Sunburn Relief and Prevention 101
You spent too much time in the sunshine and your skin is a bright, painful red. How can you tame down the burn and relieve the pain before your next big shoot? If you’re all out of aloe and scrambling for ideas, here’s a few to consider.
Hindsight is 20/20. You may not be able to rewind time, but you can ensure you cover up every time you’re in the heat from here on out. Make sure you protect your skin by wearing clothing that is light and comfortable yet covers it enough to allow it to heal. Avoid tight-fitting material that will only increase discomfort.
Screen it up. Always have a high SPF sunscreen handy, and while you’re still pink, you can pick one up that’s infused with some cooling action for instant relief. Lather generously all over and don’t forget to apply on mostly forgotten areas like your feet, behind the ears, and under your chin. Any drastic color contrast will be a dead giveaway if you’ve missed a spot!
Gently pat dry, then apply. Take lukewarm showers for the time being and pat, don’t wipe, skin dry with a cotton towel when you step out. Then, apply a skin-protecting body lotion that is labeled for damage repair. Use a heavy-duty face moisturizer at night and one that has sun protectant during the day. Applying this under your foundation will keep you doubly covered.
Seek OTC relief. If your burn is beyond painful, consider taking over-the-counter ibuprofen or Tylenol for relief. But don’t supplement your skin care routine with these meds for more than a couple of days.
Just be kind to your skin. Once the redness has dissipated, you may have a nice bronze look, but there are safer ways to achieve this moving forward. Instead of frying under the sky, opt for an over-the-counter tanning lotion and apply bronzer to your face. You can also try spray tanning for an all-over flawless hue without the harmful UV rays.
Choose to take care of your skin now and you will reap the benefits later. Too much sun not only causes a major ouch, but it can lead to premature aging including fine lines and wrinkles, and even cancerous cells. If you’re worried about keeping a sun-kissed glow, the instant gratification of lying on the beach could lead to some serious problems down the road. So, play it safe and protect your skin – it’s one of your greatest assets.
