Eliminate Sunscreen and Not Burn

Sunburns are not fun. From painful redness to blisters and peeling, you want to avoid them at all costs. If you don’t have any sunscreen, or if you simply don’t want to slather it on, there are other ways to prevent yourself from burning. As long as you take adequate steps to protect your skin, you’ll be able to eliminate sunscreen and not burn.

Steps

Covering Your Skin

1. Wear long sleeve shirts. It’s pretty obvious that the more skin you conceal from the sun, the more skin you’ll be protecting from sunburn. If you live in a hot climate, it can be tempting to throw on a tank top or a short sleeve shirt. However, you can find long sleeve shirts that offer more coverage but still keep you cool in hot environments.
   • Colored shirts offer more sun protection than white shirts. In fact, the darker the better.
   • Fabric with tighter weaving protects from the sun better than loosely-woven clothing. The more light you can see through the fabric, the less sun protection it offers.
2. Cover up your legs. The more skin you can possibly cover, the better. Jeans, athletic pants, leggings, and maxi skirts are all great options. If for whatever reason, you cannot wear clothing over your entire legs, consider wearing high socks to protect as much as possible.
   • If you aren’t wearing long pants and you find yourself in the sun, try to cover them with a beach towel or find shade by sitting with your legs under a table. Be resourceful. Bare legs are a target for the sun, and it’s vital to protect your vulnerable skin.
3. Purchase clothing with sun protection. While wearing a basic long sleeve shirt and long pants can be great protection, there are also clothing created with SPF that can ensure you’re getting the best protection possible. Check out companies that make clothing specifically for sun protection. Companies like Solumbra offer doctor-approved sun protection.
4. Wear a wide-brimmed hat. Find something with a broad brim to keep your delicate face covered. Make sure you wear your hat anytime the sun is out, even if it’s not peak sunny hours. Start a collection, so you have a hat to pop on for any occasion. The more you like your hats, the more likely you’ll be to wear them.
5. Remember your sunglasses. Not only do sunglasses help you see comfortably when it’s sunny outside, they can cover up your face. If you’ve ever gotten a sunburn on your eyelids, you know how important this is! Look for sunglasses with wide lenses that will completely cover your lids and under eye skin. The thicker the arms of the sunglasses, the better.
   • When you’re buying sunglasses, look for ones that protect against 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. Not all sunglasses are created equally when it comes to skin (and eye) protection.

Trying Other Methods

1. Eat strategically. A few studies have recently suggested that increasing the amount of lycopene and astaxanthin in your diet can actually help to protect you against sunburn. Lycopene is found in high concentration in tomatoes, particularly in tomatoes that have been cooked or in tomato products. Astaxanthin is found in algae, so it might be a bit more difficult to get into your diet. However, you can dine on animals that eat algae, like salmon and shrimp.
   • The research on the sun protection offered by lycopene and astaxanthin are optimistic, but not 100% proven. Even if you start eating tomatoes and shrimp at every meal, you should still use a second form of sun protection.
2. Download a sun-smart phone app. If you want to take the guesswork out of your sun protection, download a mobile app like Sunvisor. With Sunvisor, you can check your UV exposure risk, set countdowns to apply more sunscreen, and get an alert when you’ve been exposed beyond safe levels. It’s easy to start having fun outside and lose track of time, so apps like Sunvisor can keep track of things for you.
3. Wear a UV-tracking bracelet. It’s no surprise that in the era of the FitBit and the Apple Watch, there’s also a gadget for your wrist that can help keep you safe in the sun. There are several, in fact! Some are high tech, and some are simply wearable reminders to be safe and thoroughly protect yourself while outdoors.
   • One of the more high-tech options is the JUNE by NetAtmo. It syncs with an iPhone app to track your UV exposure and give you personalized suggestions to protect yourself. It is sold for about $50.00.
   • For a cheaper, no nonsense option, you can get a simple UV color-changing wristband for $2.50. When it turns purple, it means you’re getting some strong rays and should take precautions to protect your skin.

Avoiding the Sun

1. Stay indoors during the sunniest hours. The sun is strongest during the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. If you can avoid spending extending periods of time in the sun between these hours, do it. Go outdoors in the early mornings or in the late afternoon/evening. You still need to protect your skin from the sun during the early morning and evening, but you’ll be less likely to get burned by the most powerful rays.
2. Find shade. When you’re outside, always be in the shade when possible. This is particularly crucial during the peak hours when the sun is most dangerous. If you’re at an outdoor restaurant, request a table in the shade. Sit under a tree, enjoy the beach under a canopy, and keep making sure that you’re fully covered by shade. Sitting in direct sunlight without sunscreen is dangerous, even if you aren’t getting a visible burn. If you are going to be outdoors, do whatever you can to be out of the most powerful rays.
3. Keep an umbrella handy. In an ideal world, everyone would don sun safe clothing daily, shade would be readily available, and it would be possible to always stay indoors during the sun’s peak hours. Of course, that’s not always possible. It’s useful to keep a UV protection umbrella with you whenever possible, whether that’s in your car, your purse, or stashed in your office.
   • The UPF (or the Ultraviolet Protection Factor) will be listed on the umbrella. Choose one with a UPF of 50 or more.
   • These travel sun umbrellas can be purchased on Amazon, or at most stores that sell outdoor equipment and sun safe clothing.

Tips

• Use common sense. If you feel your skin getting hot or know you’ve been in the sun for an extended period of time, find shade or go inside. Anything that changes the color of your skin, even a tan, is dangerous. Getting a tan is not worth risking your health. If you cannot or will not use sunscreen, use these other protective methods to ensure you do not do damage.

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