Sunday 31-05-2020 - 21:10

While the world is slowly starting to show signs of returning to normal, we’ll still be spending lots of time at home in the near future while the cogs of society start to oil up again.

 

Thankfully, we’ve been lucky enough to see some glorious weather with the seemingly early introduction of Summer 2020. With this, it is almost an inevitability that we’ll be spending more time in the sun, and subject to more sun exposure than what would perhaps be typical.

 

The sun is directly linked to improvements in mental health and wellbeing, so it really is important to enjoy it as much as we can in these strange times. One crucial thing that we must remember, though, is that there is a responsibility to look after ourselves while we seek to soak up those UV rays.

 

Too much sun exposure can be damaging to the skin in ways that we won’t always see. While a sun-kissed skin tone might look great, a tan is actually your skin reacting to damage from the sun, or more specifically to ultraviolet rays (UV). When we turn darker in colour, it simply means that we’re damaging our skin; and we don’t necessarily have to turn red for this damage to occur.

Make sure your skin doesn’t end up like the top of this rocket lolly!

 

Sun cream is fundamental here. It will protect your skin from burning and reduce the damage that will occur when we get a tan; preserving your skin in the long-term. If you want to opt for moisturising properties, too, then buy a lotion rather than a spray or oil-based sun protection. Even if you have dark skin or you tan quite easily, you are still unfortunately susceptible to sun damage, and should protect yourself accordingly. A person with pale skin should wear at least factor 30, but the higher, the better. There’s no harm in wearing too high a factor, but there is certainly risk associated with wearing too low of a factor. It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry! You will still get a tan if you wear factor 50, folks.

 

There are two types of radiation emitted by the sun. These are Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B.

 

Ultraviolet A: penetrates deeper than Ultraviolet B and is responsible for skin ageing

 

Ultraviolet B: responsible for tanning or sunburn

 

The factor of sun protection you buy refers to its protection from UVB rays. One handy tip to buying sun cream is to always to check the bottle for its UVA rating. A five-star UVA rating means that it will provide the best possible protection from UVA rays, which are associated with skin ageing. A lower UVA rating, such as three-stars, will only provide moderate protection from UVA rays, meaning that your skin isn’t as protected as it could be from ageing.  It’s important to be mindful of this, as you could buy a factor 50 sun cream that won’t necessarily protect you as well as you could be protected; and this is all down to the UVA rating.

 

The sun’s strongest rays are typically present between the hours of 10am to 4pm, so this is when it’s absolutely crucial to protect your skin. When you’re finished for the day, it’s also worth applying after sun to rehydrate your skin. You’ll also prolong any tan you do get if your skin is moisturised before and after sun exposure, just in case you wanted a little incentive for the chore of rubbing lotion all over yourself!

 

Exfoliating in the shower will aid your recovery even further, as you will remove any sweat, sun cream or other impurities from your skin, giving it the chance to breathe and recover more quickly if you intend to be spending extended periods outside.

 

Drink lots of water!

 

When we spend time sunbathing, our bodies can become dehydrated very quickly through it constantly trying to regulate our temperatures. This is why we often feel tired after a day in the sun, because our bodies have been working harder than usual to keep us cool, which uses a lot of fluid that is lost through sweat. Even if you don’t feel particularly thirsty, it’s definitely important to make sure you’re replenishing your fluids.

 

Your skin is your body armour; it’s the biggest organ we have, after all. Its ability to repair itself truly is astonishing, and how long it is able to do this efficiently is largely centered around how you look after it.

 

So, as always, stay safe!

 

Written by Lauren, Digital Marketing Assistant

 

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on Twitter

Subscribe to our YouTube channel