Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Spot Removing Cream, Body Pinky and Melanin Removal Partner
Spot Removing CreamYour Body Pinky, Melanin aPartner.
Best Selling Pinky Cream in Asia for last 11 years.
Functions:
Resume baby Pinky Skins in 7 Days
Reduce dark area, Melanin, black spots on lips and on nipples with no skin harmful
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
How to remove melanin pigment in home ?
Questions:
my complexion is soo black so, i wanna improve it... i have an oily skin... i want to remove the pigment being in home with low price.... help me...... thanks in advance....
To reduce your uneven pigmentation, you have to encourage the upper layer of your skin to shed dead skin cells faster. To do this try a little light exfoliation once or twice a week.Try Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub.
Also use a night cream that contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids. This will help clear congestion and renew the upper layer of skin. Try Night Invigorating Firming Gel by Ole Henriksen.
For you oily skin try using a cream that contains Salicylic Acid. This is great for exfoliation so dermatologists use it to clear clogged pores and acne. Try AM/PM Acne Cleanser by pH Advantage.
Also if you want to use a day cream, look for creams that contain Hyaluronic Acid, as this attracts and traps moisture to hydrate without adding oil, so to won't be adding excess oil to your skin.
Melanin Reduction and Skin Care Expert answer:
In any experts’ advice, by combining skin care products, healthy diet, follow a positive lifestyle and good habits together with taking daily skin care supplement to keep your skin, looks and age in tip top condition.
But we need to understand the procedure and important of each step.
No positive lifestyle, good habits and healthy diet, it reflects your body internally.
More and more skin care products can only cover the external of your skin, but not internally. So The most important is keep good habit and make your internal beautiful.
Skin Care products is only an additional for assisting your improvement.
If talking about Skin Care product, Synergy would be the brand I recommend. Synergy has a passion for skin care, especially the spot removing cream which can remove black spots in skin without harmful and show the effect within 7 days. It is the best pinky cream in Asia for last 11 years.
Facial Refreshers: Options for Skin Rejuvenation and Resurfacing
| Have you lost the charm on your face? Does your skin look dull and unattractive? Do not worry because plastic surgery has a solution for it. Microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing are two different facial techniques that can often be performed in the comfort and convenience of a local spa by a trained beautician. You can easily drive yourself to appointments and the recovery period is significantly shorter and less painful. If drugstore potions aren't doing the trick, either microdermabrasion or laser skin resurfacing could be your solution. |
| Author Resource:- For Baltimore laser resurfacing skin and microdermabrasion, men and women of San Francisco can seek out the excellent abilities of experienced, board certified surgeons. One such San Francisco plastic surgeon offers skin rejuvenation information, before and after pictures, and financing options online at http://www.drcohenplasticsurgery.com/. |
Facial Refreshers: Options for Skin Rejuvenation and Resurfacing
A popular spa treatment for facial blemishes, mild sun damage, acne, and minor age spots is microdermabrasion. The process involves massaging the skin with a wand-like instrument which contains a pad of organic particles and zinc oxide, similar to the consistency of fine sandpaper. The rough surface removes the topmost layer of skin through abrasion. By removing this layer, superficial skin problems will disappear with it. The microdermabrasion process reveals the new, fresh skin cells beneath, allowing facial products to penetrate more easily and will ultimately work more effectively.
Recovery from microdermabrasion is simple. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, it may remain red and tender for a few hours afterwards, but this will completely dissipate by the next morning and can easily be covered by makeup. Microdermabrasion is most effective when you receive repeated treatments. If getting to a spa regularly is difficult, there are also machines and abrasive creams available for use in home.
For a more intense facial treatment, laser skin resurfacing treats a wider range of problems from scars and spider veins to wrinkles and severe acne. There are different kinds of lasers used in the process depending on what problem and area is being treated, but in general they all work the same. Beams of light pulsate across the skin surface, removing the damaged layers of skin. Just like microdermabrasion, the new layer of skin will be revealed. It is also a fairly quick "lunchtime" procedure. Sessions last between thirty minutes to two hours and patients are usually able to care for themselves adequately during the recovery period.
