Who hasn’t experienced this? Bright blue skies, sunshine galore and temperatures well above the 20°C mark. For many, there’s only one thing to do: get out and enjoy the weather. But unfortunately, all too often sunbathing is followed by the bitter revenge: sunburn! Crab-red skin, pain at every touch and an unpleasant feeling of heat that you just can’t get rid of. We have put together a list of tips on how to prevent sunburn from happening in the first place and what can help if it is already too late.
How do I avoid sunburn? 7 simple tips
Tip #1: Put on some clothes!
Of course, the higher the temperatures rise outside, the less fabric you prefer to have on your body. But unfortunately, textiles are the very best protection against the skin-damaging UV rays of the sun. Just look at the long robes worn by Bedouins in the desert regions of the world. That leads to one simple rule: hat – shirt – trousers!
However, they do not offer one hundred percent protection. Cotton fabrics allow up to 6% of UV radiation to pass through, and even up to 20% when getting wet! So anyone who told you that wet clothes offer even better protection than dry ones was pulling your leg.
Tip#2: Don’t be stingy with sunscreen!
Dermatologists recommend 25 millilitres of sunscreen per full-body application. That is about a shot glass full. When in doubt, the motto is always: more helps more. It is also important that you do not leave out sensitive areas that are easily forgotten. Nose, ears, backs of hands and feet, shoulders – these areas are particularly susceptible to sunburn.
Tip #3: Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Only if you regularly refresh the sunscreen it can work effectively in the long term. Sweating or being in the water rapidly weakens the applied sun protection factor. Just 30 minutes in the water is enough to literally dilute the effect of the cream. Rubbing off with a towel or similar often removes the last bit of sun protection from your skin. So remember: After toweling off, apply the cream again immediately or put some clothes on!
Important notice:
Sunscreen is considered the optimal protection against UV radiation. However, you should not use it completely without hesitation. The individual ingredients of common creams react very differently with your skin and the incident UV light. For this reason, possible dangers have long been the subject of heated discussion among dermatologists.
Tip #4: Even sunscreen doesn’t protect forever!
Due to the natural composition of the skin, even sunscreen won’t protect you from the sun forever. So do yourself a favour and take some time out in the shade. This is the best place for your skin to regenerate and staying in the shade is the best way to avoid sunburn.
Tip #5: Avoid the midday sun!
UV radiation in direct sunlight is particularly high between 11 am and 3 pm. So even on a beautiful summer day, take a longer lunch break and avoid the biggest source of danger. A siesta under a parasol also has its charm.
Tip #6: Get your skin used to the sun slowly!
Summer is more of a marathon than a short sprint. So you can easily allow your skin to slowly get used to the increased sun exposure. Spend more time in the shade on the first really bright days and give your skin a chance to adjust to the coming UV exposure. You will see how easy it is to avoid the first sunburn of the year.
Tip #7: Only well protected in the summer!
Your head is particularly sensitive when it comes to heat and UV radiation. Accordingly, it requires special attention and protection. Whether it’s a trendy straw hat with a wide brim or a casual baseball cap – opaque headwear is a must-have for every summer. Not only will it prevent painful sunburn on your scalp, but you won’t get sunstroke as easily. By the way, parasols are not an adequate substitute for a hat. Only something that sits on your head can protect it effectively.
If it has already happened: How do I treat sunburn?
Here are a few basic rules to follow when treating your burned skin:
- Out of the sun and straight into the shade. This also applies to the next few days. An existing sunburn will only get worse the more you expose it to UV light.
- Drink a lot: The regeneration of the skin costs your body an incredible amount of fluid. You should drink 2 – 3 litres a day. And if water is too boring to you, you can also resort to unsweetened tea.
- Cooling: Cool (not ice-cold) compresses and poultices provide relief for burning skin and promote its self-healing. For large areas of redness, you can also soak a T-shirt or a pair of trousers in water and put it on. Whatever is good for you is allowed.
- Anti-inflammatory ointments and lotions reduce pain and promote skin regeneration. All these much advertised after-sun products usually only cool, but do nothing else for the skin. So go for creams with caffeine, aloe vera or arnica. These are just what you need. They are available without prescription at the pharmacy.
Classic home remedies – what really helps?
Everyone has their own home remedies that they swear by or that their mothers have always praised.
We have examined the most common ones for you to see how effective they are.
You’d better leave it alone:
- Vinegar: Wraps and compresses soaked in vinegar often only worsen the symptoms. The acid irritates the already damaged skin and hinders the healing process. If the skin bursts open, it can even lead to inflammation.
- Lemon juice: The same applies here as with vinegar. It is better to do without it.
- Ice cubes or cold packs: The violent difference in temperature puts the skin to a tough test. The natural protective function of the skin is disturbed by the sunburn and the cold stimulus makes the whole thing even worse.
If nothing better is available at the moment:
- Black and green tea: Placing cooled tea bags on the affected skin areas actually provides some cooling. However, the tannins contained in the tea are too weak to have a noticeable anti-inflammatory effect.
- Pure carrot juice: Carrot juice is said to prolong or even restore the skin’s natural UV protection. Although carrots contain a high concentration of beta-carotene, they are not an adequate remedy for sunburn.
What really helps:
- Curd or yoghurt: Curd or yoghurt wraps provide optimal cooling of the burned skin areas. Note: In Australia, people mix grated aubergine into natural yoghurt.
However, you should change the wraps after 15-20 minutes, otherwise the mixture will heat up and stick to the skin. Suddenly taking it off can irritate the affected areas again and the whole nice cooling effect is gone. You should also never apply dairy products to open skin areas, as the lactic acid bacteria they contain inhibit blood clotting and wound closure. - Aloe vera or coconut oil: If you already have one of these two plant products at home, you can apply them to sunburn with a clear conscience. The substances contained not only care for the skin, they also have an antibacterial effect and thus promote wound healing.
- Potatoes: No joke – the starch contained in potatoes supports the self-healing powers of the skin and allows sunburn to cool down more quickly. Simply place freshly cut potato slices on the reddened skin and let the resulting coolness take effect. Alternatively, you can mash peeled potatoes in a blender and spread the resulting mash on your skin. Both should be rinsed off gently with lukewarm water after 30 minutes at the latest, otherwise the starch will dry out too much and the removal will be unpleasant.
We hope you’ll take our tips to heart this summer and maybe take a little more care of your skin this year.
Let us know in the comments or in a short message what you think of our home remedies and which ones you can think of that we might have left out.
https://abeautifulhealth.org/en/contact/