Full transcript:
Today, I am going to share with you the importance of looking after your skin while you are in the lovely sun. Plus, I’ll share some treatments you can give yourself at home using some of the foods you eat that can be very beneficial for you. But before we get into that, I must start at the beginning and share with you a bit of information about your skin, which contains 3 layers.
- The Epidermis – Is the outer most layer of the skin. It provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone.
- The Dermis – As we call it; The True Skin. It contains tough connected tissue, hair follicles and sweat glands.
- Subcutaneous Tissue – Where your find the blood supply and lymph.
The skin is the human body’s largest organ. The skin does a lot more than makes us look presentable. In fact, without it, we would literally evaporate. The skin acts as an insulation shield, guarding the body against harmful chemicals and extreme temperature, which to us is mostly from sunlight (if the UK is so lucky).
Now we can talk about the epidermis, the outer layer is what we see with our own eyes. It contains no bloody supply of its own. This is why you can shave or wax your skin, which not only means you don’t bleed, but it also removes the dead cells.
However, even though our skin may appear to be so tough, and every day, we go on living our lives trusting it to protect us, some people still forget that our skin can be damaged very easily if abused.
One danger is too much exposure to the sun’s UV (ultra-violet) rays, that not only damages skin, but also your eyes, immune-system and cause skin cancer. There are two kinds of UV radiation that penetrate your skin. UVA and UVB. UVA reaches deeper into the skin, which causes the skin to age. However, both can increase the risk of skin cancer. Even people in their early 20s can get skin cancer.
These are the signs of being sun-burnt:
- Hot skin
- Pain
- Itchy
- Tight
- Pealing
- Dehydration/dryness
Your skin will then probably turn red, inflamed and swollen. This is because your blood flow has increased and rushes to the skin to start to repair it, which eventually the skin will heal.
However, the sun is also very good for you as it is most natural way to get Vitamin D, which also maintains healthy blood levels. It is recommended to get 10-30 minutes of mid-day sunlight, several times per week. People with darker skin may need a little more than this. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.
SPF is short for Sun Protection Factor. This is a measure on how well sunscreen protects you from UV rays. SPF 30 blocks nearly 97% of UVB radiation. SPF50 blocks about 98%. SPF100 blocks about 99%. To ensure you are getting equal protection from both types of radiation, check the ingredients list. The product should contain 3% AVOBENZONE or at least 15% ZINC OXIDE. Both of these block UV rays.
Apart from using SPF products, I recommend you stay in the shade, use a hat or other means of clothing, which can also protect you from the sun, so that you are getting enough of the benefits as well as protecting your skin.
For those that have been enjoying the sun in these weeks during the lockdown, even though sunscreen is useful for protecting the skin, there are also some home remedies that I would like to share with you in order to rejuvenate, repair and replenish the moisture in your skin. Surprising enough, some of the foods we eat have a few of these properties.
Avocado Face Mask – For dehydrated skin. Avocado contains more nutrients that most fruits put together and is best for mature skin.
- 1x ripe avocado
- 1x egg white
- 1x tablespoon of lemon juice
- Mix these together and apply to the face for 30 minutes. Finish by rinsing the face.
Honey Face Mask – Good for scars and dark spots.
- 2x teaspoons of raw honey
- ½ teaspoon of lemon juice
- Combine the lemon juice and honey and apply to the face for 20-30 minutes and rinse to finish.
Banana Face Mask – Bananas contain a wealth of nutrients to rehydrate the skin
- A few slices of ripe banana
- 1 tablespoon of thick natural yoghurt
- ½ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- Mush banana peels with a spoon
- Combine all ingredients well and gentle massage into the skin for 2-3 minutes. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes and rinse off.