Laser skin resurfacing does involve a recovery process which may keep you out of work for a while. Your face will have to be dressed for a few days and then Vaseline will be applied over the area for up to twenty days, protecting the new skin cells. Skin can remain red and raw looking for two to six months afterwards, and as with many skin rejuvenation treatments, repeated visits provide the best results. During the healing process, your skin might begin to peel and will feel dry, similar to the effects of a sunburn.
If you weren't born with the perfect skin and are looking to get rid your complexion damage by blemishes and sun, microdermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing are two cosmetic treatments that can help. With repeated visits and a solid home skincare regime, you can achieve a healthy glow that otherwise wouldn't be possible with face wash and creams alone.
Author Resource:- For Baltimore laser resurfacing skin and microdermabrasion, men and women of San Francisco can seek out the excellent abilities of experienced, board certified surgeons. One such San Francisco plastic surgeon offers skin rejuvenation information, before and after pictures, and financing options online at http://www.drcohenplasticsurgery.com/.
Nurse's Skin Care Tips - Coconut Oil And Little-Known Secrets For Wrinkles And Dry Skin
| One of the first things we learned in nurse's training about the skin is that it's your body's first line of defense against disease and infection, and that it protects your internal organs from injuries. Piercing ears and other parts of the body actually break that line of defense. Although many people pierce their ears without giving it a second thought, infections can develop and so can nickel allergies. Nickel allergies were a lot more common in the past with the use of jet guns. The guns dragged little particles of nickel into the blood stream. |
| Author Resource:- For more information on coconut oil treatment for dry skin and dry skin care treatments go to http://www.Best-Skin-Care-Tips.com a nurse's website specializing in care for skin conditions with tips, advice and resources for women, men, teens and babies, including information on the best natural products |
Nurse's Skin Care Tips - Coconut Oil And Little-Known Secrets For Wrinkles And Dry Skin
The skin is the largest organ in the body. It regulates our temperature and both helps prevent fluid loss, as well as helps our body remove excess water and salt. And when our skin becomes dry it needs water, not oils, skin creams or moisturizers or other skin care products, to appease its thirst and help rejuvenate it.
The skin has two layers - the epidermis which is on top and the dermis which is below. The epidermis keeps producing new cells that push to the top of the skin surface. The nerve cells in our skin make it sensitive to touch, pressure, and temperature. There are about 18,000,000 skin cells on every square inch of our bodies.
The body's process of producing healthy new skin cells and removing or shedding the old skin cells takes about three weeks. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and often becomes very dry skin. Thinning skin is a result of a complete breakdown of the collagen fibers. As it ages, skin loses its elasticity, especially if it's been exposed to excessive sunlight, and becomes even more fragile.
Because of exposure to the sun, protecting the aging skin from the sun is the most important thing you can do in your skin care regimen. Exposing the sun will cause wrinkles, dry out, and age the skin prematurely, leaving it coarse, thick and wrinkly. This can happen quite innocently outside in direct noon sunlight without protection. Another side effect of too much sunning it uneven pigmentation including freckles and brown spots (also called liver spots).
Most skin care doctors and other health professionals recommend a simple cleansing regimen as the best approach to keeping skin healthy and vibrant. Just using warm water, not hot water and no abrasive skin scrubs, which can cause broken blood vessels, scratch the skin and irritate any clogged pores. Make sure to pat the skin dry rather than rub it vigorously after your bath or shower to help preserve the moisture. I like to use virgin coconut oil as both a make-up remover and natural skin care treatment. It leaves my skin so soft and silky and it's cheap too. It's great if you want clear skin.
Following these tips should help you on your path to better skin care treatment and a much healthier clear, fine-line and wrinkle-free skin. Start today to take the best care of you skin and protect it every way you can. It's the best anti-aging care you can give it.
