by Jess Shanahan

Created on: June 30, 2009   Last Updated: July 01, 2009

The summer is perfect for sunbathing, hanging at the beach or going for nice long walks. However, exposing yourself to the sun can be painful and dangerous if you get burnt. This even applies to those of you that go out there and get a tan instantly you are still at risk of burning and skin cancer.

Sun Cream

Using adequate sun cream will stop you from getting burnt and ensure that your skin is not sore and dry the following day. If you are very fair skinned then you must you need a very strong sun block, you might even want to consider using children's sun cream which goes into very high factors. These numbers on your sun cream will indicate how much longer you could stay out in the sun with it on that if you weren't wearing any. So, for example if you are wearing factor 15 sun cream it means you could stay out in the sun 15 times longer than if you didn't have that sun cream on.

If you have darker skin or don't burn easily then using a lower factor sun cream should suffice. However, it is unadvisable as research has linked going out in the sun unprotected to skin cancer.

Soothing Sunburn

If you do get sun burn, then it can be painful on any part of the body. The best thing to do would be to keep the area moisturised to the skin doesn't dry out and become tight. When this happens it is likely to get painful when you move. Using a good after sun product which can be bought from any good pharmacy or health store can help soothe the pain, especially if kept somewhere cool like the fridge.

If you are looking for more natural products then emu oil was used for centuries by Australian aborigines to protect them against the harsh Australian sun; it healed their sunburn whilst keeping their skin supple. It is full of natural moisturising agents which makes movement much easier on the afflicted areas. The benefits of buying emu oil for your sunburn is the fact that it can be used for so many other things as well, such as dandruff, sore joints, growing pains and much more. So if you fall whilst playing volley ball in the sun and sprain your ankle then you have the natural healing properties of emu oil to hand.

Tanning

Although tanning isn't recommended by most health professionals it is a fact of life that we want to keep that healthy tan all year round. One of the side affects of tanning weekly is that your very tanned skin can become thick and leathery, this isn't the look you want to be sporting on the beach when it is bikini season. Make sure that after every tanning session you moisturise thoroughly. One option is to use some of the winter sun products that are moisturising but also contain a tanning agent which will further boost your golden glow.

For the older tanners out there or those with sensitive skin I would recommend emu oil's properties once again. It was ensure that your skin stays soft and supple plus the anti ageing properties in it will keep your skin looking youthful.

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