beware ‘margarita burn' — this common summer ailment can leave you howling in pain
A hangover might be the least of your worries after that poolside cocktail. As summer heats up, doctors are warning about so-called 'margarita burn,' a blistering rash that can leave you wincing in pain long after the last sip. 'It's more common than you think,' Dr. David Kim, a board-certified dermatologist, said during a recent segment on TODAY. 4 Doctors say people often get 'margarita burn' in the spring and summer months. Mat Hayward – What is a margarita burn? Officially called phytophotodermatitis, it's a painful skin reaction that occurs when certain plant-based chemicals called furocoumarins come into contact with the skin and are then exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) rays from the sun. Furocoumarins are found in citrus fruits like limes and lemons, as well as in other plants such as celery, parsley, figs and carrots. 'I commonly see phytophotodermatitis when somebody has been barbecuing on a sunny afternoon and having drinks with limes in them, like margaritas or beers,' Dr. Melissa Piliang, a dermatologist, said in an interview with the Cleveland Clinic. What does a margarita burn look like? At first glance, it can pass for a nasty sunburn. The reaction usually begins within 24 to 48 hours of sun exposure and can cause redness, swelling, painful blisters, burning and intense itching. In more severe cases, large, fluid-filled blisters can form, making the skin feel raw and irritated. 4 Margarita burn can be mistaken for a bad sunburn, but it's a chemical reaction. Berto – 'It only develops in areas where the chemical touches the skin, explaining odd shapes like streaks or dots where lime juice may have dripped down the skin or splashed,' Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Prevention. The severity depends on how much sun and plant chemical exposure you've had. While the rash itself may clear in a few days, phytophotodermatitis often leaves behind dark spots or patches of discoloration known as hyperpigmentation — and those can stick around for weeks, months or even years. Who's at risk for margarita burn? Anyone mixing furocoumarins and sunlight can develop margarita burn, but some groups are more vulnerable. For example, fair-skinned people and those sensitive to the sun are at higher risk, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 4 The effects of margarita burn can linger for months or even years. Brent Hofacker – Chefs, bartenders and food service workers who handle citrus outdoors — especially on patios, at pool bars and beachside venues — are also more likely to be affected. But it's not just about cocktails. Hikers, bikers and gardeners can unknowingly brush up against wild plants packed with furocoumarins, making them prime targets, too. How do you treat a margarita burn? 'If you get a rash, you can use steroid creams to calm down the inflammation, and you can use brightening serums with kojic acid and arbutin to prevent hyperpigmentation,' Kim said. Applying a cool washcloth can soothe the skin, while over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen and topical corticosteroids can ease discomfort. 4 Furanocoumarins are light-sensitizing chemicals found in plants like citrus fruits. Bella – 'While most mild cases of phytophotodermatitis clear up on their own with over-the-counter creams, it's critical to see your doctor if you don't see an improvement after several days,' Dr. Melanie Palm, a dermatologist, told Verwell Health. A doctor can prescribe stronger medications and confirm the diagnosis, since the rash can resemble other conditions such as fungal infections, sunburn or poison ivy. How can you prevent a margarita burn? The good news: avoiding the painful reaction is easier than you might think. If you've handled furocoumarins, like when juicing limes, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after, Dr. Samer Jaber, a dermatologist, told CBS News. Be vigilant about sun exposure: use a high-UVA-protection sunscreen and stay in the shade when possible. For gardeners, cooks and bartenders working outdoors, wearing gloves can also add an important layer of defense against the chemicals that cause margarita burn.
