How to prepare your skin for the sun

Once the winter season is over, we all want to regain a golden and radiant complexion. To achieve the goal of "a perfect tan in a short time," many of us resort to quick strategies such as self-tanning or beauty treatments. UV lamps. In reality, the leather must be prepared with caresun exposure to avoid unpleasant consequences, such as erythema e sunburn, and to get ahealthy tan, as youthful e durable.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SKIN FOR THE SUN

To take the Sun, especially in summer, and to have a nice, firm tan, it's essential to prepare your skin well. Exposing yourself to the sun without proper gradation and at times when the rays are most intense stresses your skin and makes it weak. faced with the powerful action of ultraviolet (UV) raysTo prepare your skin for the sun, you need to know that certain parts of the body are more sensitive to the sun's rays: the face, nose, eyelids, and lips. This means they are also the areas most at risk of sunburn. Another key aspect of preparing your skin for the sun is knowing your skin type and adjusting your tanning regimen accordingly.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR SKIN WITH DIET

Nutrition is the first ally in strengthening the skin, helping to protect it from the negative effects of the sun's rays. Foods containing betacarotene, a substance that combines with natural melanin, facilitating aeven tanFoods such as carrots, tomatoes, apricots, peaches and melons. The diet for a perfect tan also includes foods with high quantities of vitamins A, E and C, substances with antioxidant action that help fight the formation of free radicals, among the main supporters of premature aging not only of skin cells but of those of the entire organism.

• Moisturize the skin

Properly quenching our skin's thirst is one of the most important things we can do not only to protect it from the sun but also to keep it healthy and beautiful. Hydration starts from the inside, by drinking at least two liters of water a day, preferably combined with fresh fruit and vegetable juices and herbal teas. It continues from the outside, by applying specific creams and serums daily, based on active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, phospholipids, glucosamine, and delta lactone.

• Expose yourself gradually

Gradually setting aside time for sun exposure helps stimulate melanin production. Sunbathing in the park or during a spring hike in nature allows us to accumulate the right amount of this pigment, which, remember, regulates tanning and protects the skin from ultraviolet rays. Promoting melanin production allows us to be prepared for the sunny summer days, with a stronger, more effective natural shield capable of protecting our skin.

• Protect your skin

Don't be fooled by the apparent weakness of the sun's first rays. Skin must be carefully protected, even in the spring months.

• Choosing the right sunscreen

The choice of sunscreen should be made based on one's phototype, a classification used in dermatology that is established on the basis of the quality and quantity of melanin present in the skin.

ALSO READ: Perfect tan: here are all the natural remedies for golden skin.

TANNING BASED ON PHOTOTYPE

This classification indicates the reactions that our skin can show following exposure to the sun and is based on the characteristics of a person's complexion and hair. It identifies six phototypes:

• Phototype 1: has very fair skin, red hair, lots of freckles, can't tan and burns very easily;
• Phototype 2: has fair skin, blond hair, lots of freckles, tends to burn and tans very little;
• Phototype 3: has intermediate characteristics between phototype 1 and 2, generally gets a medium tan and can burn;
• Phototype 4: has olive skin, no freckles, rarely burns and always tans;
• Phototype 5: has dark skin, no freckles, rarely burns and tans easily;
• Phototype 6: has very dark skin, no freckles and does not get sunburnt.

Phototypes 1 and 2 require a very high protection factor, indicated on product packaging as Spf 50 or Spf 50+, where the acronym “Spf” stands for “Sun Protection Factor”Skin types 3 and 4 can opt for a protection from 10 to 30 SPF, while for darker skin with skin types 5 and 6 a low protection is sufficient.

In addition to skin type, age also plays a role in choosing a sunscreen: children, adolescents up to 15 years old, and the elderly must always use very high protection levels due to their more sensitive skin.

TO KNOW MORE: 10 tips for a healthy face and skin during hot weather, from watermelon to green tea.

RISKS OF INCORRECT EXPOSURE TO THE SUN

We also remind you that even those who present a dark complexion and not subject to sunburn, must still always apply a protective product During sun exposure, to shield the skin from the harmful effects of its rays. Only with adequate protection can our skin be protected from premature aging and the onset of lesions or diseases strictly related to improper sun exposure, such as actinic keratoses. Finally, adequate protection is the main weapon in fighting a very aggressive skin cancer: skin melanoma.

HOW TO CHOOSE A SUNSCREEN

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NATURAL REMEDIES FOR A PERFECT TAN:

• Sunbathing is good for you, but here are 10 tips to avoid any risks.
• Homemade after-sun cream to hydrate your skin and maintain your tan.
• Children at the beach: how to protect them from the sun and avoid sunburn and irritation.