Everyone loves a bit of sunshine - even if you're not a beach bunny and prefer the mountains, we all want to see a bright blue sky and enjoy warm and light days, but if you're one of the many thousands of people that have sun-sensitive skin, keeping it sunburn-free when the temperature starts to rise means using sunscreen and this can cause all sorts of issues for sensitive skin, the most common of which is polymorphic light eruption or, as it's more commonly known, prickly heat rash.

Prickly heat, an itchy rash of small, raised red spots, causes a stinging or prickling sensation, most commonly affecting areas such as the face, neck, back, chest and thighs and usually appears when the body has been exposed to hot temperatures.

When a person sweats more than usual, such as during hot or humid weather, the body’s sweat glands become blocked, sweat becomes trapped beneath the skin and this causes irritation and the characteristic heat rash. Clothing can make it worse sometimes because it causes friction on skin that’s already irritated. Babies and children are also more at risk of getting prickly heat because their sweat glands are not fully developed.

If you’re holidaying abroad and exposed to high temperatures, you may be at risk of developing prickly heat in a hot climate because you sweat more than ususal but the use of sunscreen is imperative to prevent burning and experts recommend at least an SPF 30. However, for those with sensitive skin, using sunscreen can aggravate the skin and bring on the dreaded rash.  If you are using high factor sun protection it is often thick and gloopy, difficult to rub in, and thoroughly uncomfortable to wear.

Traditional sun lotions and creams contain oils and emulsifiers as these are the ingredients that contain the UV filters that we spread onto our skin. However, it is these oils and emulsifiers, together with other irritants such as perfume, that will block pores and sweat glands and exacerbate the prickly heat problem.

Although our sunscreens are not a cure for prickly heat Techniblock has, according to many of our customers, prevented or completely eradicated the symptoms. This is because it does not contain pore-blocking oils and emulsifiers; instead the UV filters are encapsulated in an ethanol spray that dries instantly on the skin, leaving behind a transparent but highly effective UV barrier that cools the skin and allows it to breathe. 

Techniblock's unique, broad-spectrum formula is delivered as a clear, non-greasy CFC-free spray and unlike a lot of traditional , high factor sunscreens, Techniblock’s SPF 50 will provide very high protection without the heavyweight feel. Techniblock carries a PA ++++ rating, providing the maximum amount of UVA protection currently available, so you can be assured that you're using sunscreen of the very highest quality.

As the ethanol evaporates on contact, the UVA and UVB protectants get to work shielding the skin immediately and the absence of oils and emulsifiers, which break down in water, makes Techniblock extremely long lasting and water resistant, so you can be assured that you’ll be fully protected when swimming or enjoying water sports.