Savvy Suncare Tips

The summer heat is no laughing matter. You go on a fun in the sun vacation and you get back home only to find you have a painful and not-so-pretty red sunburn. – now what? Here are 5 steps to take when you have spent too much time under the sun:

1. Act quickly

As soon as you feel the tingle of a burn or see the pinkness in your skin- take action. It can take 4-6 hours before the burn is fully apparent, and make no mistake it’s a burn. Get out of the sun! Start cool compresses on the affected area. A great product for cooling that stinging feeling is Korres Yoghurt Cooling Gel. It is an ultra-cooling cream gel that will provide comfort to the areas where you feel a burn coming on!

Most sunburns, even ones that cause a few blisters, can be treated at home. However, if you have a blistering burn that covers 20% of your body you have to seek medical attention! Also anyone starts to suffer from fevers or chills should seek medical help. They can be serious conditions so don’t just brush them off.

3. Treat your skin

After a cool bath or shower slather on the body lotion. Apply generously and repeat often. Use products with Vitamins C and E, although not proven to treat sun damage there is evidence that they may help so why not. And, don’t forget, aloe vera. It is a good soothing weapon to beat the stinging sensation of the sunburns. A good lotion containing aloe vera to use after the shower is The Body Shop’s Aloe Soothing Day Cream (There is also a night cream for those who take showers at night). For severe burn with itching, pain, or swelling use over the counter hydrocortisone cream. Do not scratch your burn.

4. Don’t wait to medicate:

Take over the counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or aspirin and antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) as soon as you see signs of sunburn. It reduces the swelling and redness that will appear and might prevent some long-term skin damage. It’s not just treating the symptoms; it’s treating the severity of the symptoms. Acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol) will treat the pain, but does not have the same anti-inflammatory effect so not as recommended.

5. Hydrate

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water, juice, sports drinks, or any fluid for several days to prevent dehydration. Signs to look out for: thirst, dry mouth, reduced urination, headache, dizziness and sleepiness.

Take the sunburn as a warning that your skin’s sun-safety net has failed to protect you and you have to take extra precautions. So wear lots of sunscreen and cover up with clothing and hats when you know you’ll be in the sun for long periods of time.

Common Myths:

No need for sunscreen on a cloudy day: That is wrong! 40% of the sun’s UV rays penetrate the cloudy cover.

Using sunscreen will result in a Vitamin D deficiency: There was a recent study that showed no deficiency in Vitamin D absorption due to sunscreen use. Studies continue on the topic however, dermatologists recommend strongly the use of sunscreen to prevent cancer. Vitamin D is available through food and supplements; it is not an excuse to skip the sunscreen.

I only need sunscreen during the summer months: You should be using sunscreen all year round. It will help prevent premature wrinkles if you protect your face daily from the sun’s rays.

Our Recommendations:

Wear sunscreens with a physical block like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, although you may find them less appealing because of the thickness and white cast to the product, nanotechnology has helped make it thinner and more natural looking. Reapply, reapply, and reapply every 90 minutes to 2 hours, religiously. A good sunscreen that contains titaniam dioxide and zinc for that extra protection is Lavanila Laboratories The Healthy Sun Screen SPF 40 Face Cream.
There is no such thing as a healthy tan; sun exposure causes 90% of skin aging. Enjoy the sun in a healthy way.

I hope everyone is having a fun and sunburn free vacation! Below are some of my product suggestions for sunscreen and lotions! What is your favorite sunscreen to use?