Working pilots: sunscreen?

Cal Goat

Prestige Worldwide™
Hi everybody. I did a quick search and the best thread I could find on this topic was from 2010, so I just wanted to see if I could get some current opinions instead of necroposting.

For the people that make their living in the cockpit: Do you use sunscreen?

I ask because part of me wants to believe that the thick, pressurized glass of a modern airplane has some UV protection built into it. Really, why wouldn't it? But lately I've been noticing my right arm getting uncomfortable in the direct sunlight.

I've actually been making my living as pilot in various ways since 2002, but I was young and invincible and many hundreds of hours were spent in the shade of high wing airplanes. Now I'm in my 30's, I'm a dad, and I feel like maybe I should make an effort to avoid possible skin cancer since it runs in my family.

I suppose there's not much reason not to use it. But one more thing to carry, one more thing to do, etc... Plus, are we sure those cockpit windows don't provide UV protection?

Thanks.
 
I use a 30 spf face moisturizer after I get out of the shower. Other than that, no.

BTW the avatars are kicking major ass.
 
yep I use SPF 50 on the arms and face, the RJ windshield gives you a fair amount of UV-B protection (stuff that gives you a sunburn) but gives you about SPF 4 protection for UV-A (bad stuff that gives you cancer).
 
I laugh at the guys who slather on the sunscreen in the cockpit and then pass out at the pool on a layover without applying any. Dumbasses. You want protction, try this:

c130-1.jpg


Newspapers and charts work too.
 
IIRC, any transparent object, even saran wrap, blocks nearly all of one of the forms of UV waves, even saran wrap . I remember an experiment in elementary school, but I don't remember what form of UV the sensor was testing. All I remember is that it was reading nearly 0 with just about anything in front of it, including a film of sunblock.

I'd say just keeping it off of you in cruise(where the worst exposure is) is a great start.
 
I do use SPF 50 on my arms, neck, and lower face while flying. The top half of my face is usually not in direct sunlight. If I don't use it, I get sunburned. I figure that can't be good.
 
SolBar spf 50. Waterproof, blocks UVB and UVA. Comes in a 4 oz. bottle, isn't greasy at all and it's odorless. You only need a thin application.
 
I use a 30 spf face moisturizer after I get out of the shower. Other than that, no.

BTW the avatars are kicking major ass.

Cetaphil moisturizer with 50SPF sunblock every morning for me. But I'm a blue-eyed Nordic wimp. Which reminds me of the old post-Chernobyl joke... How can you tell if someone is a Swede? He's the one with the blue hair and blond eyes.
 
IIRC, any transparent object, even saran wrap, blocks nearly all of one of the forms of UV waves, even saran wrap . I remember an experiment in elementary school, but I don't remember what form of UV the sensor was testing. All I remember is that it was reading nearly 0 with just about anything in front of it, including a film of sunblock.

I'd say just keeping it off of you in cruise(where the worst exposure is) is a great start.

Don't get me wrong, like most pilots, I've had my share of great saran-wrap parties. But as I "mature" I find myself erring on the side of simplicity... and catchy, rhyming aphorisms. To wit, If you're getting red, you're getting dead.
 
Don't get me wrong, like most pilots, I've had my share of great saran-wrap parties. But as I "mature" I find myself erring on the side of simplicity... and catchy, rhyming aphorisms. To wit, If you're getting red, you're getting dead.
are you sure you're not @Boris Badenov's alter ego? Because your writing style is creepily similar.
 
Ask just about any 121 pilot and they will know at least one person who has had skin cancer. Clear glass doesn't even come close to reflecting or absorbing enough solar energy to protect your skin.

Wear sunblock/sunscreen every day, even if it's cloudy. Also, you'll have to reapply it every few hours AND it take about 30 minutes to become effective so put it on a bit before you get in the plane.
 
I believe it was a consumer reports article about sunscreen and spf ratings where spf 50 was just slightly better than some spf 10 in their tests.
 
I have two flying jobs, one formal, the other informal. For the informal job I wear a long sleeved 'sun shirt' made of UV-absorbing fabric.The sun shirts work great, are cool, and give excellent protection. Solumbra is one company that makes them. I also wear 'fingerless' cycling gloves to protect my hands.

For the other job I use sunscreen. No way does that cockpit glass give you enough protection. All my older airline pilot buddies have had to have large chunks of cancerous skin removed.
 
I do not, I would be concerned about leaving greasy fingerprints everywhere. The UV exposure I get while flying is probably far less than what I receive on a routine basis since I live in S Florida. In fact, some of my non-aviator friends have a darker left arm than right arm just from driving. Lawn care and dermatology are big businesses here for the same reasons.
 
Well, anecdotally - my dad retired at age 60 after flying for a career and by that time had already been going to the dermatologist for 5 years getting pre-cancerous spots burned off his face and forearms. Who knows if it's from flying or something else.

It's pretty easy to put on moisturizer with SPF - so I figure why not.
 
Yes. I went to a dermatologist for something unrelated, and when I told him what I did for a living he gave me a lecture about all the Delta pilots he has in his clinic that now have skin cancer after a career of having almost no protection from the sun. I wear sunblock on my face, neck and arms, or basically everything that's not covered by clothing.
 
I use a 30 spf face moisturizer after I get out of the shower. Other than that, no.

BTW the avatars are kicking major ass.

Gotta protect the moneymaker, eh?

yep I use SPF 50 on the arms and face, the RJ windshield gives you a fair amount of UV-B protection (stuff that gives you a sunburn) but gives you about SPF 4 protection for UV-A (bad stuff that gives you cancer).

Oh haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

21 posts since 2009? I guess I'm honored. :D

It's pretty easy to put on moisturizer with SPF - so I figure why not.

Pretty much boils down to this, doesn't it?

Nope. And the I think the avatar's are ghey. @Inverted

Jesus Christ, dude. I'm beginning to understand your posts-to-likes ratio.

Yes. I went to a dermatologist for something unrelated, and when I told him what I did for a living he gave me a lecture about all the Delta pilots he has in his clinic that now have skin cancer after a career of having almost no protection from the sun. I wear sunblock on my face, neck and arms, or basically everything that's not covered by clothing.

I was reading your reply from the old thread. Good info. What product do you prefer?
 
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