The most common reason why people underestimate the severity of sun damage is that you don’t know how bad sunburnt skin can get until you feel it, which is usually a day after skin exposure to the sun.

Moreover, typically for aesthetic reason, some people prefer to have more tanned skin as a beauty aspect, therefore thinking sun exposure to skin may be a good thing.

However, what we all need to understand is that protecting our skin from sunburn and damage is extremely important to our health and making sure we don’t develop more serious health complications.

That’s why it’s important always to use sunscreen when you’re out and about. Sunscreen is friendly to all skin types. There are many different brands and formulations to suit your specific skin type and purpose.

Please don’t take the risk of not using it as prolonged sun exposure to the skin may prove detrimental to your health.

Side Effects of Sunburnt Skin

Pain

After a day or even a few hours, you’ll notice skin that has been affected by sunburn becomes extremely orange or red in colour. Your skin also becomes extremely sensitive during this time. The pain and irritation come from feelings of warm to hot skin, skin tightening and swelling in the affected area.

Skin Peeling

Over time, the skin of the affected area will begin to start shedding. Dead skin cells are removed. During this time, you may feel irritation when the affected skin is touching clothes, surfaces or even in bed.

Permanent Skin Colouration

This is also known as tanning. UVA radiation is what creates the brown colour in the skin after prolonged sun exposure. UVA rays will hit the lower layers of the epidermis, triggering melanocytes.

This produces melanin. Melanin is the body’s way of protecting skin from sun damage. Unless you want a tan, it can be very troublesome as melanin can cause tan lines, dark spots, wrinkles and inconsistent skin tone throughout the body.

Serious Health Complications

If the skin is burnt to a critical condition, it can develop into more serious health complications that aren’t easy to fix. Severe sunburn can lead to fainting, heat stroke and even skin cancer.

If you feel light-headed, difficulty breathing, sudden illness, significant loss of strength or sudden chill, then you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Benefits of Sunscreen for You

Decrease The Appearance Of Aging

Wearing sunscreen can protect your skin from going through the risk of all the possible sunburn side effects. Dermatologists with the Skin Cancer Foundation estimate that 90% of visible ageing comes from all the time you’ve spent under the sun in your lifetime. Using sunscreen when needed will save your skin from years of visible damage later in life.

Prevent Skin Cancer

Skin cancer occurs when skin cells are damaged by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. This doesn’t just take a day to happen.

By not using sunscreen for long periods, skin condition will continue to deteriorate should you not protect it against UV radiation from the sun. Use a sunscreen containing SPF 30+ (Sun Protection Factor) as this specifically combats Ultraviolet radiation.

The number value (30+) indicates how well it works against battling sun exposure.

Suitable For All Skin Types – Everyone has different skin types, therefore different needs. Some may have more sensitive skin than others, and some people may have darker skin than others.

A study by UAE Health expert, Dr Batra in 2015 concluded that using sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 is recommended to all people regardless of skin colour.

Application Tips

With temperatures as high as 50 degrees during summer in the UAE, use an SPF Sunscreen with a minimum of 15+. Try to cover all the skin that is not covered by clothing. This can be your arms, neck, upper back, lower legs, and lower shoulders.

Use a sunscreen that is typically formulated for the face. Using facial specific sunscreen helps to prevent skin irritation, prevent acne development and moisturise your face at the same time. Don’t forget also to cover the back of your ears.

Head over to the Okadoc app to immediately book an appointment with your health practitioner.