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How do you keep your head from getting sunburned?


littlemoos
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My husband and I both have very short hair and tend to get our scalps burned while in the water.  We do NOT want to wear hats in the water and tried scalp/swim caps, but neither of us liked them (mine gave me a major headache).  So has anyone used any scalp sunscreen that wasn't white and goopy that worked?  Looking for recommendations please.  Again - NO hats or swim caps.  TIA

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1 minute ago, littlemoos said:

My husband and I both have very short hair and tend to get our scalps burned while in the water.  We do NOT want to wear hats in the water and tried scalp/swim caps, but neither of us liked them (mine gave me a major headache).  So has anyone used any scalp sunscreen that wasn't white and goopy that worked?  Looking for recommendations please.  Again - NO hats or swim caps.  TIA

https://www.neutrogena.com/sun/sun-form-sprays/cool-dry-sport-water-resistant-sunscreen-spray-spf-50-5-oz/6810036.html

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2 hours ago, littlemoos said:

My husband and I both have very short hair and tend to get our scalps burned while in the water.  We do NOT want to wear hats in the water and tried scalp/swim caps, but neither of us liked them (mine gave me a major headache).  So has anyone used any scalp sunscreen that wasn't white and goopy that worked?  Looking for recommendations please.  Again - NO hats or swim caps.  TIA

I have had numerous real skin cancers and I learned the hard way that the only thing that works for me 100 percent is wearing a hat.

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Just wear a hat...that's the surest way!  Surely, you won't be IN the water, actively swimming the entire day...so take it off if you're actually swimming...but wear the hat if you're just lounging in the pool of floating in the ocean!  You will not be the only ones in hats!   I find that ALL of the sunscreens are greasy feeling, especially in hair!  It probably works best on totally bald heads, rather than in hair.

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If you use spray on sunscreen make sure you spray heavily as spray on sunscreen can only give you a thin layer of cover that wears off quite quickly. 

 

However if you want full coverage for your scalp, nothing beats a hat. You may not like it but trying to put any sunscreen between your hair is going to leave gaps, gaps that will burn and really you end up with more sunscreen on your actual hair than your scalp. 

 

6 hours ago, littlemoos said:

 We do NOT want to wear hats in the water and tried scalp/swim caps, but neither of us liked them (mine gave me a major headache).  

 

If your swim cap gave you a headache then perhaps get a size that is bigger or a bit loser. There are many brands and designs so maybe you can find one that is more suited to you. 

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Spray on sunscreens seem to work the best, since lotions and creams will make your hair greasy too. Just make sure you get high SPF such as 50 or more and reapply when necessary. Stay away from scorching hot sun, please 🙂

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/29/2019 at 12:02 PM, littlemoos said:

My husband and I both have very short hair and tend to get our scalps burned while in the water.  We do NOT want to wear hats in the water and tried scalp/swim caps, but neither of us liked them (mine gave me a major headache).  So has anyone used any scalp sunscreen that wasn't white and goopy that worked?  Looking for recommendations please.  Again - NO hats or swim caps.  TIA

 

I'll second the recommendation for a buff (I think that it's different than a scalp/swim cap).  There are lots of different ways to wear them and I like it when snorkeling to give the back of my neck protection too and the mask doesn't pull as much on my hair.

 

DH keeps his hair very short (and has a growing bald spot).  I use Neutrogena 100 SPF - it works well for us and rubs in well.  After being in the water a while it will come up some, especially his beard - although I have to remind him that some of the white is his beard 😉 

 

On 9/29/2019 at 3:15 PM, cb at sea said:

Just wear a hat...that's the surest way!  Surely, you won't be IN the water, actively swimming the entire day...so take it off if you're actually swimming...but wear the hat if you're just lounging in the pool of floating in the ocean!  You will not be the only ones in hats!   I find that ALL of the sunscreens are greasy feeling, especially in hair!  It probably works best on totally bald heads, rather than in hair.

 

I'm IN the water enough of the day to burn when we have beach days or snorkel excursions.  While I'm not actively swimming, I'm often doing things that are hindered by a hat.  I didn't read that OP was concerned about vanity ("you will not be the only ones") or even greasy feeling (I can't see putting in hair unless it is super short like OP - my hair doesn't burn but a scalp can). I did see that they wanted alternatives to hats/caps.

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