Say it with us, guys – it’s summertime! The icy mornings and grey skies are leaving us and now it’s time for fun in the sun!
The beach – what a fantastic place! While you’re cooling off in the sea and relaxing on the sand, remember to protect your skin and keep that bottle of sunscreen close by.
The skinny on skin cancer
Did you know that South Africa has the 2nd highest incidence of skin cancer in the world? All the more reason to keep yourself safe. There’re 3 common types of skin cancer that you need to know about, and you can find out more in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers.
What type of sunscreen do I need?
So, you’re off to buy your sunscreen, but with such a variety of different numbers and SPF, how do you choose the right one for you? Here’s what those SPF numbers mean:
- SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor
- The higher the number on the bottle, the longer it’ll protect your skin from getting burned.
- Remember, don’t use a sunscreen with a very high SPF if you want to leave the beach with a little bronze touch to your skin – but still ensure you’re protected.
- If your skin does get red, cover up immediately and apply some After Sun lotion (these are available at your local stores.) It contains Aloe Vera, which is effective at reducing the effects of sunburn.
Treating sunburn
It happens – you’re swimming, playing volleyball or busy flipping chops and you forget to reapply sunscreen! By the time you get home your skin’s telling you that it’s had too much sun – what do you do? While sunburn can’t be undone, here are some tips to soothe your inflamed skin and speed up the healing process.
- Cool off. Rinse off with a cool shower or bath to soothe skin and remove any salt, sand or chlorine that could cause irritation.
- Treat it from the inside. Hello Doctor’s Dr Thomson recommends an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pill like aspirin (if you aren’t allergic) or ibuprofen, if you are. This will ease pain and can help stop inflammation from getting any worse.
- Soothing moisturiser. Replenish your skin’s lost moisture regularly over the next few days with a rich moisturiser – look for something containing glycerine, aloe or hyaluronic acid.
- Don’t forget to drink! The sun also dehydrates the rest of your body, which is what leaves you feeling tired after a long day in the sun – counteract this by drinking lots of water and eating water filled fruit like grapes, watermelon or melon.
Remember, nothing can roll back the damage of sunburn, so apply sunscreen before you go out for a day of fun in the sun, and reapply regularly through the day.