Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : April 12, 2018 5:30 PM IST
It is summertime and the sun is shining brightly on us. And there is no escaping the unavoidable assault of its harsh rays on our skin. So, it is evident that if you don t take good care of your skin this summer you will be left with sunburns that make your skin prone to blistering or peeling. Here Dr Saumya Shetty Hegde, Dermatologist at the Roots Skin Clinic Chembur speaks to us about the problems of sunburn and how to avoid the same. Here is how to make your skin summer-ready.
Use a sunblock and not a sunscreen: People believe that using a sunscreen is enough to protect one from the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. But sunscreens can only provide protection by absorbing the UV rays. This doesn t help much in preventing a tan or sunburn. However, a sunblock is more effective than a sunscreen as it penetrates inside the skin and blocks the rays, even the potent UVA rays that go deep into the skin. So, a sunblock is more effective in protecting against tan or sunburn. Here is why you get a tan despite using a sunscreen.
Keep re-applying your sunscreen: A lot of people complain about getting sunburn regardless of the sunscreen lotion or sunblock they apply. This is because they forget one basic rule: reapplication of sunscreen lotion or the sunblock at least every three to four hours throughout the day. Many of them apply it only before indulging in an outdoor activity which is very wrong. Here are 11 sunscreen mistakes that you should avoid.
Pick different sunscreens for different body part: Yes, you read it right! We are not kidding over here. There are different sunscreens available for body parts, face and lips. Choose them wisely and apply them to the specific body parts for better results. Keep in mind you still have to keep reapplying them every three to four hours.
Take care even when you are sitting indoor: During the summers it is inevitable that you keep applying sunscreens even when you are indoors. When the skin is exposed to too much of ultraviolet lights (UV), whether it is from direct sun or from any other artificial sources such as sunlamps, sunburn can definitely occur.
Take prevention when you are visiting snow clad areas during summers: Most people prefer to go to snowy areas during summers to beat the heat. However, they think that applying sunscreen might not be necessary as snowy and cloudy areas give their skin a natural protection. But this is a myth; roughly 80 percent of sun s UV rays can penetrate through the clouds and reflecting surfaces like the snow, sand or water. Thus people should wear sunscreen even when they are in areas which have low sunlight. Here are reasons why you also need sunscreen during winters.
Once you get sunburn efforts should be taken to heal it immediately: Once the skin is burnt, efforts should be turned toward soothing the pain and aiding the healing process. As soon as it becomes apparent that the skin is sunburnt get out of the sun, preferably someplace indoors. Once the risk of further UV exposure is minimized, there are a number of things that can be done to treat the burn.
Try some quick fixes to minimise the damage: Cooling the skin down is one immediate way to make it feel less uncomfortable. This can be achieved by placing damp towels on the skin or with a cool bath or shower for 10 to 15 minutes regularly. And then applying moisturizer can help trap the water in the skin, easing the dryness. Moisturizing after bathing the skin is especially important as without it the skin can be left feeling drier than before.
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