If you stay out in the sun too often during the summer, you can end up with some serious skin problems and even developing cancer of the skin.

You should always use sunscreen while you are at the beach or pool during the summer because that is when the sun is able to do most of its damage. Sun spots on skin are not the only problem that can occur with sun damage, but they are the main one people seem to discuss when they are talking about problems with sun exposure.

Plenty of other problems can occur when you are out in the sun too long, so you need to make sure you take the proper precautions during the time you are outside.

The main problem with too much exposure to the sun is that the sun will dry out your skin and make it hard for the skin to moisturize itself naturally. Dry skin is the main cause of many different skin conditions, so exposure to the sun is directly related to various different skin problems. You simply have to protect yourself from the sun if you are going to be outside for long periods of time during a hot, sunny day.

How do sun spots on skin occur?

The sun damages the skin in a few different ways, but the main method of skin damage comes from ultraviolent rays that hit the skin at an alarming rate. This is what will cause the sun spots on skin and a few other problems as well.

You have to take care of your skin and make sure to limit the amount of damage the sun can do to your skin if you want to stay as healthy as possible.

The best way to avoid sun damage on your skin is to avoid the sun, but this is not the only way you can make sure to avoid sun spots. Covering your skin and making sure that you don’t stay out in the sun all day is the best way to protect yourself from sun damage while also being able to enjoy the outdoors.

You don’t need to say inside all day to prevent yourself from getting sun spots, but you do need to be smart about the time you are spending outdoors.

What to do about sun spots on your skin

There are many things you can do to prevent sun spots on skin, but you also need to know about ways you can remove the sun spots once the damage has already occurred. Natural methods are always the best ways to go because they don’t contain any harmful chemicals that could cause more harm than good.

We are often urged by skin care magazines and experts that we must slather on a lotion with “at least 15% SPF” before we go out into the sun. The sun screen works by absorbing the ultraviolet radiation of the sun which is harmful for the skin. Many sun screens, creams, lotions and gels on the market have a very high SPF count and may also be more expensive.

This leads many of us may believe that the higher the SPF the better protected our skin is. Yet is this the case? Does the skin protection increase in proportion to the SPF number on the tube? If a sunscreen of SPF 15 lets you stay out in the sun for 2 hours, will an SPF 60 sun screen let you remain in the sun for 8 hours; which is the proportionate increase?

Well not exactly. It isn’t that simple.

How does SPF work?

Having a higher SPF doesn’t mean that there is a proportional increase in the absorption of UV rays or that there is a proportionate increase in the number of hours you can stay out in the sun. If a person gets sunburned after 10 minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun, it doesn’t mean that he or she can stay out in the sun for 12 hours if they have on a sun screen of SPF 70.

In fact according to the How Stuff Works website, an SPF of 2 means that about 50% of UV radiation is absorbed; at 4SPF about 70% is absorbed. At SPF 15 about 93% is absorbed; but at exactly double that SPF; at SPF 30%, that protection doesn’t (and obviously cannot double). It rises only to 96.7%; a fractional increase of about 3.3% only!

Skin protection depends upon more than just SPF

The skin type of the user is a determinant: dry skin or oily; light or dark skin; the ability of the skin to absorb the sun screen all impact how well the sunscreen will work.

How much of the product is applied on the skin is probably as important if not more important than the SPF. The frequency of application is another important determinant.

The level of activity post application is important: swimming and sweating will reduce efficacy even or the so called “waterproof” sunscreens.

This treatment is required to be used for about 6 to 8 weeks before getting cosmetic surgery performed – it helps to prepare the skin of the patient by noticeably changing the pigment and texture to restore health of the skin.

Since the texture of the skin is considerably improved due to this treatment, the results of cosmetic surgery are greatly enhanced.

The average skin renewal cycle is about 6 to 8 weeks, which is why this treatment is recommended for that duration.

Individuals who have undergone the treatment claim that the treatment worked on brown spots caused by overexposure to the sun to be removed. Also fine lines are reduced and the complexion appears to be fresher.

The treatment consists of using 4 percent solution of hydroquinone (prescription strength), which helps to suppress melanin production. This is used in conjunction with tretinoin, which is again a prescription formulation. This also prevents the post surgical stimulation of melanocytes, that cause a darkening of the skin in the surgically treated area.