Author Resource:- For more information on coconut oil treatment for dry skin and dry skin care treatments go to http://www.Best-Skin-Care-Tips.com a nurse's website specializing in care for skin conditions with tips, advice and resources for women, men, teens and babies, including information on the best natural products
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Deep Dark Tan Without The Sun
| When using tanning beds properly it will give you a natural look to your wintry pale skin. When exposed to UVB rays it will stimulate and produce skin pigment called is melanin which makes your skin turn dark. Any type of exposure to UVB rays is not good; if you are exposed for any amount of time you will need to have some type of protection. If you have a family history of skin cancer, its all the more reason to take extra cautions. Some older tanning beds use the older style of lamps, these lamps emit UV A rays which is not good for your skin. UV A radiation has been reported to cause skin cancer and other diseases of the skin. It has been reported that skin cancer is on the rise, with the ozone depleting and the popularity of tanning beds. |
| Author Resource:- David Marc Fishman is the owner of site that helps with skin cancer site. Become beautiful with natural skin care. Smell great with airbrush tanning. |
How to Be Safe When You're in the Sun
The weather is warming up, the days are longer and there’s more time to be outside doing all kinds of fun things! But if you're going to be out in the sun, especially on a hot day, you need to stay safe. Let's find out how.
Don't Feel the Burn
Even though the sun is hot, it does cool things. It keeps us warm. It makes flowers and plants grow. It even gives us vitamin D so we can better absorb calcium into our bodies for strong bones.
It does all these things by sending down light, which includes invisible ultraviolet (say: ul-trah-vye-uh-lut) rays. These are also sometimes called UV rays. Some ultraviolet rays pass through air and clouds and penetrate the skin. When your skin's been exposed to too many of these rays, you get what's known as a sunburn. Ouch!
Some people get a sunburn faster than others because of their coloring. If you have blond or red hair, light-colored skin, and light-colored eyes, you'll tend to get a sunburn more quickly than someone with dark eyes and skin. That's because you have less melanin (say: meh-luh-nun). Melanin is a chemical in the skin that protects the skin from sun damage by reflecting and absorbing UV rays. People with darker skin have more melanin, but even if you have dark hair, dark eyes, or darker-toned skin, you can still get a sunburn. It will just take a little bit longer.
Sunburns look bad and feel worse. They can cause blisters on your skin. They can keep you inside feeling sore when everyone else is outside having fun. They increase your chance of getting wrinkly when you get older. And worst of all, they can lead to skin cancer when you get older. Because getting wrinkles and getting sick don't happen right away, they can seem like things that could never happen to you. But you still need to be careful.
You don't need to hide from the sun completely or wrap up like a mummy to protect yourself. But you should take these two steps:
1. Always wear sunscreen.
2. Take frequent breaks from the sun by going indoors or moving into the shade.
These steps are especially important between 10:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon, when the sun's rays are strongest.
Use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 or higher. Put on sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going out in the sun. If you are fair skinned, you should use a sunscreen with a higher SPF rating such as SPF 30. The letters SPF stand for sun protection factor, and the number rating tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without getting sunburned. So if you normally burn after 20 minutes and you put on a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15, this sunscreen may give you 15 times the protection. That's 15 times 20 minutes, or 300 minutes (5 hours).
But this isn’t always true, so reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, just to be safe. Do this more often if you've been swimming or sweating a lot - even if the sunscreen is waterproof. And remember that you can get sunburned more quickly when you're swimming or boating because the reflection from the water intensifies the sun's rays.
Be sure to put sunscreen all over your body. This includes some places you might not think of, like the tops of your ears, the back of your neck, the part in your hair, your face, and the tops of your feet. If you want to block the sun's rays, wear clothing that you can't see your hand through. You may still get burned through sheerer fabrics. Wear a baseball cap or other fun hat to block your face from the sun.
Don't forget that your eyes need protection from ultraviolet rays, too. Always wear sunglasses in the bright sun, and make sure they have a label saying that they block UV rays.
Drink Up!
Drinking water is an important part of staying healthy, especially when it's hot outside. When you're sweating, you lose water that your body needs to work properly. And if you're playing a sport or running around in the sun, you lose even more water, because you sweat that much more.
