With the heat wave upon us we thought we’d focus this on sunburn and the importance of sun protection!
Sunburn is the skin’s response to extreme ultraviolet (UV) exposure and indicates severe damage. In as little as 10 minutes of intense UV exposure, the skin sets into motion a system of defence against what it sees as an enemy. The first indication of damage (and one that we all dread) is redness. This is the body’s inflammatory response to situations requiring repair and is a result of dilating blood vessels. The skin will start to lose moisture and hydration, making the skin feel tight. Slowly, skin cells will start to thicken and melanin pigment will be produced (tanning) in an attempt to stop the UV rays from penetrating through to the deeper layers and damaging the DNA of the cells. When the skin is exposed to high levels of sunlight this may result in what is known as hypo or hyperpigmentation which appears as irregular light or dark patches. The body is excellent at coping with minimal amounts of damage, but if exposure is greater than the body’s ability to repair and mop up, more serious consequences may result. If DNA is damaged and its repair mechanisms are inhibited, skin cancer may occur which is why prevention is important when it comes to a sunburn.
Why Does the Skin Peel?
Peeling after a sunburn is never pleasant, but it’s actually a clever response from your body trying to protect you; a way of getting rid of the damaged cells that are at risk of “losing control” and becoming cancerous. This mass eradication of cells results in whole layers of damaged skin peeling off, to be replaced by other cells underneath those layers. Of course, we ideally want to avoid this in the first place by avoiding the burn that leads to skin peeling.
I Have a Sunburn, What Should I Do Now?
It’s extremely important to avoid the sun when you have a sunburn. Be sure to drink plenty of water, as you may be dehydrated. If the skin is severely blistered, seek help from a medical practitioner. Otherwise, it’s important to bring down the inflammation and try to reduce damage to the deeper layers of your skin.
Taking a cool bath can help (with water only, no added products) and then blotting the skin dry gently. Avoid greasy creams, as these prevent the skin from cooling and may make the situation worse. Instead, generously apply a soothing after-sun gel to red areas, then stay out of the sun and the heat. Look for ingredients such as clove, licorice, lavender, cucumber and yucca to reduce irritation, pain and redness. Also look out for an incredible ingredient called Japanese Alder to accelerate the repair of UV induced DNA damage. Couple this with ingredients such as Algae and Hyaluronic Acid if you can to rehydrate the skin and you should be well on your way to bringing down that burn!
Now we know what the oh-so-common question is at this point….. Unfortunately the answer is no, it is not then ok to go out into the sun the next day for another blast! Remember, your skin is still trying to heal and so must be kept out of direct sunlight for a good few days. Your skin looks after you, so you need to look after it!
We have a variety of SPF products at Body Sense, for children, different skin types, sensitive skin, prickly heat prone skin, with a foundation tint… Shop on our website or speak to your therapist.