Sure, it’s summer and who doesn’t love the warmth of the sun? But is that all you get? While sun light is very important for our skin, too much of it can leave your skin damaged. Basically, there are two types of ultraviolet sunrays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays can penetrate deep into your skin and mostly, damage the middle layer i.e., the dermis. This causes ageing of skin and prevalence of wrinkles. The other one, UVB rays are absorbed by the topmost layer of the skin i.e., the epidermis. Although this causes tanning but it can also lead to burning too. Melanin, a colour pigment, is produced more in the sunlight so that it forms a layer over your skin (tanning) which prevents burning but it does not prevent other harmful effects of the UV rays.
So it is necessary to follow a certain regime in order to ensure that you enjoy that glorious sunlight without getting your skin damaged.
Here are 10 tips that will guide you as to how to protect your skin from sun burns this summer.
10. Cover up.
Well, this one is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Make sure that most part of your skin is covered up when you venture out in the hot sun. Wear loose cotton shirts over your clothes so that your arms and neck and the area around your shoulders don’t have to suffer from damage. Cotton is very light and naturally made therefore, it will not stifle you in the heat. You can also use and umbrella or a hat to protect your face.
9. Lather the sunscreen on!
Never leave your home without applying lots of sunscreen. Always apply a sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor of 15. If you have a particularly sensitive or pale skin, go for 30 SPF or more. SPF also depends on the temperature of the place you’re living in and your response to the sunscreen. However, you should also be aware that sunscreens are not 100 % effective. They are used in addition to other alternatives.
8. Enjoy the shade.
If you have plan to stay out for long, try to stick to the shaded areas. It will not only protect your skin from direct sunlight but will also allow you to enjoy the warmth of the sun without worrying about any kind of skin damage or sunstroke.
7. Cucumber juice.
There are times when your skin do suffer from all the heat and sun light inspite of all the precautions. The best way to tackle such a situation is to cool down your skin immediately. Cold cucumber juice is very helpful in such situations. Always keep some cucumber juice in your refrigerator before venturing out. Dab it on your skin as soon as you return and allow it sit for a while and then, wash it off with cold water. Trust me, it keeps your skin from burning up.
6. Keep yourself hydrated.
That’s not news! You should always keep yourself hydrated in summers. It’s not only good for your skin but will also keep you energized and healthy. Water and liquids are very important for your body and blood circulation. Too much sun does take its toll on your body and weakens you up. If you are fully hydrated, you are less likely to get stung by the harmful sun rays. Dry skin gets burned more easily as compared to the hydrated and moisturized one.
5. Avoidance is best at times.
When you feel that the day is particularly hot and sunny and you don’t have any urgent chores to carry out, you can opt to stay indoors. Or you can avoid the outdoors during the hours when the sun is at its peak. Indeed, avoiding the sun altogether at times can protect your skin from potential damage and will also give it some time to recuperate from any earlier damages.
4. Coconut Oil is a blessing.
There are so many benefits of coconut oil. I swear, it’s a gift to mankind. It’s good for health, delicious, helps in make-up removal, good moisturizer and what not. Apparently, it’s effective in healing sunburns too. Cold pressed coconut oil helps treating skin damage due to sun rays. Although it blocks only 20% of the sun rays but it has been observed that it releases powerful antioxidants into the skin which triggers the defense mechanism of the body and prevents any long term repercussions of too much sun exposure. And to top it all, it is easily available in the market and pretty inexpensive too.
3. Mineral intake.
Maintain a good diet and make sure that your mineral intake is adequate. It has been seen that deficiency in certain minerals, like zinc and magnesium, can cause photosensitivity and rashes. Get your mineral status checked and indulge in a good mineral based diet plan. Along with the minerals, it is also imperative to consume saturated fats. Healthy fats lead to resilient skin and makes it less sensitive to the sun.
2. More of that Vitamin D.
Supplement your body with vitamin D as it increases sun tolerance and also protects against any kind of skin damage. While it is true that sun is the best source of vitamin D but it certainly is not the only one. Fermented cod liver oil is one such rich source of vitamin D. Food sources of vitamin D are few in number but they need to be included in your daily diet. Seafood is considered to be quite a rich source of this vitamin. So hurry up and include food like cooked salmon, egg yolk, tuna, mackerel and sardines in your diet.
It is one thing to supplement your body with vitamin D but your body should also be equipped to use this vitamin properly. Since vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin ( i.e., it is absorbed in lipids and absorbed in body tissues for later use), it is necessary to have an adequate amount of healthy fats in the diet. It allows the vitamin to function properly. You can also use magnesium supplements to help convert vitamin D to its hormonally active form, calcitriol.
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that has been observed to be a naturally occurring skin protector. Since it is a member of a carotenoid family, it is easy to see why it can be helpful with sunburns. Carotenoid family is a group of plant chemicals that are used by many species of flora to avoid any damaging effects of the sun.A natural sunscreen, it is mostly commonly present in algae. It is also present in sea animals like salmon, shrimp, cab and lobster. However, it is not enough for us to consume this antioxidant only through food. To remedy this, you can always take this antioxidant in a pill form as a dietary supplement. Astaxanthin counteracts the activities of free radicals through which the sun’s rays penetrate and damage the skin. By doing so, it also prevents ageing of the skin and wrinkles. However, it has not yet been decided how much of this antioxidant is required for counteracting the damages caused by the sun. But you surely add it to your diet plan as a step against sunburns.
So, do you now think you can tackle the sun and its harmful rays? The above- mentioned precautionary and preventive measures are not only easy to follow but are also pretty effective. So, turn your face towards the sun with full confidence. You will not have to bear thhe stingy pain of sunburns anymore!