Sunday, June 1, 2008

Protect your skin from the sun

Anyone living in Arizona knows how intense our sun is. Just a few minutes in the sun can leave you red and blistered. Besides the extreme discomfort a burn can cause, the sun’s rays are actually accelerating the aging process. Ultraviolet exposure breaks down existing collagen and impairs the production of new collagen. It also attacks the skin’s elastin resulting in prematurely loose, wrinkled, leathery skin.

The number one thing you can do for your skin is to prevent the UV exposure. We often don’t think about the incidental exposure we experience as we go out to get the mail, walk to and from our cars, and the exposure in our cars through the windows and sunroof. Wear a hat, long sleeves and long pants whenever possible to prevent exposure. Don’t forget to wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection to prevent cataracts and other eye diseases.

If you aren’t able to cover up, wear sunscreen. Sunscreen soap by Bethesda makes it easy! Just lather up at the end of your shower, rinse and pat dry for an SPF of 10-14 with no greasiness or film. The soap is all natural and contains over 50 vitamins and minerals to “feed” your skin and make it better able to protect itself. The soap is non-drying and great for all skin types, but it’s especially great for men and children, who often forget or don’t take the time to apply sunscreen.

If you haven’t taken the steps to prevent sun exposure and you do end up with a burn, there are a few things you can do to minimize the pain and the damage. First and most importantly- hydrate. Your body is in distress and has lost a lot of fluids. Drink plenty of water! Take aspirin to reduce inflammation internally. You can also create a compress to apply to your sunburn to soothe skin and reduce inflammation out of one of these common household items:

Oatmeal. Cook the oatmeal and let it cool. Apply it to sunburned areas to relieve pain and itching.

Milk. Soak a cloth in cool milk and apply to affected area. The coolness soothes the skin and the milk creates a protein film to help ease discomfort.

Potato. Grate a potato and apply to the area- the starch will cool and soothe the burn.

The damage has been done?

Once the damage has occurred, there are a few things that can be done to reduce the signs of sun damage, such as sun spots and fine lines. Hydroquinone is a topical skin lightener that can be very effective in breaking down the melanin that cause brown “sun spots”. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels are treatments that deeply exfoliate the surface of the skin to encourage regeneration and reveal healthier skin.

For more information go to http://www.themassagestudio.com/.

The Massage & Esthetics Studio
480-874-8000
20511 N. Hayden Rd. #105
Scottsdale, AZ 85255

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