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Suntan Lotions, Sunblock and Sunscreens Are Not Just for Summer

Updated on February 9, 2022
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Giovanna is passionate about adventure travel and leaving no footprint. She is hopeful, but a few years seems too short to save our planet!

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Suntan Lotions, Sunblock and Sunscreens - Where do I start?

We all know the sun damages skin and that we must protect ourselves. This article tells you the best way to do that.

My husband has been diagnosed with sun damaged skin and the time has come to get serious. Thankfully he went to the doctor early and has been treated with a cream. He noticed there was some dry spots on his head - he has no hair at the top of his head, and also there were dry spots of skin on his face.

Our GP told him that too many people ignore the early signs and then things become much more difficult to treat. So if you notice any change whatsoever do go and get it checked out.

That was a shocking and frightening experience for all of us and it has inspired this article. My favourite part is the singing at the end - so check that out before you go!

We all need to protect ourselves all year round.

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Have you ever been sunburned?

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Person sitting in beautiful tropical sea
Person sitting in beautiful tropical sea | Source

Is Sun Cream Bad For You?

There is no evidence that proves that the ingredients in lotions are harmful.

You could be allergic to certain brands however, and if you are you need to shop around until you find one that suits you.

Another problem is you might sunbathe for longer periods believing that you are completely protected when you are not. Check Yourself and apply more cream because, even after taking all the sensible precautions, there is always one more thing you could do.

Be Generous. Don't skimp on your sun cream. Use it often, and pay whatever it costs. You really cannot afford to be mean with yourself when it comes to your skin. Below is a great video that will tell you in more detail how to apply the creams.

Keep in mind this slogan in mind:

"Check your birthday suit on your birthday."

If you notice anything unusual go to your doctor and get it checked. Prevention is better than cure, and luckily there simple cures available as long as the problem is diagnosed early.

Jame Taylor Here Comes the Sun love, love, love!

It is important to follow the instructions on the packaging.

Here are a few tips:

  1. Make sure you use plenty, and start putting it on 30 minutes before you go out.
  2. Keep putting it on at least every couple of hours, and more often if you are swimming or sweating. Put more on as soon as you come out of the water even if it says it is water resistant.
  3. Use it when you are outdoors a lot on a cloudy day.
  4. Be especially thorough on the sensitive skin of your face, lips and, gentleman, the top of your head. A redhead may be just as beautiful as a blonde or brunette, but nobody wants to see a red head.
  5. All these work really well, but don't rely on them completely. It's always best to find some shade and wear some cotton light weight clothing too. This is particularly important if you're visiting a city because you will be outdoors a lot visiting sights.


Everyone Loves a Sunny Day

So cover up with suntan lotion and enjoy yourselves!

Everyone loves a sunny day, but we have to keep reminding ourselves that too much sun is just not good for us.Why not? It's simple.

The sun makes our skin wrinkly, and nobody wants to look 10 years older just for the sake of a tan.

Too much sun can actually suppress your immune system, so people might think you look healthy, but you are more likely to be ill.

Worst of all, if you burn in the sun, this can cause skin cancer later on. People really do die because of their love of a suntan.

I don't want to frighten you, and if you start to protect yourself more thoroughly form now on then you should be fine.

Sunlight gives us our vitamin D, so it isn't all bad. We just have to be sensible. What exactly does being sensible mean?

Firstly, just keep out of it during the middle of the day. If it's hot and sunny, you'll probably remember that, but you should also avoid it even when it's overcast. You can still burn under a cloud.

Secondly, wear some clothes that protect you. All you need is a light shirt with sleeves, a hat, sunglasses, and maybe some specialist clothes if you do a lot of outdoor sport like golf or walking. You won't be hotter. Look at the clothes the people wear in hot places, for example in Arabian or Indian countries, they know how to protect and keep cool.

Thirdly, having a beautiful tan doesn't mean you are healthy!

