Spoken of in whispered words, never desired – hardly ever looked forward in this part of the world at least. Mothers fear for their little daughters, young girls shudder at the thought and religiously take protective measures. How many women have born this cross on their shoulders, for just one slight indiscretion with the use of sun-block? Indeed, it is the feared “Sun Tan” that we speak of, and it manifests itself in more than just one ways. From heat burns to rashes, from ridiculously tanned faces in comparison to the rest of your body, to skin cancer, there are a lot of implications of suntans that we aren’t even aware of. We’re sure you want to get rid sun tanned skin, and that’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide for you.
Presenting: The Usual Suspects – that is, what causes you to get a sun tan or sun burn?
- The obvious answer is that it’s the sun.
- But it’s really the ultraviolet rays from the sun.
- In particular, it’s the UVA and UVB kind of rays which react with elements in the epidermal layer of your skin.
- There’s another element that comes into play here, and that is melanin, a skin pigment.
- The reaction of your epidermis to the sun’s rays, along with the levels of melanin produced, determines exactly how much or how quickly you get a tan.
- An indirect cause, of course, would be the insufficient use of a weak sun block.
If you’re not sure that you got a suntan, these are the symptoms to look out for:
- Frequently observed results of a tan include darker skin in people with dark skin tones.
- In people with paler tones, it is more common to find a reddish tint as a result of sun tanning or burning.
- In subtle cases of sun tanning, you may experience something called “sun spots”.
- Other symptoms include uneven skin tone and dull skin.
- Symptoms such as freckles are sometimes exhibited by people who’ve tanned too much.
- Changes in the size of moles and freckles are also symptoms to look out for.
- Peeling of skin, blistering and rashes may occur in cases of extreme sun burns.
Thankfully, you can trust simple home remedies to quickly cure sun burns, without worrying about any side effects.
The 12 Commandments on Home Remedies to Remove Sun Tan Permanently
While there are many products and surgical procedures for getting rid of tans, not all of them are permanent – or even effective. Fortunately, when it comes to the point where you must treat sunburns, home remedies are the perfect way to go. These are completely non-invasive, protect your skin from further damage by the harmful rays of the sun, and can help soothe your skin after a long day in the field, on the beach, or simply when you feel the need to reclaim your body and get rid of sun tanned skin for good.
1. Thou Shalt Apply Aloe Vera
Not only can you grow this beautiful thing in your backyard, a tiny pot on your balcony, or in your kitchen garden, it is also easily available. The extract from the plant’s leaves is an effective way of removing your sun tan.
2. Thou Must Embrace Cucumber Therapy
Cucumber is another of Nature’s greatest treasures when it comes to any kind of skincare regime. In the case of sunburns and suntans also, it comes to your aid in case your eyes feel tired. Sliced, grated or mashed, it’s all great.
3. Thou Must Adopt a Probiotic Life with Yogurt
Yogurt keeps you beautiful, both inside and out. It is not only beneficial for your skin – it helps give you wonderful hair as well. A little yogurt mixed with lime juice is a wonderful treatment for tans. Remember though that it’s best for women with dry skin, since it may aggravate pimples in others.
4. Thou Shalt Be Friends with the Cereal-Killer
Cornmeal and whole wheat flour may be integral to our cereal consumption, but a good face pack of cornmeal and lemon, or flour and a little milk, can make for an effective cure. It not only acts as a natural scrub, removing blackheads and dead skin cells, it also helps you tackle your sunburn.
5. Thou Must Make Good Use of Almonds
Ground almond makes for an excellent face scrub and pack combined in one, so add a little rose water and milk to your almond meal, before gently applying to your face to quickly get rid of your sun tan problem.
6. Thou Shalt Allow Oatmeal Into your life
An oatmeal scrub is a popular product in the beauty stores, but it’s a superb cure for any itchiness or burns caused by a tan. To make a face pack, add powdered oats, buttermilk or milk, ground almonds, and powdered orange peel for maximum benefit.
7. Thou Must Not Be Afraid of Milk
Milk is a wonderful ingredient when combined with a wide range of products including oatmeal, cucumbers and almonds, but did you know that it’s an important sun-tan protectant on its own? Add a pinch of turmeric powder or a bit of lemon juice to the milk to restore your skin’.
8. Thou Shalt Procure some Sandalwood
Sandalwood definitely wins the herbal cure/natural remedies round of the game. Its skin lightening and anti-ageing properties make it extremely desirable: A spoonful each of sandalwood powder, rose water and milk each should give you a fine paste – leave it on as a mask for 20mins and see the difference.
9. Thou Must Know Your Egg Whites from the Egg Yolks
The egg white is extremely protein rich, which can only be a good thing for your skin. Apply an egg mask for instant relief from sun tan. Add some honey and witch hazel for even better effects.
10. Thou Must Make Honey and Pineapple Packs
Resist the urge to eat this delectable concoction: instead, just blitz a bit of honey and pineapple in your food processor to get a fine paste, apply as a mask for 20mins, wash off and feel the difference. Just keep yourself from licking your face too often!
11. Thou Must Affirm your Belief in Virgin Mary with Tomato Face Packs
Tomatoes are chock full of anti-oxidants, and that’s a great thing if you love your Bloody (or Virgin) Mary. Else, just blitz, add honey, lemon juice and cold water, and you should be on the road to recovery soon.
12. Thou Shalt Adore Potatoes in the same way Minions love Bananas
Potatoes are a weird addition, but trust us, it REALLY works. They reduce redness, itchiness and burning, besides being so accessible! Just apply grated potato or juice of potato to the affected areas.
So, the next time you want to treat sunburn, home remedies such as the ones mentioned above should be your first choice. Being a natural and herbal cure, home remedies like these will not leave any side effects, and will show quick results.
Mastering the Art of Protecting Yourself against Sun Tans and Sun Burns: A Precautionary Tale
Now that we’ve covered the bases, here’s some wisdom from the wise old aunts of Avonlea on how to protect you from sun tans and sun burns.
- Wear sunblock that is preferably SPF 40 or above.
- Make sure your sun protection cream is water resistant, so it fights better even if you swear or swim.
- Use hats to protect your face and shade your eyes.
- Use sunglasses to minimize damage to your eyes and wrinkling.
- Try to avoid direct sunlight, walking in the shade as much as possible.