Sunburn Prevention Tips
To keep yourself from getting burned this summer a little prevention is in order. Remember the sun can damage your skin and if you end up getting burned be sure to treat it right away.
These clever tips will help with prevention and treatment to soothe your skin:
* Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going into the sun.
* If you get a sunburn, soothe it with tea, vinegar, baking soda paste, or any over the counter burn medications.
* Use the gel from the leaf of an aloe vera plant - very comforting if gooey.
* Unless you're bald, the most sun abused part of your body is your face. Protect it with a proper hat, not a visor or cap than can leave ears, neck and cheeks exposed.
* Wearing a hat with a 3 inch all around brim reduces the incidences of skin cancer by about 70 percent and provides UV protection for your eyes.
* If your hair isn't long enough to cover your neck, outfit your hat with a neck curtain.
* If you choose a straw hat, don't pick one with an open-weave brim.
* Cover up by wearing long pants and long sleeves. Dark colors shield better, but in the tropics light colors and whites will be much cooler.
* To protect lips (which have no natural protection because they don't contain melanin), use a high SPF, at least 15.
* Use deep conditioners liberally to keep your hair healthy on a boat. Condition before you go to help protect your hair from the drying effects of saltwater.
* Protect hair by wearing a hat, the very one you're altready planning to wear to protect your face and your eyes.
- Steve Hicks