After spending countless hours in the sun over spring break and the following weekends, nourishing your sunburnt skin and hair is a must. According to Melissa M. Beachy, PA-C, at Estero Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center, you have to feed your skin. “You have to treat your skin like the rest of your body and feed it the appropriate nutrients. Antioxidants like vitamin A, C, E, selenium and zinc can all protect your skin from the damage of free radicals, which break down collagen, causing wrinkles and aging.”
What to eat after time in the sun–these will help keep water and nutrients in your skin:
· A healthy plant-based diet high in vitamins E and A (cooked spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots and butternut squash)
· Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, cod)
· Nuts and seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts)
· Healthy oils (olive oil, canola oil)
Even after spring break is over, it is important to continue to wear sunscreen, especially one that protects against UVA and UVB exposure. Aimee Davis, a PA-C, MMS at Mid Florida Dermatology Downtown Orlando said, “Cerave, Cetephil and Aveeno are excellent product lines for the skin.”
If using a lotion on your face, she suggests looking for the words “non-comedogenic” on the label to prevent your pores from getting clogged.
“Not only are these brands great for those with sensitive skin or fragrance allergies, they are affordable as well!” added Davis.
Items that may be stocked in your fridge that can help alleviate the pain from too much time in the sun:
· An aloe plant: cut off a stalk and rub the aloe on burn skin at least twice a day following the sunburn
· Take a warm bath with two cups of apple cider vinegar.
“If your scalp is sunburned, it is best to avoid using any hair products, as it can further irritate your scalp,” Michelle Dickey, a cosmetologist and stylist at salon Cielo at the Mall at Millenia said. She advises treating the sunburned area as you would any other part of your body. Try rinsing your scalp with cool water, and after, put ointment that contains aloe Vera on the area.
The sun can not only damage the skin, but it can lighten and damage your hair, too.
“To maintain shiny and vibrant hair color, you should protect your hair before even going out in the sun by using products designed with SPF in it. This will protect your ends from drying out and will maintain your color,” Dickey said. She suggests using Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Oil.
In order to repair your hair back to its healthy and lustrous state after sun damage, Dickey recommended doing weekly conditioning masques or hot oil treatments for dry and frizzy ends with products such as the Kerastase conditioning masques.
“As far is if your color has lightened in result of being in the sun, you can go to a hair salon or purchase yourself a Demi permanent glaze to refresh your hair color and give it some shine.”