All You Need to Know About Sun Damage

Bronzed tanned skin seems to be always in vogue. But the negative effects of getting tanned never are. Along with that natural glow you also get sun spots, wrinkles, fine facial lines, sagging skin and worst of all skin cancer!!!

Sunlight is good. It is one of the top supplements for Vitamin D for babies. And people do need adequate sun exposure for a healthy life. However, the tricky part is getting the right amount of sun exposure in the right way so that you are shielded from all potential sun damage.

Here is what you should know about sun protection and treatment thereof:

Prevention is Better than Cure!

As per the American Cancer Society, over 1 million skin cancer cases have been diagnosed by 2008. The sun rays comprise of UVA and UVB radiations that are potentially harmful for the skin. These rays are able to penetrate deep inside the dermis layer of the skin and cause damage at the cellular level.

The best way to protect yourself against the ill effects of sunlight is to wear sunscreen throughout the day whether it is cloudy or sunny. Remember, the more effort you use to protect your skin from sun exposure, the less time and money you will have to spend curing the after-effects.

Incorporating sun care into your beauty regimen is as easy as can be. Though it is always recommended to use a sunscreen with a high SPF content and wait till about 15-20 minutes before venturing out in the sun, there can be a cheat code for it. There are several skin care products like moisturizers and lotions that have a decent amount of sunscreen in them. The SPF content is fairly high and moreover you stand to gain double benefits from one single product. Moreover, there are available powder sunscreens that you can just dab on and go about the day.

If you plan to stay under the sun for long periods doing some outdoor activities then you should use a broad spectrum sunscreen that offers protection from a broad range of UV rays. If you are swimming or sweating then reapply every two hours. If you happen to spend time at the beach, make sure you sit under the shade of an umbrella whenever possible or wear a wide brimmed hat.

Healing Sunburns

If you get a sunburn then you should immediately start an appropriate skin care regimen to reduce the redness and minimize peeling of the skin. Here are some things you should do.

• Apply raw aloe vera or some other aloe vera based gel that helps soothe the redness of the affected area. Choose skin products that contain lidocaine in order to soothe the pain.

• Take an aspirin to ease the symptoms of the sunburn.

• Avoid hot showers and baths. Rather, use tepid water to wash yourself and apply moisturizer immediately after it to hydrate the skin again.

• Make sure you lather yourself with sunscreen whenever you venture out again to prevent further sun damage

Dr Marilynn Syrett is a graduate from Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine Of The Pacific. She has an ardent interest in skin care products, their effectiveness and study in addition to acne skin treatments and sun tanning.