So drink up and don't wait until you're thirsty - drinking before you feel thirsty helps keep the water level in your body from dropping too low when it's hot or you're sweating a lot with exercise. If you forget and suddenly feel thirsty, start drinking then. There are lots of cool-looking water bottles around, so get one you really like, fill it up, and drink up!
Got That Hot Feeling?
If you're out in the hot sun, or you're exercising on a hot day, it's easy to get heat exhaustion. Kids get heat exhaustion when their bodies can't cool themselves fast enough. A kid with heat exhaustion might feel overheated, tired, and weak.
Heat exhaustion can come on suddenly. A person may just collapse when playing soccer or tennis, for example. It can leave a person feeling really tired for days after it happens.
Heat stroke is a more serious heat-related illness and can cause a person to stop sweating, to have red, hot skin, and to have a high temperature. The person might become uncoordinated, confused, or even lose consciousness. It requires emergency medical attention.
Be sure to tell an adult if you're hot and you have a headache or feel dizzy or nauseous (like you're going to throw up). The grown-up will want to get you out of the sun, give you liquids to drink, and take you to a doctor, if necessary.
The good news is that the sun doesn't have to be your enemy if you wear your sunscreen, drink your water, and take breaks when you start to feel too hot. And don't forget your sunglasses. Not only do they protect your eyes from the sun, they make you look so cool!
Updated and reviewed by: Kate Cronan, MD
Sunburn Now, Skin Cancer Later?
This holiday weekend, it's more important than ever to slather the kids with sunscreen if you get out into the sun. Did you know having just ONE sunburn as a child more than doubles your chances of getting skin cancer as an adult? It's scary that a little sun damage now could cost your child his or her life later. May is skin cancer awareness month, so we talked to one family who lost a husband and a father to the deadly disease.
Momlogic: When was your husband diagnosed with skin cancer?
Rhonda: At age 27, he had a mole on his back that started changing shape and color. He had a biopsy and it came back as skin cancer. For the next two years, we didn't change our lifestyle much, we just stayed out of the sun and he had the mole removed. He was given a clean bill of health -- he was a young guy and the doctor said he was 95% cured, and to go live his life. But two years later, about a month before I found out I was pregnant with our third child, he was diagnosed with melanoma. The doctors told us Darren had a death sentence. Despite aggressive treatment that included chemo and two surgeries, he passed away two years later.
Momlogic: What is your message to moms?
Rhonda: I want to raise awareness about the potential dangers of the sun. Before Darren passed away, we talked about how to keep our kids safe from sunburn. We learned when you get one sunburn as a kid, it doubles your chances of getting skin cancer as an adult. Three years ago, I started UV Skinz, a company that sells swim shirts that provide 98% protection from UV rays. This is something you throw on your kid, it's chemical-free, and you don't have to worry about reapplying lotions every few hours. Despite losing my husband to skin cancer, I still want my kids to enjoy the sun. I just want them to do it safely.
Melanin Is the Big Factor in The Sun's Effect on Aging Skin, Melanin: Aging of the Skin and Skin Cancer
"Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is responsible for 90% of the visible signs of aging on the skin of whites," says Dr. Michael J. Martin, former Assistant Clinical Professor in the Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at University of California, San Francisco. However, Blacks' skin, however, ages much slower.
Why are most dark-skinned blacks protected from harmful UVR rays? Because compared to whites, blacks possess more melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.
What is Melanin?
Melanin offers protection against UV rays for blacks and other dark-skinned people. Conversely, fair-skinned people are much less protected and more susceptible to skin cancer. Furthermore, albinos' skin offers no protection.
Although blacks' skin produces more melanin than whites', all skin has the same number of melanocytes, the cells that manufacture the melanin.
Melanocytes manufacture melanin from an amino acid, tyrosin, with the help of an enzyme, tyrosinase. In the bottom layer of the epidermis above the dermis, UV light stimulates the production of melanin in the form of insoluble melanosomes. These surround the epidermal cells, which move up to the surface of the skin. The result is a tan.
