Libre and sun cream

[Spoon]

Hello everyone - a question. I self fund the Libre 2 (type 2 on insulin) and I struggle to get the sensor to stay on my arm - I have the kind of skin that likes to defeat adhesive. I am also very pale and need to wear sun cream in the summer. Anyone have any tips for using sun cream
And a Libre? I presume if I put cream on around the sensor it will fall off …

 

[mikeyB]

As long as you apply the sensor before applying sun cream there should be no problem. Apart from a circular white patch in your tan

 

[rebrascora]

Yes, there is a risk that a small amount of the sun lotion will start to affect the outer edge of the Libre adhesive if applied liberally to that area, so I am frugal with the sun cream about half an inch around the Libre, so that there is less concern. I also wear an arm strap to support my Libre. Yes it gives me a light (untanned) band around my arm as well as the area under the Libre, but it gets exposed to the sun a fortnight later when I swap arms, so it catches up a bit with the tanning. For me, my arm band was a very worthwhile investment and I've not lost one since getting it over a year ago. That said my Libre sensors are at high risk from sweaty horses scrubbing their bridled faces against me and reaching into feed bins on a daily basis as well as the usual sports bra peril and me scrubbing it off in the shower because I forget which arm it is on 🙄 so my strap acts as a visual reminder as well as physically protecting the sensor. The strap regularly gets pinged (it is elastic) but it takes the hit and not the sensor and I just place it back over the sensor if it is dislodged in the process.

 

[Spoon]

As long as you apply the sensor before applying sun cream there should be no problem. Apart from a circular white patch in your tan

A tan is very optimistic!!

 

[Spoon]

Yes, there is a risk that a small amount of the sun lotion will start to affect the outer edge of the Libre adhesive if applied liberally to that area, so I am frugal with the sun cream about half an inch around the Libre, so that there is less concern. I also wear an arm strap to support my Libre. Yes it gives me a light (untanned) band around my arm as well as the area under the Libre, but it gets exposed to the sun a fortnight later when I swap arms, so it catches up a bit with the tanning. For me, my arm band was a very worthwhile investment and I've not lost one since getting it over a year ago. That said my Libre sensors are at high risk from sweaty horses scrubbing their bridled faces against me and reaching into feed bins on a daily basis as well as the usual sports bra peril and me scrubbing it off in the shower because I forget which arm it is on 🙄 so my strap acts as a visual reminder as well as physically protecting the sensor. The strap regularly gets pinged (it is elastic) but it takes the hit and not the sensor and I just place it back over the sensor if it is dislodged in the process.

Can you let me know where you got your strap from please? And what it looks like. Thanks!

 

[rebrascora]

I got it off ebay and it is an elastic strap attached to a 3D printed plastic "watch face" which is a perfect fit around the edge of the Libre. I am sure there will be similar on Amazon. There were lots and lots of colour options to choose from so that you could be loud and proud or discrete or match it to an outfit. It cost about £8.95 I believe, which seemed a lot for what it is but including postage and mine came with a little packet of Haribo sweets great for putting in a pocket and ideal for a hypo treatment. Most importantly, it gives me extra security and confidence with my Libre, which as I explained is probably at higher risk than most. I always apply my Libre before bed to give it plenty of time to adhere well overnight and I put the strap on as soon as I apply it, so it helps with that initial adhesion period.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

As long as you apply the sensor before applying sun cream there should be no problem. Apart from a circular white patch in your tan

Surely you mean the rust stains from the normal rain we have? 🙂

 

[Robin]

I’m on hol at the mo at altitude, so the sun is stronger. I carefully put suncream almost up to my libre, with the result that I now have a red circle of sunburn round it! So I started putting suncream right up to the sticky edge, and touch wood it seems fine, I think the problem is when the skin is oily before you stick it on, but once it’s stuck fast, getting suncream right up to it doesn’t seem to matter.

 

[nonethewiser]

Have to use sun cream on arms being fair skinned, not had any issues with it affecting libre in any way.

 

[Lucyr]

I just put suncream on as normal. You’re not putting the suncream under the adhesive so no issues