Sun and Fun: Worries None!

“An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure” – follow this literally when using sunscreen. It takes one ounce of sunscreen to cover your entire body. Lather yourself up with sunscreen and dont stay too long under the heat of the sun. If you can’t realy help it and have already done the damage to your skin then you can do the simple skincare:

Drink water while sunbathing. Dehydration is the end result of sunburn, so don’t forget to drink lots of fluids when you’re sunbathing around.

Determine the type of burn.
First-degree burns involve reddening of the skin due to dilation of the vessels after sun exposure. These are the type of burns that feel warm to the touch, and seem to “sting” even when you’re not under the sun. “The treatment for this type of burn may be cold compresses and cool baths,” says Dr. AJ Ramos-Braga, a dermatologist. “Low potent topical steroids may also be given, but this shouldn’t be applied on broken skin or open wounds.”
You can also lessen the discomfort by taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Try putting some Aloe Vera on the affected area to keep it moist and cool. Aloe Vera may also help the epidermis heal faster. Avoid using heavy creams though, since these require a lot of rubbing (the last thing your skin needs is to be touched!)

If you find your skin riddled with blisters, then congratulations, you’ve sunned yourself to a second-degree burn! It may be tempting to puncture these blobs of liquid, but it’s best to leave them alone, as popping them is an invite for bacteria to come in and cause an infection. “Blisters are used by the skin to heal the underlying damaged skin,” explains Dr. Ramos-Braga. “These will eventually ‘fall off’ when the skin is healed.”

Try not to wear clothes that could rub against the blister. If the blister does pop, lightly cover it with bandage, making sure any tape doesn’t touch the blister. Be sure to wash your hands very well before handling a blister, since they’re prone to infection.
Pat, don’t rub. Take cold showers when possible, to help soothe the burning sensation on your skin. Pat, not rub, your skin with a towel afterward, and follow with a generous slather of moisturizer on your dry, damaged skin.

Eat your fruits and vegetables. Lessen the severity of your sunburn by chowing down on food that’s rich in antioxidants. This may help hasten your skin’s recovery, as antioxidants fight of free radicals (which helped you get that burn in the first place). Oranges, spinach, eggplants, and berries are just some foods that are packed with antioxidants.

Don’t peel your skin. As your burnt skin starts to peel off, you might be tempted to peel the skin off yourself to help the process along. Resist the temptation and just let nature take its course. “‘Peeling’ cracked skin due to sunburn may cause minor breaks in the skin, which may eventually act as an entry for bacteria. This may cause infection,” says Dr. Ramos-Braga.