Daily Record
21-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Popular sun cream fails safety tests as families warned 'don't buy'
A popular sun cream aimed at families and costing £28 a bottle has failed safety standards as consumer group Which? warns shoppers "don't buy" it. A sun cream on the market for £28 and aimed at families has been deemed unsafe. Consumer group Which? Is urging people to avoid the Ultrasun Family SPF30 due to the fact it failed safety tests. Which? revealed the product failed to meet minimum UVA (ultraviolet A) protection levels. The Ultrasun lotion, which comes in a 150ml bottle, had a UVA score of 9.1 which was then 9.5 in a retest. Ultrasun markets the cream as 'perfect for the whole family' and 'especially suitable for children and those with sensitive skin'. Products need to get a 10 or more in the safety tests to pass. The product did pass the UVB protection test. SPF, which stands for sun protection factor, is a measurement of how well a sunscreen product protects skin against UVB rays—the type of UV rays that can cause sunburns. Another brand that failed the safety tests and was labelled a 'don't buy' by Which? was Morrisons' Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30m which costs £3.75 for a 200ml bottle. The sun block passed for UVA protection but failed for SPF against UVB. Which? Was carrying out an annual study into sun creams available to buy and conducted lab tests on 15 popular brands using what it says were industry-recognised methods, as reports the Mirror. They state that if a product fails first time round, the test is repeated. If it passes a second time, a third test is then carried out. Goods that fail the SPF or UVA test twice become a 'don't buy' product. Those that passed include budget giant Aldi's Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, which costs just £2.99 for 200ml. The researchers revealed that it protected skin from both UVA and UVB rays, as claimed. Aldi's offering also earned the supermarket chain a Which? Great Value badge. Lidl also had a one of its own brand sun sprays achieve success, garnering the same rating as Aldi with their Cien Sun Spray 30 SPF High, £3.79 for 200ml. Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: 'It's really concerning that widely available sunscreens could be putting families at risk by failing to offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging. There's no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun as we've found cheap reliable options at Aldi and Lidl.' A spokesperson from Ultrasun told Which? it was fully confident in its testing protocols and that its detailed testing processes continued to not only meet, but fully surpass industry standards. They also stated their testing protocol is one of the "strictest" available. Morrisons told Which? that it will be looking closely at the results of the testing programme and is working with its supplier to independently verify the findings with additional independent testing. Full list 'Don't Buys' Morrisons Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30, £3.75/200ml Ultrasun Family SPF30, £28/150ml Passes SPF30 sunscreens Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion, £5.50/200ml Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Lotion SPF30, £7.90/200ml Lidl Cien Sun Protect Spray SPF30 High, £3.79/200ml Sainsbury's Sun Protect Moisturising Lotion SPF30, £5.50/200ml Superdrug Solait Sun Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml PF50/50+ sunscreens Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Sun Spray SPF 50+, £11/150ml Sainsbury's Sun ProtectMoisturising Spray Lotion SPF50+, £5.75/200ml Aldi Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, £2.99/200ml Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion SPF50+, £5.50/200ml Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Spray SPF50+, £7.90/200ml SPF50/50+ kids sunscreens Childs Farm Sun Cream Fragrance-Free SPF50+, £12/200ml Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF50+, £5.50/200ml Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Families urged to avoid this popular sun cream after it failed safety tests
Research by consumer group Which? found two sun creams that failed its safety checks - plus others that others, including budget brands that passed with flying colours A popular sun cream aimed at families with a £28 price tag has failed safety tests. Consumer group Which? urged shoppers to avoid the product - Ultrasun Family SPF30 - while also revealing supermarket alternatives at a fraction of the price had passed with flying colours. The results are especially timely, given Britain is in the grip of a heatwave and people will be rushing to buy sun block. Which? found the Ultrasun product - which comes in a 150ml bottle and is marketed as being 'perfect for the whole family' and 'especially suitable for children and those with sensitive skin' - failed to meet minimum UVA (ultraviolet A) protection levels. Ultrasun's UVA score was 9.1 and 9.5 in a retest. It needed to be 10 or more to pass. It did, however, pass for the alternative UVB protection. Another sun block that failed was Morrisons ' Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30 at £3.75 for a 200ml bottle. It passed for UVA