There are a lot of medicaments that make the skin more sensitive to the UV rays of the sun, which puts you at a higher risk of sunburn, ageing and skin cancer. The full list of those medicaments can be found here, they include common ones like Ibuprofen / Advil, oral contraceptives . Here are a couple of lists: 1 and 2. Remember that medicaments can have different names in different countries and that a brand name drug often has generic versions.
So what do you do if you have to take those medicines? If your skin is already very sensitive to the sun or if you are at higher risk of skin cancer, you should check with your doctor if an alternative drug would work for you. Obviously this is not always possible, in this case you should take extra care to protect your skin from the sun.
I also noticed that some people have a habit of popping an Ibuprofen every time they have a headache instead of asking themselves what is the cause behind them. I had two period in my life where I had severe headaches; the first time it was because my blood pressure dropped really low due to dehydration, the second time was many years later and and Osteopathy treatment got rid of them completely.
* Sunscreen of a minimum of SPF 30!
* Hats, parasols, shade.
* If you want bronze skin, self-tanners are great.
* Zinc oxide is the most effective sunscreen agent, followed by titanium dioxide. Chemical sunscreen breaks up within a few hours and needs to be reapplied several times a day.
There are some foods that increase the skin's resistance against UV rays. The list includes foods rich in lycopene like tomatoes, watermelon, guavas, papaya (link to study); and foods rich in vitamins C and D, beta-carotene and Omega-3. Astaxanthin, a carotenoid that
looks like a very promising UVB absorber, supplements exist which are made out of microalgea or Phaffia yeast.
According to the studies, the effects of these foods start kicking in after 10 weeks of consumption. They are not as effective as sunscreen, but I think that every little helps. Besides all these things are really good for you, so you can't go wrong.
So what do you do if you have to take those medicines? If your skin is already very sensitive to the sun or if you are at higher risk of skin cancer, you should check with your doctor if an alternative drug would work for you. Obviously this is not always possible, in this case you should take extra care to protect your skin from the sun.
I also noticed that some people have a habit of popping an Ibuprofen every time they have a headache instead of asking themselves what is the cause behind them. I had two period in my life where I had severe headaches; the first time it was because my blood pressure dropped really low due to dehydration, the second time was many years later and and Osteopathy treatment got rid of them completely.
Basics of sun protection:
* Women need around 1/6 of a teaspoon of sunscreen for just the face (the 1/4 teaspoon recommendation is for men with the biggest surface area). Doing 2-3 layers ensures you apply it evenly.* Sunscreen of a minimum of SPF 30!
* Hats, parasols, shade.
* If you want bronze skin, self-tanners are great.
* Zinc oxide is the most effective sunscreen agent, followed by titanium dioxide. Chemical sunscreen breaks up within a few hours and needs to be reapplied several times a day.
Foods that help:
There are some foods that increase the skin's resistance against UV rays. The list includes foods rich in lycopene like tomatoes, watermelon, guavas, papaya (link to study); and foods rich in vitamins C and D, beta-carotene and Omega-3. Astaxanthin, a carotenoid that
looks like a very promising UVB absorber, supplements exist which are made out of microalgea or Phaffia yeast.
According to the studies, the effects of these foods start kicking in after 10 weeks of consumption. They are not as effective as sunscreen, but I think that every little helps. Besides all these things are really good for you, so you can't go wrong.