According to the rumors, the darker skin does not get sunburns, the hair gets shinier in the sun, the tan kills the pimples and SPF 30 sun block is completely useless. So lets see whether they are true or not and understand what exactly hides behind them.

1. Darker skin tones are safe from sunburns so they don’t need a sun lotion

That is perhaps the most preposterous theory regarding the tan. Every skin exposed to the sun risks to get sunburned. Of course, if you have a darker skin tone you won’t need the same SPF factor as the skin of a red-head would.

Even so a 15-20 SPF is recommendable even for the black skin especially because lying in the sun exposes you to ultraviolet rays which are responsible for damaging the skin cells.

2. The sun exposure will make your hair shine

This is completely not true. The sun is damaging your hair over drying it and burning its thin surface so if you are looking to get shiny hair from the sun exposure, you may get exactly the opposite. Make sure you keep your hair healthy using UV filter hair products.

3. A good tan kills the pimples

In reality the tan hides the pimples and conceals their reddish color temporarily only to help them come back even harder.

Sun exposure favors the pores to be filled with dead cell residue and stimulates the skin to get greasier to overcompensate for dehydration. So instead of no pimples, sun causes more pimples.

4. SPF 30 is actually useless and there is no such thing as SPF protection

You must think for yourself in this department. The SPF factor that our sun lotions carry is designed to enhance the skin’s ability to protect itself from the sun. It is only logical that the children’s skin or the naturally sensitive skin is more exposed; so it’s logical they would need a higher protection factor.

It is better not to treat this matter lightly since in the absence of SPF factor the sun can cause severe damage to the skin cells; so it’s only fair to say that the road to melanoma is paved with carelessness.

To help people enjoy the sun without its harmful effects here are a few helpful tips provided by the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals.

First of all, you should stay away from the sunshine if it can be helped between 10am to 4pm due to the fact that the sun’s rays are strongest during this time of the day even on an overcast part of the day.

Aim for the shade if possible and be sure to apply sunscreen regularly if you cannot avoid the sun.

Regardless of what time you are outside, sunscreen is always a requirement.  Proper sunscreen needs to have a SPF of at least 15 or high with both UVB and UVA protection. Sunscreen should be applied about a half an hour before you head out and every hour or two that you are in the sun.

Finally, remember to cover your body as much as possible and apply sunscreen everywhere that is not covered including the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and hands which are all places people neglect but can still develop skin cancer.

Wear sunscreen as part of skin care, to protect the skin from these skin damages.

Sunscreens are the protective agents to prevent the sun’s ultraviolet rays from reaching the skin and minimizing the possibility of having skin problems.

The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are in three forms: UVA, UVB and UVC. The UVA and UVB rays deeply penetrate the skin causing skin damages whereas UVC rays cannot penetrate the ozone layer.

The sunscreen can be a lotion , cream, gel or spray.  Sunscreen lotion is well suited when exposure to the sun is more. Cream is best for less exposure.

The sunscreens contain an active ingredient called SPF for sun protection. SPF means sun protection factor that allows tanning with tolerable sun exposure. A sun protection factor tells how long the skin is protected from being burnt through UV rays.

This factor of sunscreens usually differs based on the skin type and the sun intensity. So, determine the right SPF factor easily using this equation. To use the equation, determine how long it normally takes for you to get burnt in the sun without protection. For instance, a light skin takes twenty minutes to produce redness on the skin. `

Now, multiply the time with the SPF of the sunscreen. In other words, multiply twenty minutes with the SPF 15 (an example) and find the result as three hundred. It is the time that the skin is protected from sun burn. So, with SPF 15, a light skinned individual can stay protected for about five hours.

It is very beneficial to wear sunscreens, especially in the summer time while going out.

However, most of the dermatologists are advising to wear sunscreens if you are going to expose to the sun more than twenty minutes. Also, they are recommending to wear sunscreen all through the year to stay away from skin cancer. As sunscreen can act as a barricade to solar radiation, wear sunscreen before thirty minutes of your sun exposure.

