UV Alert Patches FAQ

Why UV Alert Patches over Small Round UV Stickers?

This one really comes down to the larger patch size provides a higher surface, adhesive area (when compared to small round stickers) ensuring UV Alert Patches remain firmly attached to your skin under even the most extreme conditions. Often, for example, the small round stickers fall off some wearers when they sweat and/or swim. This is why, after extensive testing, we developed our product the way we did.

Are UV Alert Patches Waterproof/Water Resistant?

Yes, they are. UV Alert Patches are water resistant and suitable for use where swimming, surfing etc.

Are UV Alert Patches Suitable for Children?

Yes! Absolutely! We would, however, stress that any sticker like product applied to young children should be done so under adult supervision. Additionally, we recommend applying a UV Alert Patch to an area of their body where your child cannot easily reach it (e.g. on their upper back, shoulder blade). This will minimise your child’s temptation to pick at the patch.

How Visible are UV Alert Patches When Worn?

If you take a look at the photograph at the top of this page you see a SUNSCREEN UNPROTECTED UV Sensor Card (at left) next to a SUNSCREEN PROTECTED UV Alert Patch (at right) that is applied to the skin. Based on this photo,  you can probably tell that the UV Alert Patch is hardly visible at all.

Are UV Alert Patches Comfortable to Wear?

Absolutely! UV Alert Patches are extremely comfortable to wear. They were developed and tested with skin safety and comfort in mind. The medical grade, microfine, transparent film used in producing the 3 x 3 cm patch flexes with your skin. In fact, once a patch is applied, you won’t even notice it is there.

Can UV Alert Patches Irritate the Skin?

No, UV Alert Patches will not irritate the skin. UV Alert Patches are produced using FDA and EU approved skin safe acrylate adhesives. These adhesives are considered low sensitising and hypoallergenic. The 3 x 3cm patch is actually developed to cover open wounds, indicating just how skin safe the patches are.  We have run extensive skin safety tests where a single patch is worn for days (> 3 days) without irritation to the skin on numerous test subjects, including young children. However, we do recommend that patches are removed after a day in the sun and a new patch is applied next time you are out in the sun.

Can Wearable UV Stickers Truly Mirror Skin Conditions?

The short answer to this is no. At least not 100% where sweating is concerned. Any person or company claiming otherwise should be viewed with some caution. No sticker of any form can allow sweat to pass through it in the same manner as human skin. However, of more concern is the water resistance of sunscreens when people swim. One study highlights, “resistant or highly water-resistant sunscreens should be reapplied after 40 min of swimming and after 2 hours of sweating”. Basically, what this study highlights is that when compared to swimming, sweating has far less effect on how long any sunscreen will maintain its protective properties[1] [2]. Other than this, after swimming, many people towel off. Based on our own in-house testing, dependent on the sunscreen formulation, swimming combined with towelling off often results in a lot of sunscreen being removed quickly. UV Alert Patches utilise a second skin technology that can mimic what is occurring on the skin when wearers swim and towel off.

Can I use UV Alert Patches with any Sunscreen?

UV Alert Sunscreen Monitoring Patches are developed for use with high SPF (30 – 50) chemical sunscreens only (i.e. sunscreens that use UV absorbing molecules such as Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octocrylene, Octisalate, PABA, Ethylhexyl Triazone etc). All wearable UV monitoring technologies (regardless of brand) that utilise UV photochromic pigment technology have mixed results with what are deemed natural (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) sunscreens. Unfortunately, many suppliers fail to inform consumers of this. We would prefer consumers were highly informed given the importance of UV protection. In some cases, where using a SPF 50 natural sunscreen, UV Alert Patches may work very well. However, in other cases they may turn towards purple making it hard to gauge the level of protection the natural sunscreen is offering. It’s important to know this, prior to purchasing our product.

How Fast Should the UV Sensor on the Patch Turn Clear to Pink?

After applying adequate amounts of sunscreen over a patch, the sensor should begin turning clear to pink in about 1-2 minutes. However, it is important to stress two things here.  Firstly, sunscreen should be applied 20-30 minutes prior to direct/intense UV exposure. For this reason, we recommend that if you are wanting to test the colour change in the UV Alert Patch (when placing sunscreen over it in direct sunlight) this should be done by applying sunscreen to the rest of your body 20-30 minutes before going into direct, intense sunlight, while leaving the UV Alert Patch without sunscreen over it.  To test the UV Alert patch, go outdoors into direct sunlight and look at the colour change (the disc at the centre of the UV Alert Patch will turn purple). Immediately place the same levels of sunscreen over the UV Alert Patch (as you applied to your skin) while in direct sunlight. The circular UV sensor on the patch at this point will change colour from purple to clear or pink. Secondly, most people under-apply sunscreen. Be sure to apply the same levels of sunscreen to the patch as you apply to the rest of your skin. If the UV sensor on the patch still remains purple this is a good indicator that you need to be applying more sunscreen to be adequately UV protected.

After my Patch Turned Clear/Pink It Didn’t Turn Purple Again

There are a few reasons the UV sensor on the patch may never turn purple, one of which being that you’re doing a great job putting on your sunscreen and are protected. In research and development of the patches we came across several extremely good chemical sunscreens that offered many hours of protection in high UV situations. So this one is actually quite complex, but in some cases you may be very surprised how long your sunscreen offers a high degree of protection.

Other reasons could be a low intensity of UV in your region at that time or other environmental conditions.

However, if you like you can actually test the patch by washing it thoroughly with soap and water and then wiping it quite firmly with tissue paper to remove a high degree of the sunscreen from the patch surface. Then go into the sun and face the patch towards direct sunlight and you at this point should see its colour change more from a clear/pink colour towards purple. Be sure to reapply sunscreen to the patch while in the sun (after testing) to have it turn clear to pink again.

The Sensor on my Patch does Not Change from Purple to Clear/Pink When I Apply Sunscreen

There are several factors that may be causing this.

• You are not applying enough sunscreen. Studies show most people do not apply enough sunscreen to achieve the SPF protection that is rated on any sunscreen. Please read more about this here
• All sunscreens have a shelf life. How old is the sunscreen? Has the use by date expired? A sunscreen that has passed its use by date may be offering you very little UV protection.
• The SPF (UVB protection factor) of the sunscreen may be too low.
• The UVA protection factor (PA+, UVA-PF etc) of the sunscreen may be too low.

References

[1] Hexsel C.L., Bangert S.D., Hebert A.A., Lim H.W. Current Sunscreen Issues: 2007 Food and Drug Administration Sunscreen Labelling Recommendations and Combination Sunscreen/Insect Repellent Products. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 2008;59:316–323. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.

[2] Kliniec K, Tota M, Zalesińska A, Łyko M, Jankowska-Konsur A. Skin Cancer Risk, Sun-Protection Knowledge and Behavior in Athletes-A Narrative Review. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jun 22;15(13):3281. doi: 10.3390/cancers15133281. PMID: 37444391; PMCID: PMC10339925.