Baby on beach wearing a hat
Baby on beach wearing a hat | Source

Protect your children

When our son was born we started to think a bit more seriously about sun protection. We took him to Italy to visit his grandparents when he was only 8 weeks old, and in August the sun is fierce compared to the UK.

We kept him out of the sun, as we didn't want to expose him to anything harmful, we were confused should be be applying creams to a new born's skin? We didn't! We just kept him safely in the cool shade, and that is what I still recommend.

We soon realized that he was also sensitive to the cold, and that he needed protection from the sun in snow, wind and cold air too, otherwise he would get burned, so we started using creams.

Look carefully at the ingredients before ordering. Don't buy anything that ends with the '...paraben' You don't want to have these in your sunscreen. Avoid 'homoslate'

The lotion opposite is Fragrance free, natural ingredients easy to apply. May make the skin appear whiter, but this is for children so who cares!

Suntan Lotion is Vital in all Weathers

Face of man skiing
Face of man skiing | Source

APPLY SUNBLOCK WHEN SKIING OR WALKING IN THE SNOW. IT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE WIND AND COLD AIR TOO.

Is One Sunscreen as Good as Another? There are differences in quality and in price, but there are certain things you should look out for:

  1. Make sure you get a 'broad spectrum' cream. This means one that protects against both types of ultra-violet light, UVA and UVB.
  2. Get one with a high sun protection factor, or SPF. This means thinking about your type of skin, and if you burn easily you need a very high number. Fair people need a factor 30 or more, or a total block.
  3. They come as a spray, stick, cream, or lotion. Which type suits you depends on your skin type. You might also want a cream for dry skin areas and a spray for difficult to reach areas if you are on your own.
  4. It must be water resistant or it will come off pretty quickly if you are sweating or swimming.

You can burn even if it doesn't look sunny so use your suntan lotions!!

dramatic overcast beach
dramatic overcast beach | Source

A cautionary Tale!

Once I got burned so badly that when I got home I couldn't even get close to the cooker to fry an egg!

The next few days were horrific and then my skin started to peel off and that looked disgusting.

This was many years ago, but the terrible experience has lived with me ever since. The reason I got burned was because I didn't use any suntan lotion, sunscreen, or block. I was with friends at the beach and even though the day was not sunny we all got very badly burned.

In Britain the weather at the seaside can be very overcast or misty, and it appears to block the sun. But it doesn't, the rays are still there and they burn! I am extremely careful now when we go out in the sun, especially in Italy where it seems to have become even hotter in recent years!

sunbathing
sunbathing | Source

Sun Hats are a Great Idea but not an Alternative to Suntan Lotions

It is important to keep out of the sun and hats do make a big difference. Finding a good hat for this purpose is not hard. here are so many different styles on Amazon.com. I have picked out a few, but if you click on any of them you'll be taken straight to Amazon's site where you can browse others.

I've got one of these and it's fabulous because it can be packed away in your bag and it doesn't lose its shape. It looks cool on the beach too!

It's always wise to wait till the midday sun has gone! But even so you'll need your suntan lotions

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How to Treat Sunburn with Natural Remedies

I always have a bottle of calamine lotion in my bathroom just in case.

But if you need to treat a sunburn and you don't have any calamine, then these work:

  • Apple Cider Vinegar - this one works. Apply it to the burn neat with a ball of cotton wool. Or if it is over a lot of your body then make a cool compress.
  • Baking Soda - make a compress with a clean cloth, dissolve some baking powder in cool water, and pour it on the compress. Or you could put a small cup of soda in a warm/cool bath and soak in it. This worked for my father who got so burnt on a fishing trip that he started to run a fever. The doctor put him straight in a cool bath.
  • Witch Hazel - this is cooling and will help reduce the stinging.Ice cubes - rub them over the burnt area
  • Tea - make tea and let it cool that will help the burn's healing process.

Act quickly - if it's really bad go to accident and emergencies ASAP

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Giovanna

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