Today, the effects of sun exposure are becoming increasingly more serious because of the decline in the earth's ozone layer. The ozone layer screens out the most harmful ultraviolet rays, but it is becoming steadily thinner all over the world, and holes that fluctuate in size have developed in various places. Because of this, the likelihood of sunburn is considerably greater than it was years ago, and thus the effects of sun exposure are that much more serious. For those of us that can not stay away from the beach, here are some tips: 1. Nourish your body, inside and out, with antioxidants, especially vitamins C, E, A and the mineral selenium. Antioxidants neutralize, on contact, the free radical damage caused by sunlight. Vitamin C, when topically applied to the skin in a sufficiently stabilized formulation, possesses the additional ability to stimulate collagen production within your own skin, helping it to stay firm, elastic and more youthful. So consider Vitamin C to be among the most effective anti-agers. A well formulated topical C treatments can benefit the skin more directly than internal C supplementation, but both are important. 2. If you must go out in the sun, wear a good sun screen, with an SPF of no less than 15, preferably higher. Reapply it every three or four hours, more often if you are swimming or perspiring. 3. Invest in a good self tanner. You want one that smooths over the skin evenly, doesn't streak and dries quickly. Most give pretty good color, color that doesn't look fake unless you put on way too much. Always exfoliate the skin first with a good scrub to ensure an even application. Even if you insist on sunning, at least the self tanner will deepen your color making less sun a viable option. Check out My Favorite Self Tanner. 4. Drink Green Tea! It is rich in antioxidants, gives you a gentle caffeine buzz which means more energy and increased metabolic rate. Try to drink it plain, with no added sugar. 5. If you DO overdo it and your skin reddens, invest in a whole-aloe gel. This plant is remarkable in its ability to heal any type of burn. I always keep some at home in the fridge. It is even used in some burn units in hospitals. Aloe relieves discomfort, speeds healing and helps to moisturize the skin and relieve dryness. Apply it to the sunburned area, and reapply it every hour until the pain is gone. Make sure your aloe product contains no mineral oil, paraffin waxes, alcohol or coloring. So there you have it, this is as safe as the sun gets! Start prepping your skin now with vitamin C treatments and self tanning. You'll thank me in years to come....(*smile*) |
|