How to protect your skin from the sun.
Updated: May 31
Wear sunscreen everyday. Exposing scars that are in the healing stage to the sun can cause them to darken and slow the healing process. This is also true for treatments such as peels which remove the epithelial layer of the skin. This is because ultraviolet rays stimulate the pigment-producing cells in your skin, leading to further discoloration. To avoid this, you should wear a sunscreen everyday, summer or winter. Before heading outdoors, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that contains the ingredient zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Reapply after swimming, sweating, or after more than 2 hours in the sun.
Carotenoids are antioxidants that are in carrots, squash, pumpkin, yams etc. etc. Are known as lycopene, lutein and beta carotene. Astaxanthin which is in salmon, krill oil and rainbow trout, they need to be taken regularly to maintain a constant level in the body. Carotenoids, along with polyphenols like EGCG in green tea, resveratrol in red grapes and ellagic acid in berries, offer natural sun protection.
Supplements as sunscreen?
Though antioxidants from foods confer sun protection to skin, consuming them in supplement form poses risk. Oxidation is a finely balanced process, which means at high levels, antioxidants could morph into “pro-oxidants” and could create more damage, experts say.
How to protect your skin from the sun
Heliocare is a fern extract with antioxidant activity. There are a lot of really good studies that show it reduces sunburn, oxidative stress and DNA damage.” It has a SPF of 100
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Rich SPF foods
Tomatoes: contain lycopene, an antioxidant pigment that may protect against sunburn. Tomatoes work better with Olive oil, which also has sunscreen benefits. Other lycopene-rich foods include pink grapefruit and watermelon.
Sweet potatoes and spinach
Sweet potatoes and spinach, carrots, mangoes, apricots, cantaloupe and kale, are rich in beta carotene, another carotenoid that helps decrease redness in skin when it is exposed to UV light. Spinach is also loaded with lutein, another skin-protective carotenoid.
Berries, grapes and pomegranate: offer sun-protective polyphenols: Raspberries, strawberries and pomegranate deliver ellagic acid, while red grapes are rich in resveratrol.
Fatty fish
A diet rich in omega-3s from fish oil like: Salmon, sardines, herring and trout can help make sunburn less severe..
Drinking your sunscreen
Green tea contains beneficial polyphenols called catechins, which may help protect skin from sun damage.
Dilute with a carrier oil to prevent skin irritation. Research how much essential oil to use. Research each essential oil before formulating with it.
Essential Oils Oils SPF Factor-
Carrot Seed Oil- SPF 35-40
Peppermint Oil- up to SPF 7
Lavender Oil -5 SPF
Carrier Oils
Hazel Nut oil SPF 15
Olive Oil- up to 7 SPF
Shea Butter- 4-6 SPF
Almond Oil- up to 5 SPF
Hemp Seed Oil SPF 6
Sesame Oil SPF 4-10,
Mango butter 4-6
Coconut Oil- 4-6 SPF (Clogs pore)
Moroccan Oil SPF ???
Argan oil SPF ???
Soy Bean Oil SPF 10
Enriching Oils
Wheat germ oil SPF 20
Red Raspberry Seed Oil-SPF 25-50
Macadamia Nut Oil- up to SPF 6
Minerals
Zinc Oxide- 1% provides 1.6 SPF units. (depending on the quantity you use)
Titanium Dioxide - 1% provides 2.6 SPF units. (depending on the quantity you use)
These oils below have the highest SPF. Before you purchase : Check to make sure your skin type is compatible with them.
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Raspberry Seed Oil *affiliate link Click Here to purchase on Amazon
Wheat germ oil *affiliate link Click Here to purchase on Amazon
Here's an option for acne prone individuals that is available on Amazon:
Additionally, it's important to consult with a dermatologist or healthcare provider before using any new skin care products, especially if you have a history of skin reactions.