It’s summer, so ’tis the season for fun in the sun! Along with that, don’t forget that you’re given one body so take care of your skin! What does that look like? In the summer, it’s all about prevention. Any time you spend more than 30 minutes in the sun, you need to be applying liberal amounts of quality sunscreen. You’ve probably heard a lot of news reports on sun block / sunscreen, so we’ll give you our 2 cents on how to prep for a day in the sun and what to do if you got burned despite your best efforts to keep from being burned.

Fail to Plan… Plan to Fail

I remember laying out at the pool with my neighbor when I was young. Lemon juice in my hair and baby oil (or even butter) all over my body. Tan was in and I wanted a part of being in the “in crowd.” So did 90% of my high school class. Fast forward about 15 years and we have men and women in their late 30s or early 40s already having skin cancer removed from their bodies.

How do you prevent that? Well, the easiest way would be to stay out of the sun completely, but that’s not recommended. We get a good dose of vitamin D from that burning ball of fire in the sky and it can help with things like Seasonal Affective Disorder! What makes more sense is to be smart. If you know you’re going to spend any significant amount of time in the sun (more than 30 minutes), apply your sunblock or sunscreen before you even leave your room/home. Heat relaxes us, so that explains why a good number of people end up falling asleep while they’re on the beach. You do not want to fall asleep under the sun. You’ll be in pain for a good week, but worse than that – you’ll likely end up paying for it later in life.

If you bring a beach umbrella, it can also shade out part of the sun (and keep you cooler, longer.) There are also certain clothing manufacturers that make UV blocking shirts, shorts, pants and even bathing suits. These are very helpful for long days spent on the boat.

What Sunscreen Should I use?

We’re so glad you asked. At the spa, we highly recommend 2 different brands. Both brands are well studied and have provided solid results for our client base.

One of those brands is Coola. Coola is committed to plant-sourced protection. Their sunscreens offer broad spectrum coverage that’s rich in antioxidants and other skin-loving ingredients. Coola offers sun protective products in SPF up to 50.

The other brand we highly recommend is HydroPeptide. Hydropeptide’s Protect Collection takes sun care to the next level with replenishing and nourishing ingredients that make your skin glow. These products are also offered up to SPF 50.

What Do I Do If I Burn?

Well, there are a number of over the counter remedies that can help take out the sting of your burn, but we also offer after-sun products in our spa. Remember though, if your burn is severe, it’s best to be checked out by a doctor. If the burn is severe enough, your skin could be susceptible to infection. If you have any question whether your skin is severely burned or not, always err on the side of caution and set up a doctor’s appointment or go to an urgent care facility.

Have fun out there this summer, but please remember to be kind to your skin. The 15-year-later version of you will thank you. Remember that 90% of visible signs of aging are due to sun damage. Be good to the skin you’re in!

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