Come summers and you pack your things to flock to the beach to get tanned and show off your swimwear. While the time that you spend at the beach is very enjoyable, the sun burns that you suffer there are certainly not. How many of us, at the end of a day at the beach wish we hadn’t stepped out at all?
Sunburns, caused by excessive exposure of the skin to the sun can be nasty. They are itchy, sweaty, stinging, and downright painful.
Well, as they say, prevention is better than cure and in this case, this certainly holds true. So take extra care of yourself while you’re frolicking in the sun. From 10 am to about 5 pm, the sun is at its brightest, so that is the time when you really want to be careful about your skin. Enjoy the sun, but not for too long. Just after the winter, the skin is especially tender and therefore the skin should not be exposed to the harsh ultra violent rays for too long. Remove your clothes only when you are swimming. Until then wear protective clothing so that you protect yourself from over exposure.
Although most people use sunscreen before stepping out in the sun, they do not use it in the right manner. The sunscreen should be applied at least half an hour before you step out into the sun. It should be reapplied after every 3-4 hours. Also check the SPF before applying it. An SPF of 30 and above blocks about ninety seven percent of the ultraviolet rays. Wear sunscreen even when the sky is overcast.
If even after being extra careful, you do get sun burnt, there is nothing as effective as a good old fashioned ice pack. Cold compression through an ice back can soothe the scalded flesh and prevent he formation of blisters. If ice is not immediately available, you can also use a frozen food packet as a handy cold compress.
Dairy products like sour cream and yoghurt can also help soothe the skin. Just smear generous amounts of the products across the burnt area and leave it for about 20-25 minutes. Step into a shower straight away after twenty minutes and clean off the yogurt or sour cream.
You can also use tea bags for immediate relief. Just bring some water to boil and add a couple of tea bags to the boiled water. Let it remain until it cools down and the water becomes dark. Soak a soft wash cloth in this solution and use it on the affected areas.