8 tips to look after your skin in summer
For days now our body has been bathing in the sun, giving us incredible experiences and feelings of peace and wellbeing. And the big star brings many benefits for our body: it gives us 90% or our vitamin D, which triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, our happiness hormones.
But what’s more, the sun helps to fight psoriasis and acne; it activates our defences and strengthens our bones. Nevertheless, sitting back in a towel doesn’t necessarily mean that we are being too cautious, as the sun can be a double-edged sword, causing us health risks.
If we want to keep our dermis in a healthy state, show off a beautiful tan and not suffer consequences in the future, we shouldn’t let our guard down this summer.
8 tips to have healthy skin over summer
Remember that your skin has a memory and that what you do today will reflect in your skin tomorrow. So, it is better to follow a series of precautions over these next few months to spare us the trouble in the future. Here you have 8 necessary precautions to take so that your dermis doesn’t suffer because of this summer:
- Cleansing: to get an even and 100% safe tan you must make sure your skin is ready for it. Before exposing yourself to the sun, we recommend that you exfoliate your body (in the shower, for instance) to remove the impurities and to get ready for the sun. When the beach season is in full swing, remember to carry out your daily cleanse with gentle formulas that remove dirt without altering the skin’s acid mantle.
- Hydration: lack of water in our skin makes it appear dry, dull and even flaky. You can never apply too many moisturizing formulas, especially on your body, as these products create a protective wall on the surface of our skin, retaining water underneath. Pay special attention to your face, as the skin in this area is a lot thinner and needs more specific dermatology treatments.
- Protection, apply sun cream on clean and dry skin, half an hour before exposing yourself to the sun. Put on a generous amount. Experts recommend 6 teaspoons of suncream to ensure it's effective protection and to reapply it every two hours approximately (or every time you go in the water) Don’t forget that even when you are in the shade or when it is cloudy, you will still need appropriate sun protection (a minimum of spf 30)
- The right time: avoid going in the sun when it is at its highest point, (between 11am and 4pm) Start to expose yourself to the sun gradually, especially during the first few days on the beach. Don’t forget that you are at a higher risk of burning in the mountains or at open sea, so use sunscreens that are no less than SPF 30.
- Appropriate clothing: when you go to the beach or to the pool, don't use products containing alcohol, perfumes or aftershaves, as they could cause spots to appear on your skin. Take special care of the parts of the body that are always exposed, such as the face, neck, chest, arms and legs. So choose light clothing and cool hats, scarves and sarongs.
- Diet: don’t eat too much meat, and opt for fruit, vegetables and food rich in antioxidants, which will help to prevent cell degeneration and will stimulate the blood flow in our skin. You will find vitamin A in milk, eggs and fish; vitamin B in almonds, walnuts and peaches; vitamin C in oranges, pineapples and kiwis, and vitamin E, in nuts and tomatoes. In another post, we gave a detailed explanation of the right foods for a good tan.
- Drink more water: your body loses a large amount of water in the heat, which is why you should be constantly topping up. Drink lots of liquids, as well as water, you could have gazpachos, cold soups and salads which are good sources of H20.
- For the skin spots: to counteract and prevent skin spots caused by the sun, you could also use dermo-cosmetic formulas containing Kojic Acid, which helps to decrease melanin synthesis.
If we take all of these factors into account and are a little cautious when in the sun, we can enjoy an unparalleled summer that is also risk free. Pampering our skin now means that we will have healthy skin in the future.
