With this new Season, we desire to go to the beach every weekend. For that reason, it is important to keep in mind different ways to protect your skin from sun damage. Prolonged exposure to sunlight causes brown spots; red, scaly spots; drying and wrinkling; and, worst of all, skin cancer.
In BiotechWellnessCenter we want to give you some natural tips to avoid these damages during this summer
- One of the best things you can do is cover up. The sun’s rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Stay indoors during this time, or if you must be outdoors, cover up and wear sunscreen.
- Don’t use tanning oils, which enhance the effects of ultraviolet rays and worsen a burn. You may as well be slathering yourself with cooking oil.
- As the sun fried your skin, it also dehydrated it. Be sure toreplenish liquids by drinking plenty of water while recovering from a sunburn. Being well hydrated will help burns heal better. You’ll know you’re hydrated when your urine runs almost clear.
- If you, after a day at the beach, have a sunburn and feel some pain in your skin, take two washed potatoes, cut them into small chunks, and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until the potatoes are in liquid form. Add water if they look dry. Pat the burned areas with the pulverized potatoes. Wait until the potatoes dry, then take a cool shower. Another less messy method is to apply the mash to a clean gauze and place on the burn. Change the dressing every hour. Continue applying several times a day for a few days until the pain is relieved.
- If a sunburn does occur, slather on the aloe vera. It is wonderful for cooling the skin and generally soothes a sunburn quite well. If you have access to an actual aloe vera plant (as apposed to the gel in a tube), cut a leaf in half and rub the inner side directly onto the skin (gently, of course).