Summer, sun – sunburn? You probably know it too: All winter long we long to finally feel the warm rays of sunshine on our skin again, to lie on the beach or swimming lake and to go hiking, cycling or jogging without a thick jacket.
However, there is one thing we regularly forget in our summer euphoria: our sunscreen. The painful consequences are not long in coming - without sufficient UVA/UVB protection, your favorite outdoor activity or sunbathing on the weekend leaves unsightly and health-endangering marks on your skin - in short: you have a sunburn.
In addition, your skin's needs change significantly in summer. In order to care for them properly and protect them from environmental influences, you should send your usual care routine over the summer break and adapt it to the warm season. In this article, we'll tell you which skin care products you should use in summer, how you can regenerate your irritated skin and give you tips for first aid for sunburn. This means you and your skin are guaranteed to get through the summer unscathed.
Irritated skin due to sunburn: how does this happen?
sunburn (lat. Solar dermatitis) occurs when excessive sun exposure burns the skin. How quickly this happens and how serious the consequences are depends on your individual situation Skin types, the medications you take or the intensity of the sun.
A distinction is usually made between six different skin types, each with their own specific protection time from sun damage:
- Type 1 has very light skin, mostly reddish to reddish-blonde hair and hardly tans in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 15 minutes.
- Type 2 has fair skin, blonde to brown hair and hardly to moderately tans in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 20 minutes.
- Type 3 has light to light brown skin, dark blonde to brown hair and progressively turns brown in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 30 minutes.
- Type 4 has brown to olive skin, dark brown hair, and progressively tans in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 40 minutes.
- Type 5 has dark brown skin, dark brown to black hair and does not tan further in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 60 minutes.
- Type 6 has dark brown to black skin, black hair and does not tan in the sun. The skin's own protection time is a maximum of 90 minutes.
By the way: Burns caused by the sun are the same as those that can occur from fire or other heat effects. There are three different levels of severity:
Ultraviolet radiation - UV radiation for short - is responsible for sunburn: UV-A radiation includes wavelengths from 400 to 315 nm, while UV-B radiation includes wavelengths from 315 to 280 nm. UV-C radiation with a wavelength of 280 to 100 nm is filtered out in the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere and does not reach the skin.
Basically, the shorter the wavelength, the more harmful and energetic the radiation is. UV-B radiation is mainly dangerous for the skin because it damages the cells in the epidermis, causing the deeper dermis to become inflamed within a few hours. We all know the result: sunburn occurs, the skin is red, swollen, itchy and painful.
The UV-A rays penetrate deeper into the skin, into the dermis, and are therefore mainly responsible for premature skin aging.
By the way: You won't notice the actual extent of your burns immediately after sunbathing. It takes about six to eight hours for the first symptoms to appear, and the symptoms reach their peak 24 to 36 hours later.
First aid for sunburn: 5 tips to regenerate your skin
No matter whether it's at the edge of the bikini, at that one spot on the back that's difficult to reach or at the top of your head that you always forget about: If the sunburn is there, you have to act quickly. We have collected five tips to combat sunburn, regenerate irritated skin and provide first aid for sunburn. But be careful: only use our tips if you have a mild sunburn! As soon as your skin develops blisters, you should definitely seek treatment from a doctor.
1. Relieve sunburn: Cool immediately
If your skin burns, feels tight and glows, cooling it down will relieve your symptoms. For example, cool your sunburn with moist compresses that should remain on your skin for about one to two hours. Meanwhile, moisten it freshly, for example with cool chamomile tea or green tea. Even a lukewarm to cold shower can work wonders.
2. First aid for sunburn: Anti-inflammatory creams
If the home remedies don't help, you can get advice from the pharmacy and use special recipes: burn gels or creams with cortisone can relieve sunburn. If necessary, anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen can also be taken if pain occurs.
3. Regenerate skin: after-sun products
When you get sunburned, your skin loses a lot of moisture. After-sun products provide necessary moisture and soothe stressed skin. Make sure it contains panthenol - this helps against unpleasant itching and cools your burned skin.
Also Aloe vera is a true miracle cure for first aid for sunburn: its juice has a cooling and pain-relieving effect. To do this, cut open a leaf, collect the juice or drip it directly onto your burned skin. DIY after sun is too complicated for you? Many products from the drugstore or pharmacy contain aloe vera, and you can also buy pure aloe vera gel.
4. Relieve sunburn: drink lots of water!
What the after-sun products do on the outside is achieved by a sufficient supply of water from the inside: They provide you with the necessary amount of moisture after a sunburn, support the regeneration process and thus ensure beautiful skin from the inside.
Sanft & Schön -Tip: Make sure you drink more fluids while sunbathing or doing outdoor activities - this will help you prevent sunstroke and headaches. Water also cools your body from the inside and gets your circulation going.
5. First aid for sunburn: Stay in the shade
The most important rule of thumb for sunburn: stay in the shade until your skin recovers. Even outside the blazing sun, cover your reddened skin areas with light, loose clothing, ideally made of natural fibers. You should definitely avoid tight-fitting clothing as it can rub against your body and cause pain. Did you burn your face? Then a large sun hat will protect you all around and look chic too!
