Lady PP' Heart of the Home
Health & Beauty

Fun in the Sun

by Kelly Haugen
Mom's Corner

I love the sun, the warmth and feelings of happiness that it produces. However, with this come some unwanted variables, such as wrinkles. It is dreadful enough that wrinkles appear along with the aging process, but alarming to realize to late, wrinkles are directly related to the skins exposure to the sun.

Actually, it is not the sun, per se, that is the culprit, but the UV rays produced by the sun. Even more important, these UV rays are an issue even on cloudy days. Furthermore, UV rays are a factor in not only the aging process, but skin cancer as well.

The effects of the sun on our skin actually begin at an early age. The most prevalent part of our sun exposure actually happened before the age of 20. In truth, who thinks of wrinkles at such a young age? I know that when my boys go racing outside to play, wrinkles, skin cancer and sunburn are not foremost in their minds.

Before you let your little ones go racing off to play in the dancing rays of the sun, the following should be considered:

1. Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 to cover any exposed parts of their skin. The most susceptible areas to skin cancer later in life are the face, lips, ears, neck, shoulders and the back of the hands. Remember to use a waterproof sunscreen if they are going to be playing in water.

2. Reapply the sunscreen throughout the day. It will not last as long as the children playing in the sun can last.

3. Plan their outdoor activities, as best you can, around the sun’s peak time. Many say the worse time for sun exposure is between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Yeah, right! Most moms will tell you the best time to avoid the sun’s exposure (i.e. keep the kids busy) is between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm (lunch and nap).

4. Place play areas in the shade whenever possible. Sandbox, swing set, wading pool, etc.

Whoops! Sunburn! Now what?

Severe sunburn has many symptoms and should be treated by a doctor. Symptoms can include: Redness, swelling, blisters and pain along with the possibility of fever, chills and an upset stomach. Mild sunburn, with redness and pain can be treated, but only for immediate relief and to aid healing, the damage done cannot be undone.

Sunburn Cooling Mist

2 TBS Witch's Hazel
2 TBS Aloe Juice
2 TBS Cucumber juice
2 drops peppermint essential oil

*Cucumber and Aloe can be juiced by cutting into pieces and using a handheld lemon squeezer.

Mix the ingredients and store in a misting bottle

Products available from Watkins are also great alternatives for sun protection and sunburn relief. The Aloe Vera Sun Block SPF-30 (item 03113) is fragrance-free and safe for children. Aloe Lip Balm SPF-23 (item 03069) protects sensitive lips. Watkins medicated Aloe Vera Burn Cream (item 03049) can help to relieve pain and itching from sunburn. These great products can be found at: http://watkinsonline.com/enchantedcorner




This article provided by the Family Content Archives