It’s so tempting to spend time in the sun when we get the chance, but getting sunburnt is definitely something to avoid. Those rays will prematurely age your skin and can increase the risk of skin cancer.
Warning signs of damage
When our skin is exposed to sunlight it tries to protect itself by producing melanin which shows first as sunburn or tan, then as pigmentation on the skin – freckles are an example – they’re a warning sign that the skin has been overexposed to harmful rays.
Sun damage is not the same as a burn from something hot such as a cooking tray but is more like a toxic reaction. Sunburn will heal, but not before causing lasting damage.
But get your vitamin D boost…
While we understand that we should protect our skin from the sun, we also need some unprotected sun exposure to allow our bodies to produce vitamin D.
Why? – Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Our bodies cannot create Vitamin D, so exposing your skin to the sun for a few minutes two to three times a week should be enough to create all the vitamin D you need. Darker skins may need a bit longer.
Although we can use the sunny summer days to generate vitamin D, during the winter months, we recommend introducing a supplement to your diet.
Try Weight World high strength Vitamin D and K2 to boost your bone health and immune system if you would prefer to avoid sun exposure.
Avoiding sunburn
Prevention is always better than cure says Rejuva owner, Jackie. Enjoy the sunshine and stay safe by following a few simple guidelines:
- Wear sunglasses. As well as doing the important job of protecting your eyes, sunglasses will also protect your eyelids which (many people don’t realise) can be prone to skin cancer.
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, with a minimum SPF of 30. We recommend Heliocare 360 – our award-winning range of professional SPF products. Loved and recommended by skincare professionals, celebrities and influencers alike, it is the gold standard in daily sun protection.
- Be careful not to miss any exposed areas such as your ears, scalp, feet and the back of your neck. Applying sunscreen before you put your clothes on makes it much easier to get everything covered. Using a spray SPF along your parting will help protect your scalp if you’re not using a hat to protect your head.
- Reapply sunscreen often (about every 90 minutes), and especially after a dip in the sea or pool. The lighter your skin, the higher factor sunscreen you will need.
- Cover up with loose clothing and a hat.
- Avoid being out in the sun when it’s at its strongest between the hours of 11am and 3pm.
Understanding sunscreen
Confused by all the numbers and ratings on sunscreen products? Here’s a quick rundown:
- Sunscreen needs to protect our skin from both UVB and UVA rays.
- The sun protection factor (SPF) refers to how much extra time you can be in the sun before UVB rays start to burn.
- The star rating relates to UVA protection. You should go for at least four to five stars.
If you do get burnt…
You’ll probably know because your skin may feel hot, sore or painful. White skin will be red or pink but darker skins may not show a difference in colour.
Jackie advises “Always try to avoid getting burnt by following my advice above, but if you do:
- Get out of the sun straightaway.
- Use cool water on your skin to ease the sunburn – have a shower or bath or use damp towels.
- Drink plenty of water – this will help you cool off and also prevent dehydration.
- Aloe Vera straight from the fridge is perfect for cooling and soothing the skin, I use Aloe Pure Organic Aloe Vera Gel at hole and in salon. It captures the maximum nutritional activity of the Aloe Vera plant (Aloe barbadensis) to soothe, nourish and cool the skin. It can also help restore dry and damaged skin.
- Don’t expose sunburnt skin to direct sunlight until it’s completely healed.”
Never:
- Put petroleum jelly (Vaseline etc) or ice on sunburnt skin.
- Pop blisters or scratch/remove peeling skin.
- Wear tight clothes over sunburnt skin.
When to seek medical advice
Always get medical advice if:
- You have blisters all over your body.
- The sunburn seems to be spreading.
- You feel disorientated.
- You have a fever or chills.
Stay sun-safe
Not sure which skin protection and aftersun products will be best for you? Call us on 01745 590693 to book a Summer Skin consultation and we’ll recommend the best products for you.