How to sunbathe properly. Tips to Save Against Premature Aging and Skin Cancer

1. Buy sunscreen

This is the first and key rule of a healthy tan. Medics who are extremely bad Tanning / U. S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refers to tanning, they keep repeating: UV does more harm than good. So you need to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.

If this is not an option, it is important to protect the skin from at least the most dangerous ultraviolet rays - the UVB type. These shortwave rays are also called stinging rays: they contain a lot of energy, due to which they cause redness, sunburn and cancer.

Most of the time sunscreens are designed to keep the body free from excessive UVB radiation. Do not neglect this protection.

SPF products do not affect the speed of tanning. They only increase the time you can spend in the sun without harming your skin.

How to choose the right sunscreen, Lifehacker wrote in detail here. For the cream to work, you need:

Apply it at least 20 minutes before sun exposure. So Sanskrin is absorbed and reliably protects the deeper layers of the skin.
Renew the cream every two hours or at the frequency indicated on the package.

2. Get ready to tan gradually

Don't even try to catch all the sun's rays in a short weekend. You are unlikely to become a "chocolate" for such a period, but you will seriously increase the health risks. And that's why.

Melanin, the dark pigment that gives the skin a chocolate or bronze tint, is actually a tool with which our body protects Melanin / MedlinePlus from ultraviolet radiation that is killing for it. Melanin creates a kind of protective barrier around skin cells, scattering dangerous UVB rays.

As long as there is little melanin, cells are defenseless and easily mutate under the influence of UV. Sunburn, which fair-skinned people earn, is the first sign of damage to DNA molecules, fraught with at least accelerated aging, and at most - the development of melanoma.

Therefore, try, on the one hand, to accumulate melanin, irritating the skin with sunlight. On the other hand, do it so as not to damage the cells.

Ideally - introduce the skin to ultraviolet light gradually.

On the first day, sunbathe 10-15 minutes before lunch and 15-20 minutes after.

Add 10 minutes to the indicated time every day. Just don't let your skin blush. And don't forget about sunscreen!

3. Prepare your skin for tanning

To make it easier for the skin to accumulate melanin, evenly and gradually darken, you should thoroughly cleanse it of impurities and dead cells.

You can use a store-bought or homemade (for example, instant oatmeal slightly soaked in water) body scrub, or just massage with an exfoliating glove.

But don't be zealous. It is enough to cleanse the skin in this way once a week and a half.

4. Don't go out in the sun in the middle of the day

The principle is simple: the more direct sunlight hit the skin, the higher the dose of ultraviolet radiation it received.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Burning Facts / United States Environmental Protection Agency's maximum radiation hits Earth between 10:00 and 16:00. If the health of the skin and the body as a whole is dear to you, it is better not to appear in the sun at this time.

And if you do, try to shorten your stay, use sunscreen and cover your body with clothing.

The safest tan is purchased before 10:00 and after 16:00.

5. Going to the beach, have a cup of green tea

It is possible to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation not only from the outside, but also from the inside. There are 6 food groups products that will protect you from the sun / Health.com that help the skin resist UV damage. Due to the high content of antioxidants L. A. Pham-Huy, H. He, C. Pham-Huy. Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health / International Journal of Biomedical Science, they stop the process of cell destruction and mutation.

So, you will be helped by:

Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids … Mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, salmon and so on. You can also take omega-3 supplements.
Red and orange fruits and vegetables … Oranges, grapefruits, apricots, carrots, tomatoes, red and orange peppers.
Black chocolate.
Cabbage … Plain, colored, Beijing, broccoli - any cruciferous vegetable.
Greens … Parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, and dark leafy greens like spinach.
Green and black teas.

There are also products that, on the contrary, increase the risks M. C. Hughes, J. C. van der Pols, G. C. Marks, A. C. Green. Food intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in a community: The Nambour skin cancer cohort study / International Journal of Cancer from sun exposure. For example, it is best not to consume whole milk, cheese and yogurt before going to the beach.

6. Know how to stop

Typically, melanin production ends 2-3 hours after sun exposure. Therefore, it makes no sense to sunbathe all day. Lying by the pool for longer than 2-3 hours will not make you more tanned, but will only increase the risk of skin damage.

In addition, there is data from Tanning may limit ability to produce vitamin D / WebMD News that prolonged exposure to the sun does not increase, but, on the contrary, reduces the level of vitamin D.

7. Moisturize your skin after sunburn

You may like the chocolate color. But the body perceives the excess of melanin in the cells as a signal of damage to the skin and seeks to shed the spoiled "skin" as soon as possible. The top layer of tanned skin becomes drier, making it easier for the body to exfoliate damaged cells.

In order not to lose your tan ahead of time, daily and thoroughly moisturize your skin and try not to use scrubs and avoid active massage with a washcloth.