Blacks' skin produce more melanin, even in the absence of sunlight, and their type of melanin, eumelanin, is more effective at blocking solar rays. However, white skin produces melanin only in the presence of sunlight and after the UV rays have penetrated the lower portion of the epidermis and have caused skin damage.
"Melanin also functions as an excellent free radical scavenger. It affects the delicately designed lipids that hold moisture in the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis). If the skin loses its moisture, it becomes rigid and cracks," says Sergio Nacht, PhD., Senior Vice-President of Enhanced Derm Technologies, Inc. in Redwood City.
Ultraviolet Radiation UV-A Causes Aging of the Skin
UV-A has the longest wavelength, is not filtered by the ozone and passes through glass. It reaches the earth all year long and the amount is comparatively stable. It can penetrate the skin down to the dermis, beneath the four layers of epidermis. It is responsible for most of the visible signs of aging, due to damage to collagen and elastic fibers of the connective tissue of the dermis.
UV-A radiation also plays a role in the development of sunburns and skin cancer. Tanning salon lamps emit a large amount of UV-A rays to generate tans, so the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend their use.
Ultraviolet Radiation UV-B Causes Sunburns and DNA Damage
UV-B radiation, which is partially filtered by the ozone, penetrates the skin to the bottom layer of the epidermis where the basal cells are produced. UV-B can break the molecular bonds, disturbing the dividing cells and altering their structure. Compared with UV-A, UV-B is responsible for most of DNAs damage. It also causes most sunburns. During a sunburn the reddening of the skin, erythema, is caused by dilation of capillaries.
More UV-B is present during summer months between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at latitudes closer to the equator. Furthermore, at high altitudes the air is thinner and cleaner, so UV-B radiation is more abundant.
UV-C, which is generally filtered by the ozone, has the shortest wavelength and the most energy, or intensity. It can sterilize hospital equipment and kill bacteria.
In addition, UV light that reaches the earth is scattered in all directions, and up to 85% is reflected from certain surfaces.
The Theory of Melanin for Environmental Adaptation
Originally, people of a particular race resided in a particular area. As time went on, their skin adapted to the environment. For instance, people who lived geographically close to the equator had darker skin, and people who lived far from the equator had lighter skin.
In Scotland, which lies at a northern latitude, descendants of the Britons have white skin. When their skin is exposed to the meager sunlight, the scant amount of melanin their skin produces is unable to block the sunlight. Therefore, their bodies are able to make Vitamin D with the help of sunlight. Vitamin D, a vitamin found in fish oil, is necessary to prevent rickets, a bone disease caused by too little calcium.
In contrast, in Africa, which is near the equator, blacks require intense sunlight to penetrate their dark skin to make Vitamin D. This is all well and good. However, when blacks lived in England during the Industrial Revolution, they were the first to develop symptoms of rickets, such as retarded growth, bowed legs and fractures because not enough sunlight was available.
Fortunately, in 1930, Vitamin D was discovered and dispensed as a supplement to add to the diet.
On the other hand, the skin of whites in Australia are in complete opposition to their climate. Consequently, intense UV radiation has been the major cause of skin damage and skin cancer Down Under.
About Diana Clarke
Diana Clarke is a teacher, freelance writer and founder of The Sun and Your Skin, a website on life and light at www.yourskinandsun.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
Beauty Tips for Women Over 50
Beautiful skin, a beautiful body and a beautiful sense of style does not have an end once you hit 50s. Theres very little difference between the recommended diet and exercise habits for a 20-year-old and that of a 50-year-old. In fact, the only difference is that a healthy diet and regular exercise are more important than ever. During the aging process, the key to keeping your body properly functioning and in shape is to eat healthy and stay active. At 50 and older, most adults are still capable of completing most exercises.
Exercising can mean taking daily 40 minutes walk with your partner or alone, enjoying exercise videos at home. Botox injections can ease wrinkles in the upper third of the face. Chemical peels are effective in removing fine lines and smoothing skin, especially around the eyes and mouth. Wrinkle fillers can plump up your skin and erase lines.
