Skin Care After Sun Exposure and Sunburns

We have looked at various sunscreen lotion aimed at protecting your skin while on the beach, working in your garden or simply reading a good book at the local park. We have all experienced sunburns at one time or another. Either we forgot the sunscreen application not realizing the strength of the UV index or we simply thought a quick sun exposure will facilitate and expedite a quick tanned look. One must remember that many sunburn areas of our body are the one we likely ignore all the time, such as our lips, our nose, and also our head. Yes our head, even though we have hair and also some don't, which makes it worst but our scalp is vulnerable to sun exposure. Since applying sunscreen in our hair to reach our scalp, a sun-brimmed hat is the best approach. But if you have a Yul Brynner look and and you have no hair, a sunscreen is strongly recommended.

Sunburns can have a devastated effect on your skin and the long term side effects are apt to occur if not taken care right away. Factors such as aging skin, dry skin, and even skin cancer are dangers which must be considered. Frequent sunburns are dangerous and must be properly cared. I will always remember that one trip to Miami, in my teenage years where I fell asleep by the pool and slept all afternoon in my lounge chair. When I woke up at 4:00pm; I couldn't move and the comparison to a lobster were close. Needless to say, the rest of my vacation was a nightmare, in my room shaking like it was 20 degrees Farenheit and walking like a robot. All this to say, the sun gave me eventually 2nd degree burns on my chest, legs and face. To this day, 28 years later, I remember like it was yesterday. I have noticed since my skin is more sensitive to the sun and I must be vaery careful now.

It doesn't take long get burnt by the sun in 2010. If you listen to your local radio weather news, they will tell you what the UV Index for that day and tell you how long before your skin will burn if unprotected. Always take that info with you when heading outside in the sun. It may save your life! By knowing the UV index, you will find out too what type of sunscreen you need to bnring with you.

Home care remedies as prescribed by our parents and grandparents are still good natural options. A cool bath or cool compress is one of the first option that come to my mind. If you have aloe plants and you can apply aloe extract to the compress it will enhance the soothing effect and provide nutrients to the burnt skin. Alternatively, you can also use one- half cup of ordinary baking soda into a tub full of water. Using lubricants such as Vaseline can also provide skin care. However, this type of lubricant retains heat and therefore should not be used during the first day of sunburn. Some people use benzocaine to relieve pain. However, this can cause skin irritation and may lengthen the course of healing. To ease the pain caused by sunburn, aspirin may be taken. I recommend to keep the skin as moist as much as possible. Again, aloe cream can also be beneficial. Finally do not re-expose the sunburnt area of your skin for at least 72 hours. And when exposed after that rehabilitation period, ensure you have protected it with a proper clothing apparel that will not rub against the irritated skin. And if you don't cover the area with clothing, use a strong sunscreen with an SPF of 30 as a minimum.

Be careful when heading out next time because the sun won't tell you when you're done!