Selecting the sunscreen lotion is completely based on skin type. The sunscreens come in wide varieties to pick from. Knowing your skin type can help to select the right sunscreen. However, while selecting a sunscreen lotion, prefer broad spectrum sunscreens. This is because it protects the skin from the ultraviolet rays, especially the UVA and UVB rays. Also, ensure that it contains SPF (sun protection factor) 15 or more, as it indicates the goodness of sunscreen in sifting out the solar radiations.

Avoid sunscreen lotions that contain benzophenone, as it is absorbed easily by the skin and causes skin itchiness and allergies.

In addition to skin protection, lip care is also essential. So, wear sunscreen with lip salves. Sunscreen with SPF of thirty with broad spectrum is more efficient in protecting the lips from sun exposure.

As no sunscreen can give total protection, it is good to re-apply the sunscreen regularly for every two hours if you are swimming, sweating or exposing to sun extremely.

It found that many of the most popular sunscreens break down quickly in the sun or are not blocking many harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Rankings in the July 2007 issue of Consumer Reports revealed a similar problem: not all sunscreens are created equal.

Rather, they found that sunscreens with the same sun protection factor (SPF) ran the gamut from “excellent” to “poor” in their overall ability to block ultraviolet rays.

SPF measures a sunscreen’s ability to block UVB rays. But it says nothing about its strength against UVA rays, an equally damaging form of radiation that causes wrinkles and, more seriously, skin cancer. And unlike UVB rays that cause sunburns, UVA rays do not leave an immediate mark.

“We don’t have a physical, visible way to know if we’re protected against UVA radiation,” says Jane Houlihan, vice president of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). “Your skin looks fine, you’re not burnt, and you could have a massive dose of UV radiation.”

The Food and Drug Administration does not have any regulations on how sunscreens can accurately indicate their level of UVA protection, no quick and easy number like SPF.

Read more information at Newsweek

Summertime, your skin mainly overexposes to sun reluctantly.

This over exposure of your skin to sun is the main source for many kinds of skin conditions like sunburns.

If your skin gets exposed to certain harmful rays, especially UV rays, then it is quite obvious for you to affect with sun burns.

So, don’t worry about these sun burns; there are certain sunburn remedies, which can help you significantly to get better sunburn relief.

Try topical vinegar for your sunburns!

Using plain white vinegar is the most popular way to get sunburn relief. Even though there is no scientific evidence for this folk remedy, most of the people believe that it is very helpful in relieving the pain, when it is applied on skin.

Plain white vinegar is also applied as a compress for your skin. Try to mix equal proportions of water and vinegar in a tub and soak clean towels in this solution. Now, wring these soaked towels and try to apply them on the affected areas on your skin. Always avoid contact of this solution with broken parts of your skin and also under your eye areas.

There is one more option for you to use this plain white vinegar for your sunburn relief; take a clean spray bottle and fill it with equal portions of water and vinegar and try to apply it on your affected parts of your skin.

Practice hydrotherapy!

Try short frequent baths, towel compresses and also showers, which can be helpful for you to get better sunburn relief. These methods also keeps you cool and hydrated always. The hotness of the water should be lukewarm or cool because too hot water can usually strip away your natural oils present on your skin.

If you have very mild sunburn, then try to take a cool bath or shower. You can also place a wet cool towel on the affected areas of your skin for at least 10 to 15 minutes in a day and you can repeat this procedure for several times in a day.

Use aloe vera gel for burnt skin!

Aloe vera gel has many anti-inflammatory properties and works as a better sunburn relief for your skin. It is typically used to ease your burnt skin and it is also used to heal many wounds of your skin.

You can either purchase this aloe vera gel from any drug store or it is usually found in food stores and also in many cosmetic shops. You can try certain skin care lotions which are specially made with aloe vera gel.

You can use any kind of natural or home remedies for your sunburn relief to make your skin feel much better. Always try to drink plenty of water simultaneously by practicing these natural remedies. Drinking more water can help you to keep your body and skin more hydrated.

A sunblock can physically block the absorption of UV rays of your skin.

It is usually categorized into two types: one is physical sun block and other is chemical sunblock. The most popular chemical sun block is zinc oxide.

Don’t get confused with sunscreen and sunblock.

Most of the people get confused with sunblock and sunscreen and more often use the words interchangeably. Sunblock is different from sunscreen.

Sunscreen protects your skin from the absorption of UV radiations where as sunblock physically blocks the rays of ultra violet, penetrating into your skin.

