Steps
- Stay out of the sun during peak hours. While these times may vary slightly depending on the season and and where you live, the hours between 10 am (10:00) and 3 pm (15:00) should be spent indoors if at all possible.
- Keep covered up. Floppy hats and large umbrellas work well but so do beach cover-ups and the like. Long-sleeved cotton shirts are excellent for hiking, cycling etc; see your sports store for special brands that allow breathing as well as cover-up.
- Use sunscreen on any exposed areas. An SPF of 45+ is recommended for it allows even the fairest skinned folks to stay out in the sun for a few hours before reapplying. Try Vaseline or chapstick on your lips. Follow the instructions on sunscreen carefully; reapply when it says to reapply or it may not work properly. Always reapply after leaving the water, as it'll have washed off.
- Don't forget hard-to-reach places. Don't forget to cover the backs of your knees, back of your neck, elbows and back of your ears (if you have short hair). Feet should also be included if you are wearing sandals, flip-flops or going bare-foot. Even these places can hurt a lot with sunburn.
- Don't lie in the sun purposefully seeking a tan. This is not only damaging to your skin but will definitely burn you the first few times you try it at the beginning of the season. If you want to tan, do it gradually and sensibly, with short exposure and building up over time.
- Put a small amount of oil or sunscreen in your hair so you will avoid burning your scalp. Or cover it with a hat. Some shampoos and hair conditioners contain SPF protection.
Tips
- Putting on sun screen once isn't enough; it will wear out after awhile.
- It's a good idea to purchase a waterproof sunscreen and apply it liberally whether you think you'll be going in the water or not.
- Avoid wool or synthetics with sun-burn though you'll be most comfortable with no clothing on the affected area.
- If you do get sunburn, aloe vera gel is an extremely soothing and non-toxic solution. Buy it in tubes or tubs and generously coat your sunburn. No need to rub it in, it'll do that on its own. Sit on stools or other places with no backs to push into your skin. Sleep with only a sheet to cover you that evening. Keep slathering on the aloe vera gel to soothe you. And keep lights darkened in the house to help your eyes recover from the sun glare and to help trick your mind into thinking things are a little cooler around you.
- Vinegar makes the stinging stop, although it's better to do at home than when you are going out because of the smell.
- Since it's hard to put sunscreen around your eyes, wear large sunglasses for a physical barrier.
- You can also wear eyeshadow instead of sunscreen around your eyes.
Warnings
- Don't forget to use sun screen on cloudy days! UV rays will go through the clouds.
- You can get a sunburn in the winter too! Wear sunscreen on your ski trips.
- While sunburn is linked to melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer), regular sun exposure that doesn't result in burning may still cause skin damage and increase your risk of other types of skin cancer.
- Pay close attention to any medications (including herbal remedies) for many of them have side-effects which include sun sensitivity.
- Don't avoid the sun completely - you can get ill health from no sun exposure just as much as from having too much. Practice moderation and commonsense about sun exposure.
- The higher the SPF concentration of sunscreen, the
potentially less healthy the product is for you in terms
of the chemicals it contains. If you are worried about
the chemicals, either seek sunscreens such as zinc or
those containing only non-chemical barriers or reduce
your SPF level and rely more on hats, covering up and
non-exposure.