While a healthy summer glow enhances your appearance and makes you just feel good, sunburn can be both painful and hazardous to your health. How do you get that beautiful bronze tan and keep your skin looking its best this season? Read on for our top seven tips!
Use Sunscreen!
Sunburn isn’t just painful; it can be dangerous. Sunburn is a sign that your skin has suffered serious damage. Sunburns can lead to skin discolorations, age spots, moles, wrinkles, and even skin cancer (melanoma). Protect yourself by using sunscreen every day, especially on your face! Even if you want to get a tan, you should use sunscreen to protect yourself from too much exposure. Choose the SPF (sun protection factor) that’s appropriate for your skin; fairer skinned people will need a higher SPF since they will burn more quickly. No matter your skin type, you should choose a broad spectrum sunscreen (protects against UVA and UVB rays) with SPF 30 or higher.
Make sure you apply an adequate amount of sunscreen; the amount recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology is about 1 oz, or about enough to fill a shot glass, for an average adult wearing a swimsuit. All sunscreens should be applied approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.
Wear Protective Clothing
Sunglasses and a hat can go a long way towards keeping you cool and preventing sun damage to your delicate facial skin. UV-blocking eyewear can help reduce your risk of suffering sun damage to your eyes, which can cause cataracts, growths on the eye, and cancer. Tightly woven, loose-fitting clothes provide the best protection from the sun.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Between sun exposure and the drying effects of swimming pools, your skin may feel more dry or flaky than normal during the summer (even if it’s humid outside). Use a non-greasy moisturizer to keep your skin feeling soft and supple and to replace the moisture chlorine and sun can strip away.
Hydrate
You may need to increase your consumption of water in the summer. Making sure you get enough water helps you avoid dehydration, which is bad for you in many ways. In addition to making you feel sluggish and dizzy, dehydration can also take a real toll on your skin. Drinking plenty of water plumps up skin cells from the inside, helping your skin look bright, fresh, and supple. Think of proper hydration as moisturizing your skin from the inside out!
It’s OK to Fake It
To avoid the negative effects of the sun entirely, choose a spray tan or chemical self-tanner to get your summer glow. Especially on your face, where the signs of aging that sun exposure causes can be most apparent, think about using bronzer or tint rather than getting a suntan.
Exfoliate
For the healthiest looking skin, use a physical or chemical treatment to remove dead skin cells and expose the glowing, fresh-looking skin underneath. Tools like loofahs or puffs are great for full-body use, especially in conjunction with salt or sugar scrubs. Medspa services like microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, and chemical peels can also help get rid of dead, dull-looking skin. It’s especially important to exfoliate and have smooth, well-moisturized skin if you’re going to get a spray tan or use a chemical self-tanner so your color develops evenly and looks natural.
Avoid Overexposure
“Everything in moderation” is a great summer motto to help you look and feel your best. Limit your sun exposure overall, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. Taking precautions to avoid sunburn can help your skin look and feel great all summer long!
Urban Effects MedSpa’s wellness center offers a wide variety of spa treatments and procedures to our Des Moines-area clients. Help keep your skin looking healthy and fresh all year long! Contact us today to schedule an appointment or consultation.
