Sunscreen is an essential part of your daily routine, especially in summer. But what does the optimal skincare routine look like after a sunny day? Or what exactly helps when skin is stressed by the sun? Don't panic – we've compiled all the important answers to these questions for you in this article.
First: Wash off sunscreen!
Although sunscreens often contain nourishing ingredients, the UV filters can additionally stress and dry out the skin. Therefore, it is particularly important that you thoroughly wash off sunscreen from yourself or your child in the evening. For this, use a cleansing product that contains nourishing and moisturizing active ingredients and mild surfactants. Our med cleansing gel is particularly suitable due to its pH-neutral formulation with bisabolol. The skin is gently cleansed without drying it out. Please avoid cleansing products with fragrances, irritating preservatives, and aggressive surfactants, such as sulfates.
But: It's not dramatic and it doesn't harm the skin if you forget to wash yourself or your child in the evening.
What helps my sun-stressed skin?
In addition to washing off sunscreen, it is important to adequately moisturize your skin. If you have stayed in the sun for too long (which you should, of course, avoid!), your skin barrier can be severely weakened by the sun. In this case, the skin's natural moisture balance has been disrupted. The result: dryness, redness, and skin irritations, which can lead to severe tightness and flaking of the skin. It is therefore absolutely necessary that you now strengthen your natural skin barrier again with the right care. Pay particular attention to the following properties of your cream:
- The active ingredients should have both a calming effect, such as aloe vera, and provide sufficient moisture, such as glycerin or squalane.
- Skin-regenerating active ingredients, such as ceramides, are also recommended.
- Avoid additional fragrances and irritating fragrances.
Too late - what to do for sunburn?
Oh dear – stayed in the sun too long and got sunburn? Now you should act fast! For mild sunburn, we recommend cooling the affected areas. It's best to use damp compresses here – cool packs are too cold at this point. Also use an after-sun lotion on the affected areas! Especially now, your skin needs a lot of moisture and cooling, which you can apply several times in a row. Our After Sunshine Bodylotion nourishes and regenerates your sun-stressed skin and provides sufficient moisture. For sensitive skin, we recommend our med After Sun Lotion with Aloe Vera without fragrances.
Furthermore, your skin has lost a lot of fluid due to the sunburn. To compensate for the loss, you should now drink plenty of water regularly. This will also support the skin's regeneration process. Also, avoid staying in the sun for the next few days!
For larger burns with blistering, dizziness, or headaches, you should see a doctor immediately. A heatstroke can be a life-threatening condition.
Please don't forget that sunburn can cause long-term skin damage. Therefore, take good care of yourself and your health! If you have any questions about our sunscreens, please do not hesitate to contact us.
O U R E X P E R T
Dr. med Michaela Hagemann I boep founder, doctor & mother of 3
