We have all been there – you spend a day out in the sun without enough sunscreen, and you end up with a painful and unsightly sunburn. When you suffer from sunburn, it can be a daunting process. However, what if there was a safe method to change that sunburn into a stunning, radiant tan?
It may seem unbelievable to you right now, but there are actually some things that you can do to help your injured skin heal from a sunburn and acquire a tan at the same time. In this article, we’ll talk about some tips and tricks to help you in turning your sunburn into a tan as well as getting the most out of your time in the sun.
What is a sunburn?
Sunburn is a type of skin damage induced due to a lot of exposure to UV radiation coming from the sun. Your skin starts to turn red, and it feels warm when you touch it. It becomes quite painful after some time. In some rare cases, when you have a sunburn, your skin can acquire blistering and peeling, and you may even end up suffering from a fever.
What happens when you get sunburned?
The UV radiations in the sun’s rays are called ionizing radiations. This means that the little photons in ultraviolet rays are filled with a lot of energy that they can hit an electron and even knock it free inside an atom. Whenever you get a sunburn or your skin tans, this is essentially what happens. The sunlight and the ultraviolet rays inside it cause a chemical reaction in your skin because they strike these electrons free.
When you get a sunburn, this ionizing radiation is strong enough to cause your skin to burn. When this happens, your skin starts to react in a similar way to sitting beside a fire for a considerable amount of time. The burning sensation causes significant damage to your skin, which is why your skin gets hurt and damaged.
What is the difference between a sunburn and a tan?
When you get a tan, the ionizing radiation from the ultraviolet rays of the sun simply excites the region of your skin, which is called melanocytes. Once these melanocytes get ionized, they can endure the ionizing, and they start creating melanin as a result. This melanin is the compound that causes your skin to tan. So, when your skin is tanning, your body is processing ultraviolet light intrinsically and healthily. However, when you suffer from sunburn, the affected skin tends to get too exposed to the UV radiation coming from the sun and gets damaged.
How to turn your sunburn into a tan?
Here are some tips on how you can turn your sunburn into a tan:
Treat your sunburn
Here are some ways of treating your sunburn:
- Cool your skin down: You should start cooling the skin with cold compresses or ice packs. You can also take cold showers or soak in a cold bathtub to cool down your skin.
- Take oatmeal baths: To maximize healing, many people prefer to take oatmeal baths. Oatmeals keep your skin from getting too dry and help your sunburn in healing faster.
- Moisturize your skin: Keep your skin hydrated with lots of moisturizers. You can even replace a moisturizer with natural products such as aloe vera gel, cucumber, and coconut oil and apply these directly to the affected area. These ingredients can help cool and soothe the skin while promoting healing. To help minimize peeling and encourage a tan, be sure to continue to apply hydrating lotions and oils to the affected areas.
- Avoid more exposure to the sun: It is important to ensure that you stay out of the sun while your sunburn is still healing. Any exposure to the sun can worsen your sunburn and even induce more severe health issues.
- Keep your hydrated: This is perhaps one of the most important things that you can do to accelerate healing. Keep drinking lots of fluids such as water, juices, and Sunburn Drink. It is a refreshing beverage that can actually help cure your sunburn. It is an incredible concoction that contains a unique blend of all-natural ingredients.
Exfoliate your skin
Exfoliating your skin is one of the most essential steps in getting a good tan. Exfoliating your skin means removing any dead skin cells that are peeling after your sunburn. When your sunburn begins to heal, you may notice that the skin starts to peel, which can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Exfoliating the skin gently can also help remove dead skin cells and promote a more even tan.
Moisturize your skin
It is important to keep your skin moisturized to avoid any flakiness and dryness that can not only delay healing but also make your tan uneven. When you are healing from a sunburn, you need to ensure that your skin does not get dry or flaky to keep it from peeling. You should use a good-quality, completely oil-free moisturizer that can keep your skin hydrated and supple. Make sure that you avoid using any heavy and thick creams that can easily clog your pores and make your tan uneven. Be sure to continue moisturizing your skin even after your sunburn has healed to keep it hydrated and healthy.
Protect your skin from damage
Finally, it is extremely important to protect your skin from more damage by keeping the affected area away from the sun. This will help prevent further sunburns and skin damage, allowing your skin to heal properly and develop a natural, glowing tan. Repeated overexposure to the sun can cause long-lasting harm to your skin and even increase the chance of developing skin cancer.
People who have lighter skin, those with a history of sunburns, and those who spend time outdoors are generally at a greater risk of getting sunburned. You need to keep your sunburned skin safe and away from the UV rays. Avoid going outside with visible sunlight until your sunburn has healed completely. If you absolutely have to go outside, wear sunscreen and avoid direct exposure to the sun during peak hours by covering up.
Keep your sunburned skin from peeling
It is important to remember that a healthy tan is a gradual process that requires patience and consistency. Avoid causing more damage to your peeling skin, as this can increase the risk of more serious health concerns and skin damage. Instead, aim for a gradual tan by treating your skin gently with lots of moisturizers and using protective measures to avoid sun damage. Remember to prioritize protection and hydration, and be patient in the process of achieving a golden glow.
Conclusion
When you get a sunburn, it can be quite uncomfortable. We all know that prevention is the most effective way of dealing with sunburns. You need to wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses, and hats to help in preventing sunburn. Additionally, you should ensure that you apply sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF to provide a layer of protection against harmful UV rays.
However, it is only sometimes possible to avoid them, and you end up inadvertently suffering from sunburn. In such times, it is crucial to take steps to repair and heal your damaged skin. You can even take steps to turn your sunburn into a tan.
