Published: 04/09/2009 - Updated: 09/16/2018
Author: K. Laura Garcés G2 Comments
Sunbathing is a popular pastime where one spends most vacations near the beach or pool, and an activity that can be really harmful to the skin and cause unpleasant consequences if we fail to take adequate precautions. Lie in the sun certainly is a very attractive way to get golden color to the skin, however, you should consider the following if you plan to either get sun, swim or perform any activity under the sun like visiting ruins or walking on a sunny places for long period of time. So you can enjoy the sun with confidence, then we give you some great tips to avoid your skin becoming dehydrated or you can wear and prevent possible burns, sunburns and even the wrinkles that appear later as a result of bad habits and care for the sunbathing.
UVA rays
UVA rays are the ones who over the years, eventually cause a degradation of collagen fibers and elastin of the skin so it loses its smoothness, firmness and wrinkles can appear in our skin.
General care for UVA rays
- Timetable for sunbathing healthy: avoid sun in the hours where the rays are strongest, which is between 12:00 and 17 pm. The best time is early morning between 6: 00 am to 11:00 am. This has taken into account especially with children and babies, because the infrared rays are especially dangerous for them because of their thermoregulatory system is hypersensitive and easily mismatch.
- Apply sunscreen frequently: this is the secret to really sun-blocker, because it does not matter whether protection factor 40, 60 or even 100, if not often applied this doesn’t protect your skin as needed.
- Gradual exposure to the sun: this is recommended so that the skin gets used to receive sunlight.
- Breaks between taking sun: or if you are at certain place in the sea at these times, take rest periods and salt water every half hour or forty minutes. During that time, apply a moisturizing cream, and coconut or aloe cream, which are ideal to protect and lubricate the skin, also helping to restore the sun exposure. Once you apply the top, from twenty to half hours and then apply the sunscreen. If sun exposure is prolonged, the rays just to reach the cells of the epidermis, reducing their capital defense.
- Water: You must take a lot of water, so that your skin is well hydrated. Mineral water with a few drops of lemon and a few spoonfuls of chlorophyll is a great alternative to keep your skin and prevent dehydration. Prepare one liter of water with these ingredients and take it to the beach or wherever you're going to be under the sun. Have some drinks all the time.
- Use of caps, hats, t-shirts: These are especially good for children because they protect from sun and direct light on the head, shoulders and back.
- Food: Fruit juices and fresh vegetables are good for nourishing the skin. The consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables can help you prepare your skin for sun exposure, and others, some vegetables and fruits can help to accentuate your tan. The plants recommended for this are those that contain high content of beta carotene as carrots, papaya, peach, sweet potatoes or those that are orange. These vegetables also contain a high content of vitamin A, which is ideal to nourish and protect skin.
Consequences of excessive exposure to sun
Short term:
- Heat: children in particular tend to suffer the consequence if they are allowed to swim for long periods of time.
- Dehydration: If the system for regulating body temperature, ensured by the transpiration is saturated, there is a risk of severe dehydration. It is therefore very important to drink water and take rest periods.
- Dry and burns
- Irritation and redness of the skin
- Rash
- Headache
In the long term:
- Wrinkles
- Aging Skin.
- Dark and light spots on the skin.
- Skin cancer: Chronic exposure to sunlight, as they have some athletes, fishermen or farmers, can cause this type of condition.
So do not forget to pack these tips in your suitcase, especially if you have children in your house and want to keep them healthy.
About the author
Roy
These advices are pretty good especially for the season now that the sun is more intense and the kids are the more prone to it and the burns, I?m going to follow them exactly as I do not want to have major problems like big burns or even worst like cancer.
Stacy
These are fantasic recommendations! I always take special care when I’m about to spend a bunch of time in the sun. I’ve used coconut oil before, but I’ve heard you’re supposed to mix a few other ingredients with it to make it really effective. At any rate, we just moved to Alaska, so sunbathing won’t be such a concern for us anymore.