Sunburns & Sunburn Prevention: Diane’s Skin Care Tips

Arizona = Sun = SPF

We have all experienced a sunburn at some point in our lives, but do we truly understand what is happening to our skin as we nonchalantly lay in the sun for that extra ‘few more minutes’? A sunburn is our skin’s response to extreme ultraviolet (UV) exposure. High levels of sunlight will result in the first phase of damage: inflammation or redness of the skin, losing moisture and hydration, which will give the skin that tight feeling. By wearing an SPF we can prevent hypo or hyper pigmentation, collagen and elastin damage…but ultimately we want to prevent damage to the DNA of the cells which could trigger skin cancer.

DO…
Wear an SPF of 30 or higher daily.
It takes 4-6 hours before you realize that your skin is sunburn. As soon as you see signs of a sunburn, get out of the sun and start treating your skin. Burns draw fluid toward the skin and away from the rest of your body, so stay extra hydrated with water, juices, sports drinks, etc. Take cool baths, avoid greasy creams and use soothing after sun gel to red areas.

DON’T…
Scratch, peel or force exfoliate your skin. Your skin is very sensitive and needs the time to completely heal before using products that contain glycolic, retinoids or salicyclic acid. Stay out of the sun for several days after even if you feel like your skin is ‘OK’ the next day.
Remember your skin is still trying to heal. Keep in mind UV rays are out there even on cloudy days, so take precaution all year round. And if you have to be in the sun, DON’T be stingy when applying sunscreen as it takes approximately one ounce to fully cover all exposed areas of an adult body.