Skin and the Sun

| Harmful Effects of Sun rays | | Protection from Sun rays |
| Natural Ways to Repair Sun Damaged Skin |
A lot of people love the soothing rays of the sun for relaxing, for tanning or to feel the warmth. Are the sun rays good for our skin and body?

Well, it is true that the exposure to sun rays helps the body make Vitamin D. There are food sources for this vitamin but exposure to sun is a very easy way to obtain required amounts of vitamin D for the body. However, please note, that about 10 - 15 minutes of exposure to the sun (without any sunscreen) twice a week is sufficient for the amount of vitamin D needed for the body. If your exposure is more than this time, then you should be aware of :

Harmful effects of sunrays:

• Skin ages faster
• Dry skin gets drier
• Oily skin can get oilier
• Sunrays can sometimes lead to outburst of acne
• The skin can get sun-burnt and feel very dry and irritable
• Over exposure to sun rays can cause significant damage to the skin cells leading to skin cancer.

Protection from harmful effects of sunrays:

• Prevent direct exposure to sun rays - use umbrellas, hat, sunshades, stay in the shade. Wear sunglasses to protect the eyes.



• It is absolutely inevitable that you use sunscreen. The ultra-violet rays, more commonly called UV rays, from the sun can be blocked effectively by using good quality sunscreen. The sunscreens are marked by something called SPF (Sun Protection Factor). Make sure to buy sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher and should be "broad-spectrum". Broad spectrum sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Observe the following :
  
  
  
  • Apply sunscreen about 15-20 minutes before stepping out.
  • Apply generous amount of sunscreen on all exposed areas and rub it in.
  • You must re-apply after 2-3 hours being in the sun rays.
• Avoid going out during the afternoon hours when the rays are most intense.

Natural ways to repair sun damaged skin:

• If you got spot burns on face, hands, nose, etc. apply thinly sliced cucumber slices for about 20 minutes to cool it off.
• If you are sun burnt in most areas of the body, mix 2 cups of oatmeal in water in the bath tub and soak yourself in the tub for about 15-20 minutes. Just rinse yourself after that with fresh running water. Do not use any soap.
• Sun rays really expedite our skin aging process. Skin can become dry, chapped, lose glow and radiance. To repair such damaged skin, treat it naturally with either of the methods as described on the following link.

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