Tag: Sun Screen

Sun Skin Damage -Sunscreen And Lots Of It

There has long been cautions and warnings about how prolonged exposure to the sun can cause sun skin damage. But who wants to stay inside on a nice, warm , sunny, summer day? Not too many!

So what is the answer? Sunscreen and lots of it.

Did you know, though, that most people don’t use sun screen correctly? They go out and they put it all over their bodies one time and think they will be protected all day.

Some sunscreens may be able to protect you for an extended period of time but you should always reapply it every few hours. Some wash off in the water if you add swimming to your summer day and some are affected by sweat.

Always read the label and follow the directions closely to avoid sun skin damage, especially when children are involved.

Let’s talk about the sun’s rays for a minute. There are two main types that affect your skin: UVA and UVB

UVA rays are the ones that can cause age spots and other skin discolorations. You may not even realize that this is skin damage, but it is, and was caused by the sun shining on unprotected skin when you were younger.

UVB rays are the ones that cause you to get a sunburn. If you notice that your skin is red and painful after a day out in the sun, you have damaged your skin. The redness will fade after a few days but you will notice that after a week or two your skin will begin to “peel”. This is usually not a painful process but you will not like the way it looks.

Always use sunscreen! Even on cloudy days the sun’s rays can affect your skin. They pass right through the clouds so do not be fooled into thinking that you are safe.

Too many sunburns and/or prolonged exposure to the sun without being protected can lead to a more serious condition like skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.

Sunscreen comes in several different levels and you can find them everywhere this time of year. The lowest protection factor is 4 on up to at least 50 maybe even higher. Sun tan oils are different and do not provide any protection from the suns rays.

Tanning booths or beds are no better than lying in the sun. In fact, they can be even more harmful and can cause eye damage, accelerated premature aging, immune system suppression and they can even cause allergic reactions as well as skin damage.

To avoid sun skin damage, you should stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. These are the hours of the day are when the rays of the sun are most damaging. If you cannot avoid the sun at these times then you should at least try to limit the time that your skin is exposed by finding a nice shady spot to sit in and/or protecting yourself by wearing sunscreen.

Reversible Sun Damage Treatment Advice

Who doesn’t love to spend the day outside under the beautiful summer sun? Not too many people I know, but, if you do you should know that the sun can damage your hair as well as your skin. You will need reversible sun damage treatment to your hair if you spend a lot of time outside

You use sun screen on your skin but what can you do when the sun damages your hair?

Mostly, hair products that contain sun protection factors do not contain enough to really do any good protecting your hair so the reversible sun damage treatment has to come after sun exposure in the form of deep conditioning.

The sun alone can cause your hair to become dry and brittle, add in some salt water from the beach and a little sand, not to mention the wind and your hair gets bombarded.

The UV rays from the sun break down the protein of the hair shaft and decrease production of the scalp’s natural oils that usually nourish your hair.

If it could cry it would after a long day at the beach. Treat it right when you get home and use a deep conditioner after a good washing. You can overcome the sun damaging effects this way almost overnight.

The key is to continue to deep condition after every outing, even if it just into your backyard. You don’t have to be at the beach to damage your hair just being out doing yard work can do the same thing.

Protect your hair when you are outside by wearing a nice wide brimmed hat that can also help protect your neck and shoulders from sunburn.

Of course, you should always be using sunscreen protection on your skin as well. Just remember to continue to reapply the sunscreen per package directions. If you plan on spending the entire day outside it is recommended that you find some shade to give your body a break from the sun, if possible.

Stay away from drinking a lot of alcohol when out in the sun and stick to drinking water. Staying hydrated is important in keeping skin and hair healthy at all times but especially in the summer when the heat can rob you of essential electrolytes lost by perspiration.

But, stay away from those overly sugared energy drinks, they will only aid in your body becoming even more dehydrated.

It wouldn’t hurt to stock up on those replenishing sports drinks that the athletes use and drink one after a day in the sun. You will feel better the next day if you do and make sure to eat a good portion of protein to keep your body in good running order.

Summertime is a wonderful time of the year and a great time to spend outside with family and friends having fun. Just keep in mind that you should take care of your hair as well as your skin when it comes to being out in the sun. Reversible sun damage treatment to hair begins with protection first and then deep conditioning afterward.