protection but came up short for SPF (sun protection factor) against UVB. Like the Ultrasun product, Which? labelled it a 'don't buy'. As part of an annual exercise, the group carried out lab tests on 15 popular sun creams using what it says were industry-recognised methods. If a product failed on a first test, it was repeated. If it passed the second time, a third test will be done. But if a product failed the SPF or UVA twice overall, it became a 'don't buy'. Among those that passed was budget supermarket Aldi 's Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, which costs just £2.99 for 200ml. Researchers found it protected skin from both UVA and UVB rays, as claimed. At £1.50 per 100ml - six times less than Ultrasun - the product also earned a Which? Great Value badge. Another given the same rating was rival Lidl 's Cien Sun Spray 30 SPF High, at £3.79 for 200ml. Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: 'It's really concerning that widely available sunscreens could be putting families at risk by failing to offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging. While shoppers should avoid buying our Don't Buys, our results prove that there's no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun as we've found cheap reliable options at Aldi and Lidl.' A spokesperson from Ultrasun told Which? it was fully confident in its testing protocols and that its detailed testing processes continued to not only meet, but surpass industry standards. It stated that its chosen testing protocol is one of the strictest available. Morrisons told Which? that it's looking closely at the data and working with its supplier to carry out additional independent testing. Full list 'Don't Buys' Morrisons Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30, £3.75/200ml Ultrasun Family SPF30, £28/150ml Passes SPF30 sunscreens Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion, £5.50/200ml Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Lotion SPF30, £7.90/200ml Lidl Cien Sun Protect Spray SPF30 High, £3.79/200ml Sainsbury's Sun Protect Moisturising Lotion SPF30, £5.50/200ml Superdrug Solait Sun Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml SPF50/50+ sunscreens Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Sun Spray SPF 50+, £11/150ml Sainsbury's Sun ProtectMoisturising Spray Lotion SPF50+, £5.75/200ml Aldi Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, £2.99/200ml Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion SPF50+, £5.50/200ml Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Spray SPF50+, £7.90/200ml SPF50/50+ kids sunscreens
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'Correct way' to apply sun cream to minimise skin ageing
SPF must be applied correctly in order to work Many of us will be slapping on sunscreen this month before heading out to beaches and barbecues to soak up the sun. However, one medical expert warns that you may not actually know how to apply SPF correctly. Niamh McMillan, Superdrug Pharmacy Superintendent, previously advised that the timing of sun protection application is crucial, as applying it too early or too late can increase the risk of skin damage, ageing and burns. She said: "It's best to apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside. It should then be reapplied to exposed areas, 15 to 30 minutes after sun exposure." She added that sunscreen should be reapplied after vigorous activities like swimming or excessive sweating. SPF measures a cream's protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, commonly associated with skin burns, and bottles typically rank protection on a scale from two to 50+. The star rating on bottles indicates protection from ultraviolet A radiation (UVA), which is linked to skin ageing, enlarged pores, and fine lines. Both UVA and UVB can contribute to an increased cancer risk. To ensure effectiveness, it's essential to apply SPF at the correct time, allowing sun cream about 30 minutes to be fully absorbed by the skin. If your SPF application gets delayed, there's a risk it could be washed away by sweat, compromising its effectiveness. It's also vital to keep an eye on the expiry date, while most bottles last up to 30 months, they can start losing their protective power after being opened. Skin expert Niamh emphasised that choosing the right sunscreen is crucial, taking skin types into consideration and said: "We all have different skin types, so it is important to choose the right type of sunscreen for your skin. The SPF is commonly interpreted as how much longer skin covered with sunscreen takes to burn, compared to unprotected skin. "So, if you burn after 10 minutes in the sun, then using a sunscreen labelled with, say, SPF15, is taken to mean that you can safely remain in the sun for 10 x 15 = 150 minutes, or two-and-a-half hours, before burning." Niamh also recommends keeping children keeping them shaded from direct sunlight until they are at least six months old, especially during peak UV exposure hours between 11am to 3pm. Niamh further advised parents, particularly from March to October in the UK, to be watchful about their children's skin, making sure it's well-covered, shaded, and protected with at least SPF 30 sunscreen on exposed areas like the face, ears, and feet.
