Rash from Sorbitol in Sunscreen?

[meaniejean]

Hi all!

Sawyer had a nasty, painful, itchy rash for about a week and a half before we realized it had been since we bought a new sunscreen. It was a CVS brand spray-on sunscreen for children. I looked at the sunscreen when we finally made the connection and sorbitol was the second ingredient. I checked all of the other bottles of different brands we have around and none of them list sorbitol.

It makes sense to us that the sorbitol is the culprit - especially because the rash is now almost gone since we stopped using the sunscreen.

Has this sort of thing ever happened to any one else?

Thanks guys!
Sandra

[colormist]

Awwwh, man! I got a horrid rash from an Aveeno spray-on sunscreen. I didn't check for sorbitol, though. And, again, I wonder if there is any connection between skin allergies and our genetic liver issues. I wouldn't think there would be a problem with being exposed to fructose externally, as I've made cookies, candies, and cakes all my life with no adverse reaction to my skin.

Definitely worth looking into next time I have a bad reaction to a skin product. My anti-itch cream actually made me flare up like I had rolled around in poison ivy. I'll check that tube tonight and see if it has a sugar in it.

[charlie]

Could someone please explain why sunscreen would have sorbitol in it? You're supposed to wear it not eat it!!!?
Have just looked on Megs suncream, it doesn't list sorbito but seems to have alot of sugar alcohols listed, hmm, could be an absorbtion problem. -

[meaniejean]

Sawyer's rash looked a lot like poison ivy too. How odd!

When chemicals are applied to our skin they can enter straight into our bloodstream. This is how things like the nicotine patch and birth control patch work.

I am guessing that baking and cooking and generally handling sugar-containing things would not be a problem since we don't usually rub them all over our bodies and keep them on for hours on end. (Ummm .... get your minds out of the gutter ... ; ) Lotions would be a different story, though. With Sawyer we put the sunscreen on in the late morning and he wears it all day. He only takes a bath a few times a week, so sometimes he sleeps in it as well and then it ends up on his sheets, etc.

So, we will now watch what we use even more closely. And, as Charlie said, WHY put sorbitol in sunscreen!!! Grrrrrr!!!

Let me know if there are any sugars in that cream, Laura. That would be very interesting.

Thanks guys!

Sandra

[CK]

I have to watch out for lotions, hair products, make up, etc. I also break out in rashes. I decided to test it again over the weekend and bought some shampoo with green apple, and I broke out again. My cheeks looked like I covered them in bright red blush.

I had a tetanus shot last week and the same thing happened with a rash. Has anyone else had problems with a tetanus shot?

[millan]

Aug 26, 2009 14:21:29 GMT -5 charlie said:

Could someone please explain why sunscreen would have sorbitol in it? You're supposed to wear it not eat it!!!?

I can explain that. Sorbitol can be used instead of glycerol as a moisturizing agent. It can also be used to thicken lotions or shampoos.

I make my own oil-blends and have also done a few lotions, and have actually used sorbitol sometimes. I've never had a reaction, but I've only tried receipts with small amounts of sorbitol in them and use I oils in greater amount than lotions for my skin, so there might have been too small amounts for me to react.

[meaniejean]

CK,

Many vaccinations contain sorbitol or polysorbate. In a journal article I read a few months ago they talked about a man with HFI who had a bad reaction to intravenous medications containing polysorbate.

Or maybe Laura is right about increased skin sensitivity to chemicals in general. We are so sensitive here.

Sandra