Perfect skin care in summer: Adapt your care routine to the warm season
It's not just sunburn that puts a strain on your skin in the warm season: In order to ideally nourish your summer skin and regenerate irritated skin, you should definitely adapt your skin care in summer to the changing weather conditions. Because: With the first warm rays of sunshine, your skin's needs also switch to summer mode.
Why? If your skin was rather dry in winter, sebum production increases again in summer - so your skin is a little oilier when it gets warmer. This is why your face feels oily and shiny more quickly. Increased humidity supports this effect. The motto for well-groomed summer skin is therefore: leave rich textures (water-in-oil emulsions) in the closet and increase the low-lipid moisturizer (oil-in-water emulsions)!
Moisturizing care for radiant summer skin
Do you have rather dry skin? Then you will quickly notice that your skin produces more oil again in the summer and you need less intensive care. We recommend applying a small amount of facial oil or cream with plenty of moisturizing serum. This way you support your skin with sufficient moisture and a little more nourishing care.
If you have oily or combination skin, a moisture-heavy skin routine is very important as it improves the skin's own cleansing function by liquefying the sebum. So that the excess sebum can be removed well, you should completely avoid oil-based care and only use a moisturizing serum, for example with hyaluronic acid, niacinamides, vitamin C or aloe vera.
Determine your skin type in this article.
Sanft & Schön -Tip: For a little boost of freshness in the morning or evening, you can keep your favorite serum in the fridge!
Skin care in summer: The most important thing is a high level of UV protection!
Our most important skin care rule applies not only in summer, but also all year round: protect your skin from UV radiation! Many day care products now have at least slight, integrated UV-A and UV-B protection - but this is usually not enough to protect your skin from sunburn and the like.
Because: In order to protect your facial skin well, you have to apply a lot of cream. You can determine the correct amount using the 'three finger rule': the index, middle and ring fingers should be covered with a strand of cream. We also recommend that you use a sun protection factor of at least 30 and make sure that it actually covers UV-A and UV-B radiation.
So that your sebaceous glands do not become clogged and shrink large pores, you should also use a product that is non-comedogenic, has a light texture without a lot of greasy oils and allows your skin to breathe. If you choose a synthetic UV filter, you can incorporate your cream into your care routine as desired. With mineral filters, you should remember to use your regular skin care first and then apply sunscreen.
Gentle facial cleansing for irritated skin
Hot temperatures, constant exposure to sunlight, sweat, etc. don't make it easy for your skin in summer: the strong environmental influences can quickly lead to irritated skin. Therefore, make sure you clean your face particularly gently in summer.
Thorough skin cleansing is very important, especially in the evening: stubborn residues of sunscreen and other care products can clog your pores and lead to pimples and irritation. Therefore, cleanse your face with mild, gently foaming water-based products. Soothing ingredients such as aloe vera, salicylic acid or grape seed extract are also ideal.
Incorporate these skincare highlights into your care routine.
Skin care in summer: peelings for the perfect glow
Regular peelings should definitely be part of your skincare routine in summer. Peelings not only remove dead skin cells, they also make your skin wonderfully smooth and glowy and ensure an even tan.
In addition, your care products can work better if the pores are not blocked by dead skin particles and hair removal is also more thorough because less hair grows in. Another useful side effect: peelings reduce skin impurities and promote blood circulation - so your skin is irresistibly beautiful and rosy in summer!
Use a mechanical exfoliation for the body, such as Body Scrup from the drugstore or beauty tools such as a dry brush or a sisal glove. Brush yourself with it before showering - this wakes you up in the morning and acts like a massage.
You should use gentle enzyme peelings on your face. In summer, avoid fruit acid complexes such as AHA and BHA, as their peeling effect increases your skin's sensitivity to light. If you still want to use these peels, only use them before going to bed and pay more attention to sun protection for the next few days.
Beautiful summer skin: professional treatments with a wow effect
Do you want to optimize your skin care in summer and regenerate irritated skin? For radiant skin in spring and summer you should definitely rely on professional care! Our Sanft & Schön treatments ideally complement your skincare routine: While your own care products usually only have a short-term and superficial effect, they develop Aquafacial, Microneedling and Microdermabrasion treatments in Berlin Mitte their impact in depth. Our treatments revitalize your irritated summer skin, rejuvenate and tighten at the first signs of aging, which are exacerbated by, among other things, intense sunlight. We will be happy to advise you in detail about our treatment options - either directly in the cosmetic studio in Berlin-Mitte, on the phone or by email.
Conclusion on skin care in summer: This is how you regenerate irritated skin
Intensive sunbathing, thick layers of sunscreen, the occasional sunburn – our skin has to put up with a lot in the summer. To prevent long-term skin damage and regenerate irritated skin, you should never leave the house in the warm season without sun protection - we recommend a cream with SPF 30, more is of course better. Also adapt your skin care routine to the changing needs of your skin: rely on plenty of moisture, light textures, regular peelings and thorough cleansing in the evening. Regular treatments in the cosmetic studio optimally complement your personal skin care.
If you do get sunburned: First aid for sunburn is cool compresses, moisturizing after-sun products with aloe vera or panthenol, a visit to the doctor, plenty of fluids, shade and a sun hat.