Women over 50 usually look better with a cream lipsticks rather than a matte or gloss and in a pinch your lipsticks can double as a blush. Lips tend to lose definition and color, and become thinner with age. One of the great makeup tricks for aging skin is using a neutral lip liner to add plumpness with a sheer lipstick to avoid feathering we like berries and browns‚. Use a lip liner to help define lips. Try a lip liner whose color is very close to the natural shade of your lips and both line and fill in the lips with this pencil prior to using your lip color. Carry a stash of different lipsticks in daring shades in your purse for different occasions, outfits, and moods. Use makeup to accentuate your positive qualities and make yourself feel great.
Women Over 50 and Beauty Tips
1. Using heavy makeup and powders does not compliment dryer skin.
2. Heavily powdered skin will make your skin look matte and dry.
3. Just as the pigment in our hair changes and it turns grey, the melanin in our skin changes also.
4. Don't give into the idea that you have to own every new color that is fashionable for a particular season.
5. Use a humidifier. Use moisturizing soaps and lotions.
6. Good nutrition helps the body repair skin.
7.Drinking lots of water helps hydrate skin from the inside out.
8. Use products with SPF 15 or higher, and both UVB and UVA protection.
About the Author: Juliet Cohen writes articles for anti aging tips and free beauty tips. For more
information on beauty visit our site at http://www.onlinebeautytips.org
Sun Safety (2 of 2)
Use Sunscreen Consistently
There are lots of good sunscreens available for kids, including formulations for sensitive skin, brands with fun scents like watermelon, long-lasting waterproof and sweat-proof versions, and easy-application varieties in spray bottles.
What matters most in a sunscreen is the degree of protection from UV rays it provides. When faced with the overwhelming sea of sunscreen choices at drugstores, concentrate on the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers on the labels.
The SPF number tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning if you apply the sunscreen, which acts as a "block" to the sun's rays (hence the term sunblock). For example, if your child would burn after 20 minutes of sun exposure, applying a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 gives him or her 15 times the protection.
For kids age 6 months and older, select an SPF of 15 or higher to prevent both sunburn and tanning. Choose a sunscreen that states on the label that it protects against both UVA and UVB rays (referred to as "broad-spectrum" sunscreen). To avoid possible skin allergy, avoid sunscreens with PABA, and if your child has sensitive skin, look for a product with the active ingredient titanium dioxide (a chemical-free block).
For sunscreen to do its job, it must be applied correctly. Be sure to:
- Use sunscreen whenever your child will be in the sun.
- Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before going outside so that a good layer of protection can form. Don't forget about lips, hands, ears, feet, shoulders, and behind the neck. Lift up bathing suit straps and apply sunscreen underneath them (in case the straps shift as your child moves).
- Don't try to stretch out a bottle of sunscreen; as a guide, apply the sunscreen generously.
- Reapply sunscreen often, approximately every 2 to 3 hours, as recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology. Reapply after your child is sweating or swimming.
- Apply a waterproof sunscreen if your child will be around water or will go swimming. Water reflects and intensifies the sun's rays, so kids need protection that lasts. Waterproof sunscreens may last up to 80 minutes in the water, and some are also sweat- and rub-proof. But, regardless of the waterproof label, be sure to reapply sunscreen when kids come out of the water.
Keep in mind that every child needs extra sun protection. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that all children - regardless of their skin tone - wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Although dark skin has more protective melanin and tans more easily than it burns, remember that tanning is also a sign of sun damage. Dark-skinned children can also develop painful sunburns.
Purchase Protective Eyewear for Kids
Sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin. Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye). Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts later in life (clouding of the eye lens, which results in blindness). The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses.
Not all sunglasses provide the same level of ultraviolet protection; darkened plastic or glass lenses without special UV filters just trick the eyes into a false sense of safety. Purchase sunglasses with labels ensuring that they provide 100% UV protection.
But not all children enjoy wearing sunglasses, especially the first few times. To encourage kids, let them select a style they particularly like; many manufacturers make fun, multicolored glass frames or frames embossed with cartoon characters. And don't forget that kids want to be like grown-ups. If you wear sunglasses regularly, your kids may be willing to follow your example.
