How to Prevent & Treat Sunburn

It is a fallacy to believe that sun exposure should be avoided altogether. Just like your grandmother may have told you, “everything in moderation and nothing in excess”.

The key is to find the right balance of sun exposure, where you are reaping the health benefits of the sun, but not staying out to the point of getting burned. Sun exposure can only be therapeutic when it’s done in appropriate timeframes.

When UVB strikes the surface of your skin, your skin converts a cholesterol derivative into vitamin D3. The health benefits of optimizing your vitamin D cannot be overemphasized. Vitamin D provides a multitude of health benefits, including a significant reduction in cancer risk.

The ultraviolet light from the sun comes in two main wavelengths:

Ultraviolet A (UVA) is considered the unhealthy wavelength because it penetrates your skin more deeply and causes more free radical damage. Sunblocks containing SPF, filter out the beneficial UVB, not these cancer-causing UVAs, unless they also contain a UVA blocking ingredient. UVA rays are constantly available, even on cloudy days.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) is the ‘healthy’ wavelength that helps your skin produce vitamin D. If you apply a sunblock, you are also blocking vitamin D production. Optimal blood serum levels of vitamin D, are between 50 and 70 ng/ml. While both UVA and UVB can cause tanning and burning, UVB does so far more rapidly.

UVA is more evenly distributed throughout the day, but UVB rays are less intense in morning and evening and more intense at midday. In order to get the most beneficial ratio of UVB rays to UVA rays, for skin safety and vitamin D production, you should be in the sun roughly between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Ironically, this is the timeframe most mainstream experts warn you to stay out of the sun. The key is to not stay out too long.

What Constitutes ‘Safe and Appropriate’ Sun Exposure?

Your maximum exposure should occur when your skin turns the lightest shade of pink, because that is when your skin stops producing vitamin D and when a sunburn can commence.

It is ALWAYS better to get not enough sun exposure, rather than too much sun exposure!

Signs of Sunburn Include:
1. Redness of the skin
2. Skin that feels warm or hot to the touch
3. Discomfort when skin gets touched or rubbed against clothes
4. Peeling or flaking of the skin
5. Extreme dryness or wrinkling of the skin

How to Avoid Sunburns:

You need to be smart about your sun exposure. Taking a few sensible steps to avoid sunburn will ensure you’re maximizing the benefits, while limiting any potential adverse effects.

1. Protect your face and eyes by wearing a wide-brimmed hat or a cap
2. Limit your initial exposure and slowly work your way up.
3. Build an internal sunscreen with beneficial antioxidants.
4. Moisturize your skin naturally.
If you get a sunburn, the following natural strategies can help speed the healing of your skin and minimize the damage.
1. One of the most effective first-aid strategies is to apply raw aloe vera gel topically to the burn. It’s loaded with powerful glyconutrients that accelerate healing.
2. Applying cold compresses to the sunburned area can also help lessen the burning pain.
3. To avoid further irritation, do not wash sunburned skin with harsh soaps.
4. Stay properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Young children need to be carefully monitored for signs of dehydration.
5. Avoid applying petroleum jelly on your sunburn, as it may exacerbate the burn.

This is the Environmental Working Group’s 2014 Sunscreen Guide:

http://www.ewg.org/2014sunscreen/all-sunscreens/

For More Information:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/21/sunburn-treatment-prevention.aspx?x_cid=20140721_lead_facebookdoc