treating post sun skin

Top Tips for Sunburn Relief

A recent study by Nature Scientific Reports notes that spending 120 minutes a week outdoors can greatly enhance a person’s overall sense of well-being. During the pandemic, many of us realized the therapeutic benefits of outdoor activities. With increased time outdoors, however, comes the increased chance of sunburn and sun damage. Researchers advise that spending more than 5-15 in the sun without proper protection can result in skin damage. But even the most careful of us lose track of time or perhaps miss a spot when applying sunscreen, resulting in an uncomfortable sunburn. Let’s review some helpful post sun skin care tips that will help relieve the discomfort and redness that result from overexposure.

How does the sun affect skin?

While some sun exposure is beneficial for the production of vitamin D, too much exposure allows UV (ultraviolet) rays to penetrate deeper than the top epidermis layer where they destroy skin cells. The longer skin is exposed to these UV rays, the more severe the damage is, ranging from mild sunburn to 3rd degree burns and possible skin cancer.

How to treat sunburn

When is comes to treating a sunburn, we recommend sticking to The 4 Rs:

1. Reduce
The first thing you want to do is reduce the skin temperature. The best way to do this is by taking a cool shower. This will provide some level of immediate relief from the burning sensation and keep you from overheating. If the sunburn is only on the face, splash cool water continuously for 5-10 minutes. DO NOT use ice as it’s too cold and can cause further irritation.

2. Remove
While you're cooling off in the shower, it’s important to remove any oils, sunscreen, sand and dirt from your face and body. Use an ultra sensitive cleanser such as Sensi Wash, that has calming oat extract and contains no detergents (it will not foam, and strip or irritate). You can also use an oil-based cleanser like Buriti Wash, made with natural oil that can help sooth and replenish the skin.

3. Rehab
Products that are good for sunburn should be emollients that can hydrate the skin and be rich in vitamin E. Avoid products with Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS), retinoids (Retinol type products) and various acids. We recommend Organic Omega Oil. This soothing all natural face oil is made of flaxseed which is rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9, allowing the skin to repair quickly. Another recommendation is Blue Butterfly Balm. This skin comfort balm is made from all natural origin ingredients and contains no artificial color or fragrance (the stunning blue color is extracted from Blue Butterfly Pea Flower) It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, allowing the skin to replenish and rebuild the collagen fibers in your skin.

4. Replenish
Now that you’ve taken the first steps to treat your sunburn, there are things you can do to reduce the recovery time.
Aloe is ideal to use after a burn for its soothing, moisturizing, and cooling properties. If you can find an aloe plant, break off a piece and use it, this is the purest form of aloe. Using an ultra rich sleep mask is a great way to replenish the skin of depleted hydration. We recommend Overnight Omega Sculpting Mask for its rich formulation and skin nourishing ingredients such as flaxseed oil rich in Omega 3 and soothing oat kernel extract. Don’t forget to drink water often to hydrate your body from the inside.

What to avoid after a sunburn

While your skin in recovering, these are things to avoid for sunburns:

  • Do not use petroleum jelly on sunburnt skin
  • As mentioned above, do not put ice or ice packs on sunburnt skin
  • Do not pop any blisters
  • Do not scratch or try to remove peeling skin
  • Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes over sunburnt skin

We hope you found this information useful. If you have further questions about how to treat a sunburn or any other topic, please reach out to our skin experts team who are more than happy to help.

Email: experts@sonyadakar.com.

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