Most of us spend a good chunk of our time outdoors. And no matter how hard any of us try, during the summer months, avoiding the sun can seem next to impossible. So, what do we do? Apart from just covering ourselves, taking the right precautionary measures is also important especially when not stepping out is not an option. As you must have observed already, the first signs of sun damage can be seen with tanning of skin. If you drive in the sun or are even vacationing at the beach, the sun rays directly target your skin and it can become dark due to melanin pigmentation.
While sun exposure and its UV rays can cause tanning or sunburn, you are exposed to more dangerous risks caused by excessive exposure to the sun that includes eye damage, premature ageing and most acute of all – skin cancer. It is essential that you take necessary precaution and protect your skin from tanning and overexposure to UV rays else no tan removal treatment in the world can help if it is too late. So, instead of searching for tan removal treatment cost, focus on what can be done to prevent tanning altogether.
Basically, there are many other preventive measures against tanning that are as useful as slathering on sunscreen to protect your skin against the sun. Let’s take a look at five of these preventive measures you can take,
5 Preventive Measures Against Tanning
While you may think these are quite simple to follow, there are many instances when you forget to comply with one or even two of these in your daily routine. So, as much as you can, follow these tips to ensure you have a healthy, glowing skin throughout the year.
Understand The Effects Of UVA And UVB Rays
Before you find out the secret to prevent sun tanning, you should understand how UVA and UVB rays affect your skin. To begin with, UVA is ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 400-320nm while on the other hand, the wavelength of UVB is in the range of 320-290nm. It is important to know that the shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy of radiation. However, both these radiations are powerful enough to damage the surface epidermal layers of your skin since they transform the cells’ DNA. Therefore, to reduce or minimise the harmful effects of the sun, an understanding of Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is a must. SPF is factoring in the number of times your skin gets reddened due to the harmful sun rays with sunscreen and also without sunscreen. To understand it better, here’s an example – if your skin usually burns after 10 minutes in the sun; after applying a sunscreen with an SPF 15, it will ensure that you can sustain in the sun for almost 150 minutes, which is 15 times longer than usual. Make no mistake, even if you buy a sunscreen with a higher SPF value, it does not mean you can stay out in the sun for as long as you wish. Now that you are aware of the basics of UVA and UVB rays as well as SPF, here are the many ways you can prevent or reduce tanning – one of the most harmful effects of sun rays.
Avoid Stepping Out During Peak Hours Of The Day
If you want to get a healthy dose of sunshine, early mornings are the best to get Vitamin D in your system. So, as much as possible, avoid stepping out during the peak hours of the day, i.e. 10 AM to 4 PM as that is when the UV rays shine the strongest. As you already know, UV rays play a major role in sunburn and tanning, especially during the hottest month of the year. However, if you must step out, wear a light fabric like cotton, rayon or georgette that will keep you cool and also minimise the effects of the sun rays.
Wear Sunglasses And A Hat Or Scarf For Cover
Your face is the most prone to overexposure of the sun rays. Especially the skin around your eyes, neck and T-zone is extra sensitive to the sun and needs maximum protection against it. So as a precautionary measure, wear sunglasses that offer 100% protection against UV rays and a wide-brimmed hat or even a light-coloured cotton scarf. Be sure to wear both the sunglasses and the hat or scarf every time you step out into the sun, even if it is after 4 PM, until it is sunset.
Don’t Forget To Apply A Liberal Amount Of SPF
Make SPF sunscreen an essential item that goes into your bag every day. In case, you tend to forget to carry one daily, buy a pair and put one in your bag and keep the other one at home. Moreover, in a tropical country like India, wearing sunscreen every day is a must! However, it is imperative that you choose the right sunscreen according to your skin type. La Shield range of sunscreens by Glenmark offer superior protection against the harmful sun rays, is dermatologist tested and is also suitable for all skin types. Other than the sunscreen, make sure your skin is moisturised at all times. If not, it will speed up the ageing and soon your skin will look dull and lack lustre. Another important thing to remember is that you need to follow this routine throughout the year and not just in summers, as is the understanding amongst everybody. The tan removal treatment process lasts all-year long.
Reapply Sunscreen Every Couple Of Hours
If your daily work schedule involves a lot of travel and outdoors, it is pertinent that you carry sunscreen along with you everywhere you go. But since you are spending most of your time outdoors, the sunscreen you apply in the morning will not last you for the entire day. Therefore, make sure you reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours for utmost protection of your skin. And those who are indoors also need to follow this practice daily. A tan-free, damage-free skin is everyone’s wish but unless you take the necessary precautions, it can seem like a distant dream.
So, men, women, girls and boys, let’s take these preventive measures seriously and promise to keep our skin healthy and flawless, always. In case you wish to know more tips to keep your skin and hair healthy, just visit: Skin & Hair Academy.