Sunblocks like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are very effective in protecting your skin from several sunburns and skin cancers. They are often visible and appear white on your skin. On the other hand, sunscreens are invisible and absorb the UV rays of sun falling on your skin.

Sunscreens usually contain benzophenones, which are very helpful in the protection of UVA radiations. Cinnamates and salicytes are very useful for protecting your skin from UVB rays.

How to choose best sunblock for your skin?

Sunblocks are very helpful in protecting your skin from the absorption of UVA and UVB radiations. Usually these sunblocks are rated with sun protection factor (SPF). This rating indicates how long a sunscreen can be effective for your skin after the application.

Sunblocks usually vary from person to person. A sunblock used for UVA and UVB protection must usually have SPF rating of 30, is normally recommended for every one. It is very useful for daily use.

You can determine how long can your sunblock will be effective by multiplying this SPF factor by the time duration for which your skin can resist sun burns.

For example, you normally develop sunburns within 15 minutes after exposure of your skin to sun without wearing any sunscreen. A sunscreen with SPF of 20 can protect your skin for 300 minutes (15 min multiplied with SPF of 20).

The ingredients used in a sunblock also vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and can be categorized into chemical and physical. Chemical sunblocks works well by absorbing UV rays before they cause harm to your skin where as physical sunblocks reflects UV rays before they reach to your skin.

Sunblocks are available in the market in many different forms like lotions, creams, sprays, oils and also gels. Water resistant sunblocks are also available for the people, those who are involved in water sports. It is very important for you to check the label of the product before purchasing.

Try different types of sunblocks and choose the one which is suitable for your skin. If any of the sunblock is resulting in rashes or any allergic reactions, then try another brand or form of sunblock and protect your skin from harmful UV rays.

It also develops when the exposure of the skin to the ultraviolet light rays go beyond the ability of the body’s melanin (protective pigment) to protect the skin.

Sunburns are very painful and usually heal within a couple of weeks. However, you have a variety of sunburn treatments to help relieve the discomfort.

The sunburn treatment depends on the severity and location of the affected area.

Here are some tips to follow in order to relieve the pain and discomfort easily.

To alleviate the pain of sunburn, apply cold compresses by taking a cool bath or soaking a towel in cool water and applying it on the affected area.

It is also essential to drink plenty of water in order to stay hydrated all the time. This helps to maintain moisture levels in the skin and avoid sunburns.

Also, take a pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, as these help reduce the pain and soreness caused by the sunburn. It is always recommended to continue taking the medications until the pain and discomfort is alleviated.

In order to hydrate the skin and reduce pain and swelling, apply a moisturizing cream, aloe, or hydrocortisone cream.

Never try to break the blisters (if any), as it may delay the healing process and increase the risk of having other infections. So, always cover the blisters with a gauze bandage.

On the other hand, sunburn treatment is also possible through natural, home-based products. Aloe vera is the most useful natural sunburn treatment. The aloe vera gel is well known for its great healing power, as it has an instantaneous cooling effect on the skin.

It also forms as a layer to protect the moisture in the skin. Thus, it prevents dehydration and help to heal the sunburns fastly. So, apply aloe vera gel repeatedly to relieve pain and increase the speed of healing.

Also, increase your intake of vitamins in the diet to improve the healing power of sunburned skin. Take Vitamin A [Why Vitamin A is Essential?], Vitamin C, Vitamin E [Benefits of Vitamin E], beta-carotene and flaxseed oil from the first day of the sunburn to help recover your damaged skin.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the most helpful product to alleviate the pain associated with sunburn. Use a cup of baking soda in your bathing water to relieve the sunburn naturally.

Ensure that this water is poured on all affected areas in order to make this sunburn treatment the best.

Instead, you can gently apply or splash the water directly on the affected areas and wash off using cool water in order to eliminate any remaining dust. Then, apply moisturizer to the burned area.

Whole-fat milk is also a good natural home-based sunburn treatment, as it contains fat and lactic acids that help soothe sunburned skin. Apply the milk on the affected area carefully by soaking a soft cloth in the milk container and rinse off after 20 minutes.

Consult a dermatologist for sunburn treatment if it doesn’t relieve with the natural home-based products.