Fried Female or Bronzed Babe?

Ha ha, guess what this one’s about!!….oh the sun is out and don’t we just all love a tan?! We look better, healthier, slimmer – in fact, the entire world seems like a better place to be when we are bronzed beautifully!  Well, with the sun shining in all its glory right now, I figured there is no better time than to remind  and discuss the importance of sun protection!

As a reformed sun worshipper, having blistered, bruised, burned nee fried, I have damaged my skin extensively over the years and tried every trick in the book to get a fabulous bronzed glow! With some Spanish blood in me, I go very dark, however living in the UK all my life means my skin is pale for the majority of the time – I used to turbo charge the route to Tanville but these days have learned that safety and my health…..and my children must come first!!

So, sun protection factors – are they really all they are cracked up to be? Can you still get a healthy tan AND be protected? Are there ways to prepare your skin for the sun?… the answers are yes to all the above!!

Let’s start with actually BEING in the sun! Skin care is one of the most common cancers in the UK and the number of people who develop it are increasing.

Cancer Research has a great site with loads of information on it about caring for your skin in the sun and they recommend that you should always use shade, clothing and at least an SPF15 to protect yourself.

Sunburn is evidence that UV radiation from either the sun or a sunbed, has damaged the DNA of your skin. What causes the pain, is your body’s desperate attempt to heal itself – fascinating but not worth going through for the long term affects can of course for some, be potentially fatal.

It is a myth that you can’t get a tan when you use an SPF – you can, I’ve done it!!! I was the BIGGEST cynic for years when it came to using SPFs. The MOST I would use was 5 – and that would be for the first 3 days in the sun only! I have since learned that I can tan, safely, without burning and actually getting a much more beautiful colour and generally having a better experience by using a higher SPF. Now I use nothing less than 15 and always with both UVA and UVB filters.

So, there are masses and masses of sun creams out there, how do you choose? What do you look for? Do the all day ones really work? To be honest there is an element of choosing one which you LIKE, but there are a few factors (‘scuse the pun) to bear in mind and always remember basic suncare tips.

• Must have UVA and UVB protection, check the packaging.
• Start minimum at SPF15 and reapply frequently unless you have chosen one of the “once a day” brands (which personally I favour).
• Keep out of the midday sun – although that does mean from 11-3, not just 11.59-12.02!!
• Give yourself time so that your skin can get used to the sun slowly if you’ve been away from it for a while.
• Choose water resistant products.
• Keep covered with t-shirts and hats for added protection – a must for kids!
• Cover your head – and again, your children’s.
• Remember you are more vulnerable to burn and sunstroke around water.

It’s so important to remember that the sun is to be enjoyed – man I’m first in the garden with my shoulders out and my knees on show if I think I might get a kiss from those rays – but not at the expense of damage from those UV rays!! It’s better that you build a tan slowly than fry yourself in one sitting!

I remember going to Majorca years ago with my best friend and we used carrot oil, burned ourselves to a crisp and were “dead proud” of our beetroot arms – the trouble with that was it hurt, we got the chills, we couldn’t sleep, had to hide from the sun for a couple of days – and then it all peeled!!….sound familiar?!

These days, although somewhat less of a party animal, I use tan accelerators to prepare my skin (yes they do work…) and at least an SPF15 at all times. I use SPF50 on the children as they say that the majority of sun damage is done in the early years and my husband uses a 30 as he burns easily too.

How Do I Choose an SPF? (Sun Protection Factor) What Do The Numbers Mean? Essentially, the number refers to the strength of protection multiplied by your own. For example, if you burn easily, you need a higher number as your natural protection is low. However, if you don’t burn easily, you can go for a lower factor as you don’t need to multiply your own natural protection so greatly.

In the UK, we have had 3 consecutive years of shocking summers – and I mean SHOCKING!!…like heating on in August, no sunshine, no bbqs! So, when the sun does come out, we often panic and think we need to grab it whilst it is here and so often take risks with our skin – it’s not worth it. It’s also not worth ruining your vacation by being irresponsible. A few years ago, in London UK, a woman was charged with abuse and neglect as her two children had been so badly sunburned one weekend that they were admitted to hospital. Just this weekend the Police and an Ambulance were called to a baby with 20% burns having been on the beach in Brighton…. need I say more? (other than the fact that babies MUST be kept in the shade AS WELL AS covered in SPF50!)

Please please, if you are enjoying the sun, protect your skin. Even MORE importantly, if you have babies, keep them not only creamed up, but also in shade!!! Keep an umbrella with you and always put a hat on their head. Don’t forget, plenty of water.

PLENTY OF WATER!!!!!!……

(I say that loudly for my own benefit!!)

Tan Accelerators – do they work? In my experience, absolutely! The story is, that if you apply a tan accelerating moisturiser to your skin up to two weeks before you go in the sun, it gets your melanin working (the stuff in your skin which tans you!) and so it is awake and ready for when you go in the sun. Not only does this prevent burning, but it also means you get a better tan which lasts for longer (remember though, you will still need that SPF!) I use a Tan Accelerating moisturiser all summer, just to be sure and also to get the most out of when the sun does actually pop out from behind the clouds (aaah the joys of life in Britain…. Joan Rivers says we shouldn‘t complain because our rain gives us great flowers – fair point I suppose… but I think I’d trade hydrangeas for sunshine in a heartbeat!!)

After Suns – are these just a gimmick? Actually no, there are specific ingredients in after sun creams which cool and calm the skin and help it repair itself where necessary. Consequently your tan will last much longer.

Exfoliating – must I? Really? You know, this seems a risk for us sun worshippers as we feel that if we remove a layer of skin, we lose some of that tan. However, let me tell you something!!! If you exfoliate once or twice a week during the sunshine, your tan will be AMAZING!!! It will be deeper, richer – and last far longer!!!

Finally, there are many brands out there to choose from. Personally I love the ones that you put on at the beginning of the day and don’t need to reapply. Yes they are more expensive per bottle, but the bottle goes such a long way as you are only applying it once – plus you don’t end up in the middle of the day having to sit on the beach and wipe sand all over yourself – we all know that one!!

So enjoy the sun and the sand, be safe, know your stuff, look out for each other – and don’t let vanity cost you dearly!!

PS….remember, tanning will always prematurely age the skin…..sorry, but it’s a fact!