Ask About Your Child's Medication
Some medications increase the skin's sensitivity to UV rays. As a result, even kids with skin that tends not to burn easily can develop a severe sunburn in just minutes when taking certain medications. Fair-skinned children, of course, are even more vulnerable. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the prescription (especially antibiotics and acne medications) and over-the-counter medications your child is taking can increase sun sensitivity. If so, always take extra sun precautions. The best protection is simply covering up or staying indoors; even sunscreen can't always protect skin from sun sensitivity caused by medications.
What to Do if Your Child Gets a Sunburn
A sunburn can sneak up on your child, especially after a long day at the beach or park. Often, kids seem fine during the day, but then gradually develop an "afterburn" later that evening that can be painful and hot and can even make them feel sick. The best way to take care of your child is to treat the symptoms and prevent further problems.
When children get sunburned, they usually experience pain and a sensation of heat - symptoms that tend to become more severe several hours after sun exposure. Some children also develop chills. Because the sun has dried their skin, it can become itchy and tight. Burned skin typically begins to peel about a week after the sunburn. Encourage your child not to scratch or peel off loose skin because skin underneath the sunburn is vulnerable to infection.
If your child does get a sunburn, the following tips may help you make him or her more comfortable:
- Keep your child in the shade until the sunburn is healed. Any additional sun exposure will only increase the severity of the burn and increase pain.
- Have your child take a cool (not cold) bath, or gently apply cool, wet compresses to the skin to help alleviate pain and heat.
- Apply pure aloe vera gel (available in most pharmacies or taken directly from within the leaves of the plant) to any sunburned areas. It's excellent for relieving sunburn pain and helping skin heal quicker.
- Give your child a pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen and spray on over-the-counter "after-sun" pain relievers. (Do not, however, give aspirin to children or teens.)
- Apply topical moisturizing cream to rehydrate the skin and help reduce swelling. For the most severely burned areas, apply a thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone cream. (Do not use petroleum-based products, because they prevent excess heat and sweat from escaping. Also, avoid first-aid products that contain benzocaine, which may cause skin irritation or allergy.)
If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor. Until you can see your child's doctor, tell your child not to scratch, pop, or squeeze the blisters, which can become easily infected and can result in scarring.
What About Heat-Related Illnesses?
Heat-related illnesses such as heat syncope (fainting from heat), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are far more serious than a sunburn. These conditions occur when kids become overheated and dehydrated, and in many cases, are accompanied by sunburn.
Call your child's doctor if:
- your child has an unexplained fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius)
- the sunburned skin looks infected
- your child has trouble looking at light (This may indicate a sunburn of the eye's cornea.)
Contact your child's doctor for immediate assistance if your child has:
· Be Sun Safe Yourself
· Being a good role model by wearing sunscreen and limiting your time in the sun not only reduces your risk of becoming sunburned, it reduces your child's risk, too. By using a variety of sun protection measures, such as keeping your child indoors during peak hours and encouraging your child to wear hats, sunglasses, and long-sleeved shirts, as well as using sunscreen, you can decrease your child's exposure to the damaging effects of the sun.
Updated and reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sun Safety (1 of 2)
We all need some sun exposure; it's our primary source of vitamin D, which helps us absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. But it doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin D they need, and unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and even cancer. Even people in their 20s can develop skin cancer.
Most children rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18, so it's important that parents teach their children how to enjoy fun in the sun safely. With the right precautions, you can greatly reduce your child's chance of developing skin cancer.
Facts About Sun Exposure
The sun radiates light to the earth, and part of that light consists of invisible ultraviolet (UV) rays. When these rays reach the skin, they cause tanning, burning, and other skin damage.
Sunlight contains three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC.
- UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma. Because UVA rays pass effortlessly through the ozone layer (the protective layer of atmosphere, or shield, surrounding the earth), they make up the majority of our sun exposure. Beware of tanning beds because they use UVA rays. A UVA tan does not help protect the skin from further sun damage; it merely produces color and a false sense of protection from the sun.
- UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and immune system damage. They also contribute to skin cancer. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is thought to be associated with severe UVB sunburns that occur before the age of 20. Most UVB rays are absorbed by the ozone layer, but enough of these rays pass through to cause serious damage.
- UVC rays are the most dangerous, but fortunately, these rays are blocked by the ozone layer and don't reach the earth.
What's important is to protect your family from exposure to UVA and UVB, the rays that cause skin damage.
UV rays react with a chemical called melanin that's found in most people's skin. Melanin is your first defense against the sun. It absorbs dangerous UV rays before they do serious skin damage. Melanin is found in different concentrations and colors, resulting in different skin colors. The lighter your child's natural skin color, the less melanin it has to absorb UV and protect itself. The darker your child's natural skin color, the more melanin it has to protect itself. (But both dark- and light-skinned kids need protection from UV rays because any tanning or burning causes skin damage.) Also, people, especially kids, with fair complexions - lighter skin and eye color - are more likely to have freckles because there's less melanin in their skin. Although freckles are harmless, being outside in the sun may help cause them or make them darker.
As the melanin increases in response to sun exposure, the skin tans. But even that "healthy" tan may be a sign of sun damage. The risk of damage increases with the amount and intensity of exposure. Those who are chronically exposed to the sun, such as farmers, boaters, and sunbathers, are at much greater risk. A sunburn develops when the amount of UV exposure is greater than what can be protected against by the skin's melanin.
Unprotected sun exposure is even more dangerous for kids with:
- moles on their skin (or whose parents have a tendency to develop moles)
- very fair skin and hair
- a family history of skin cancer, including melanoma
You should be especially careful about sun protection if your child has one or more of these high-risk characteristics.
Also, not all sunlight is "equal" in UV concentration. The intensity of the sun's rays depends upon the time of year, as well as the altitude and latitude of your location. UV rays are strongest during summer. Remember that the timing of this season varies by location; if you travel to a foreign country during its summer season, you'll need to pack the strongest sun protection you can find.
Extra protection is also required near the equator, where the sun is strongest, and at high altitudes, where the air and cloud cover are thinner, allowing more damaging UV rays to get through the atmosphere. Even during winter months, if your family goes skiing in the mountains, be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen; UV rays reflect off both snow and water, increasing the probability of sunburn.
How to Protect Your Child From the Sun
With the right precautions, kids can safely play in the sun. Here's the lowdown on the most effective strategies:
Avoid the Strongest Rays of the Day
First, avoid being in the sun for prolonged times when it's highest overhead and therefore the strongest (normally from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM in the northern hemisphere). If your child is in the sun between these hours, as many kids are, be sure to apply protective sunscreen - even if he or she is just playing in the backyard. Most sun damage occurs as a result of incidental exposure during day-to-day activities, not at the beach.
Even on cloudy, cool, or overcast days, UV rays travel through the clouds and reflect off sand, water, and even concrete. Clouds and pollution don't filter out UV rays, and they can give a false sense of protection. This "invisible sun" can cause unexpected sunburn and skin damage. Often, kids are unaware that they're developing a sunburn on cooler or windy days because the temperature or breeze keeps skin feeling cool on the surface.
Cover Up
One of the best ways to protect your family from the sun is to cover up and shield skin from UV rays. Ensure that clothes will screen out harmful UV rays by placing your hand inside the garments and making sure you can't see your hand through them.
Because infants have thinner skin and underdeveloped melanin, their skin burns more easily than that of older kids. But sunscreen should not be applied to babies under 6 months of age, so they absolutely must be kept out of the sun whenever possible. If your infant must be in the sun, dress him or her in clothing that covers the body, including hats with wide brims to shadow the face. Use an umbrella to create shade.
Even older kids need to escape the sun. Long exposure can make them feel tired and irritable. For all-day outdoor affairs, bring along a wide umbrella or a pop-up tent to play in. If it's not too hot outside and won't make your child even more uncomfortable, you can have him or her wear a light long-sleeved shirt and/or long pants. Before heading to the beach or park, call ahead to find out if certain areas offer rentals of umbrellas, tents, and other sun-protective gear.
Updated and reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
