The doctor says to get vitamin D through sun exposure, but what happens when you spend too much time in the sun?
Sunburns – Most of us have had one, either big or small, and we all know what it means: fatigue, painful tight-feeling reddish skin, and peeling. Avoiding over-exposure is the best way to prevent getting a burn, as is using sunscreen (though sunscreens only prevent burn – not cancer). And while we can do our best to prevent getting burnt, it sometimes happens that the sun gets to us anyway.
So what to do if you get a burn?
1. Re-hydrate. Sunburns dry the skin, heating the moisture away. The best way to prevent pealing is by drinking extra fluids, especially water.
2. Try a cream. Aloe Vera, which is found in many skin creams helps to lessen the damage to your skin after a burn has occurred.
3. A tepid shower. The skin will continue to burn even after you have covered up. Having a shower that isn’t quite cold, but still cool enough, will bring the heat away from the damaged area.
4. Stay out of the sun for a while. Just lathering up with sunscreen and then heading out for more time in the sun isn’t good. Sunscreens only help prevent more burning, but they do not protect you from the rays of the sun that are harmful after too much exposure.
5. When drying off after a swim or shower be sure NOT to rub the skin dry. It is very sensitive after a burn and needs to be treated delicately. Pad the affected area with a dry cloth.
