WAYS TO FIGHT SUNBURN

Sunburns can occur in all skin types. Although, our skin color (black) provides us a certain level of protection from the sun we are still very much prone to getting burned. Sunburn occurs when we expose our skin to the sun and considering our climate, it’s almost inevitable.

It usually results into redness and pain to touch. The cumulative effects of continued sun exposure include, early wrinkling and ageing, cellular damage and melanoma (the most serious type of skin cancer). The effect on our skin can be minimized by the application of a sunscreen with spf 30 or more before we leave the house in the morning or every hour during the day. If you do have a sun burn, not to worry, there are some home remedies that can be used to deal with sunburn;

Aloe vera: This is a readily available plant that benefits the skin a lot, and what’s more, it can be grown indoors. You can slice the leaf gently to gain access to the juice. Aloe vera will soothe the skin, relieve the pain of burn and speed up the healing process of the skin. You can also add some vitamin E oil to the aloe vera to speed up the healing process.

 Tea tree oil: Use tea tree oil diluted with olive or virgin coconut oil to treat sunburn and prevent peeling. It not only helps with sunburn but helps with your overall skin tone and texture.

Keep hydrated: Sun burn dehydrates the skin, so we should try drinking the minimum of 8 glasses of water a day to keep our skin hydrated.