What is a Sun Burn?

How many of you have ever experienced a sunburn? I’m guessing that almost all of us have, with an embarrassing blush! Yes, we know it’s wrong and we kick ourselves when we are wincing with pain as we try to dress. But maybe if we truly understood what is happening to our skin as we nonchalantly lay in the sun for that extra 10 minutes, we wouldn’t be so lax.

A sunburn is the skin’s response to extreme ultraviolet (UV) exposure and indicates severe damage. In as little as 10 minutes of intense UV exposure, the skin sets into motion a system of defense against this enemy. The first indication of damage is redness. This is the body’s inflammatory response in situations requiring repair and is a result of dilating blood vessels. The skin will then start to lose moisture and hydration, which will be apparent with a feeling of tightness. Slowly, skin cells will start to thicken and melanin pigment will be produced (tanning) in an attempt to stop the UV rays from penetrating through to the deeper layers and damaging the DNA of the cells. When the skin is exposed to high levels of sunlight this may result in hypo or hyperpigmentation which appears as irregular light or dark patches. The body is excellent at coping with minimal amounts of damage, but if exposure is greater than the body’s ability to repair and mop up, more serious consequences may result. If DNA is damaged and its repair mechanisms are inhibited, skin cancer may occur.


Why Does the Skin Peel?
 Peeling after a sunburn is your body’s way of getting rid of the damaged cells that are at risk of “losing control” and becoming cancerous. Due to this danger, all damaged cells are instructed to commit suicide by repair mechanisms within these cells. This mass suicide of cells results in whole layers of damaged skin peeling off, to be replaced by other cells underneath those layers.

I Have a Sunburn, What Should I Do Now?
 First of all, you should take care of the cause of your problem: get out of the sun immediately. Drink plenty of water as you may be dehydrated. If skin is severely blistered, seek medical help. Otherwise it is important to take down the inflammation and try to reduce damage to the deeper layers of your skin.
 Take a cool bath (no products added) and then blot skin dry. Avoid greasy creams, which prevent the skin from cooling and may make the situation worse. Rather, apply generously a soothing after-sun gel to red areas and then stay out of the sun and the heat. Look for ingredients such as Clove, Liquorice, Lavender, Cucumber and Yucca to reduce irritation, pain and redness. Also look out for an incredible ingredient called Japanese Alder to accelerate the repair of UV induced DNA damage. Couple this with ingredients such as Algae and Hyaluronic Acid to rehydrate the skin and you should be well on your way to a calmer skin.

And no, it is not then ok to go out into the sun the next day for another blast! Remember, your skin is still trying to heal and so must be kept out of direct sunlight for a few days. Keep in mind, the skin is a great record keeper and even with a great after-sun product, irreparable damage may have occurred in the form of premature aging or skin cancer that may only reveal itself later. Think twice next time you decide “just another ten minutes;” your immune system is listening!

What are stretch marks and how do we get them?

As temperatures rise and summer vacations get booked our attention shifts to our body. The prospect of showing a lot more skin and getting into that cute floral two piece can bring on mixed emotions, from extreme anxiety to a healthy dose of motivation to sign up for exercise class. But while we know how to flatten tummies and perk up our glutes, solutions for treating and preventing stretch marks may remain a mystery.

What are Stretch Marks and Why do We Get Them?

Affecting as many as 90% of women stretch marks are a form of scarring that occur in the dermis as a result of collagen and elastin fibers being unable to form to keep rapidly growing skin taut. This creates a lack of supportive material, as the skin is stretched and leads to dermal and epidermal tearing. Appendages like hair follicles, sweat glands and other structures are absent in areas affected by stretch marks.

Stretch marks typically appear after rapid weight gain or loss, and the most common sites include the breasts, buttocks, thighs and lateral abdomen. They are most common during pregnancy and the teen years, when growth spurts and increased levels of steroid hormones cause substantial changes throughout the body. Stretch marks can also be brought on by weight lifting and over use of steroids like cortisone, which thins the skin and connective tissues, making it susceptible to tears. Like cellulite, there are hormonal and genetic factors, as some people are more prone than others. If your mother had them then it’s likely that you will have them too.

Stretch marks are, sadly, not easy to treat. Once they have passed the initial stage of appearing pink, red or purple, to the later stage of looking white or silver with deeper indentations, they are much more challenging. However they can be prevented to some degree which is good news.

Tips to Avoid Stretch Marks:

• Avoid rapid weight gain and loss.

• For best results treat stretch marks when they first appear pink and are early in development.

• Moisturize 3-4 times a day to help the skin to become more pliant, hydrated and better able to stretch. Look for skin products that contain Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Omega 3s, Wheat Germ Oil, Gamma Linoleic Acid and Hylauronic Acid. Massage into breasts, belly, hips, and buttocks.

• Post pregnancy, or for non-pregnant clients, ingredients like Retinol, Lactic Acid, derivatives of Vitamin C (i.e. Ascorbic Acid and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate) and protein boosting peptides can also help repair stretch marks.

• Zinc and Vitamin E supplements are recommended by some doctors and health practitioners.

• Laser resurfacing and fractional lasers, when combined with Retinoic Acid, are commonly used by dermatologists to treat and remove stretch marks, though there are no guarantees that they will be removed completely.

Remember it’s our imperfections that make us unique, and a great swimsuit, fabulous sunhat and confident stride go along way!