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How to Prevent and Soothe Sunburn?

How to Prevent and Soothe Sunburn?

How to Prevent and Soothe Sunburn

When it’s a beautiful day and you can’t wait to get outside, it’s all too easy to forget about sun protection. However, it’s important to remember that sun exposure is bad for your skin. Not only can you catch a sunburn, but too much exposure to UV Rays can cause long term damage to your skin in the form of lines and wrinkles!

So, what can you do to prevent this?


Sun Protection

The best way to avoid a sunburn is to make sure that you’re protected. You can do this by wearing sunscreen, or SPF, on your face and body - essentially, anywhere that will be exposed to the sun. 


While there are plenty of different formulas on the market, we’d recommend choosing a sunscreen with a high SPF (at least 30+), and ingredients that can help protect your skin from a broad spectrum of UV rays.


Heliocare’s Mineral Tolerance Fluid SPF 50, for example, uses mineral filters and antioxidants to block out UVA/UB rays, infrared-A radiation, and visible light. Added vitamins C and E add additional protection, and help to maintain good skin health - which is crucial for a day in the sun. 


We’d also recommend IS Clinical’s Extreme Protect SPF 40. This formula provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, as well as an antioxidant-rich protective barrier to help prevent skin damage such as photo ageing and skin cancer. It also helps reduce damage caused by sunburn by hydrating and softening the skin. 


For the highest levels of protection, apply your sunscreen around twenty to thirty minutes before you’re exposed to the sun. If you wear makeup, apply your sunscreen before your makeup. 


Once you’re outside and enjoying the sun, make sure to reapply your sunscreen regularly. It’s recommended that you reapply every two to three hours, and more often if you’re sweating or swimming. 


Soothing Sunburn

Even if you apply sunscreen carefully and regularly, there’s always a chance that you’ll accidentally miss a patch of skin and end up with a sunburn. If this happens, your sunburn can range from a pink tinge to skin that is red, painful, and hot to the touch. In extreme cases, your skin may even blister.


If your sunburn is causing you pain or discomfort, take a painkiller such as ibuprofen to help calm redness and inflammation. 

Make sure to drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin, and consider taking a cool bath or shower to ease the burn and help to return moisture to the area. To help soothe sunburnt skin and boost healing, we’d recommend using gentle products with nourishing ingredients which can help to lock hydration into your skin. 


For example, IS Clinical’s Hydra Cool Serum provides thorough skin hydration, with its formula enabling superior antioxidants to generate the skin’s surface and both rejuvenate and hydrate the skin. 


IS Clinical’s Copper Firming Mist is another product that’s great for sunburn, as the formula’s pharma grade botanical ingredients are both intensely hydrating and soothing for the skin. 


We’d also highly recommend the Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Serum and Phyto Corrective Masque to help to soothe sunburn. These products are suitable for compromised or inflamed skin, and will help to reduce visible redness, discomfort and heat. 


IS Clinical’s Sheald Recovery Balm is another product which is suitable for compromised skin, and has ingredients that protect skin while encouraging skin recovery and repair.


Look out for products which contain aloe vera, as this is often recommended for sunburned skin!



To discuss the best skincare routine and sun protection for your skin, why not book a personalised consultation with Dr. Laura today?

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