Helping your skin while you have fun in the sun.
The sun is a natural source of vitamin D. It uplifts our spirits. However, it’s important to protect your skin while enjoying the benefits of the outdoors. Here’s a few easy steps you can take to make sure that fun in the sun won’t be dampered by a burn.
Wear a hat. This is easy, plus it will help the strain of glare on your eyes.
Use sun protection. Don’t forget to reapply after swimming, actitivity or sweating. Also, remember to put it on before going outside as it takes some time for sunscreen to begin working.
Don’t over exfoliate! Summer time is a good time to accumulate dead skin cells. They will protect the more fragile newer cells from damage. If you use a scrub, you might want to give it a break at this time. Also, be aware that products containing vitamin A or retinols will cause your skin to thin and make you more susceptible to burning.
Change your routine. You might want to use a lighter moisturizer if your skin becomes oilier in the warm months. Or, you might want to add a night time moisturizer if the sun tends to dry out your skin. You might want to adjust cleansers as well. Toners, applied with a spray bottle, are a great way to cool down and lightly moisturize at the same time.
Hair where? Be aware that waxing exfoliates skin as does shaving, so your legs will be more sun sensitive right after these procedures. Waxing is nice because it tends to last longer than shaving and doesn’t create stubble. Many times women ask me if waxing will cause their hair to grow thicker. This is an old wives tale. In reality, waxing retards hair growth by damaging the follicle and you will have less hair over time. Also, if you tend to have ingrown hairs, waxing helps as the hair that grows back will come in soft as compared to the sharp blunt cut hair produced by shaving.
All in all it’s wonderful to enjoy those warming rays and with just a little care, your skin will benefit too!
Skin is such an important indicator of overall health and vitality. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I assess the skin to look for overall wellness. For example, a pale complexion and combination of fatigue can be a sign of anemia. Someone who is very pale and burns easily may need additional vitamin D support and supplemental antioxidants to heal sun damaging effects.
In fact taking good care of your insides, makes a prettier outside. Therefore, gentle cleaning and supplementing with skin healthy supplements not only will make you feel good, but look good.
The natural methods to protect your skin in the sun as Reisa mentioned, while also getting that 20 minutes of healthy vitamin D, and eating an individualized whole food diet can keep you, your skin and body healthy, happy, and beautiful.