You know how it goes: you’ve been
hanging out by the pool or lake, and after an hour or so … oh darn, you
forgot to put on sunscreen! You should always apply sunblock to prevent
premature wrinkles, skin cancer, and other skin problems that keep you
from aging gracefully.
But of course, sunscreen only works as a preventative measure if you
actually use it. Here are a few places that are commonly forgotten, and
how you can prevent damage if you’ve already been burned.
What you’re forgetting: your neck and chest.
Why it’s important: Your neck shows your age just as much, if not more so, than your face, especially if you’re using an anti wrinkle face cream
to keep your face free of fine lines. When you forget to protect your
neck and chest, they collect wrinkles and age spots quickly.
What you can do: If
you missed these areas and are rocking some damaged skin, you can heal
the burn by using anti aging skin care products that contain aloe. Aloe
helps soothe the burn, and the anti aging skin care products help prevent wrinkles from forming by keeping the skin hydrated. You can also apply an anti aging skin cream to help reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles if this isn’t the first time you’ve forgotten your neck or chest.
What you’re forgetting: your thighs.
Why it’s important:
You don’t think about the backs of your thighs when you’re sitting in
that lounge chair, but as soon as you flip onto your stomach to even out
your tan — Lobsterville, population you. Sunburns on the back of your
legs can make activities as simple as sitting painful. Don’t ruin the
next two weeks of your summer by forgetting this
used-more-often-than-you-think area.
What you can do: Apply
an aloe vera gel to reduce the stinging pain, and wear only lightweight
clothing for a few days until the burn goes away. A burn on your thighs
doesn’t prevent you from aging gracefully, but an anti aging skin cream feels nice on the burned area anyway, due to its hydrating properties.
What you’re forgetting: your scalp.
Why it’s important: No
one ever thinks to put sunscreen on the part in their hair, but most of
the time you’re in the sun, it’s your scalp that’s pointed skyward! A
scalp burn can make brushing your hair a pain, and can cause flakiness
in your hair as the burn begins to peel.
What you can do: Either
work a little bit of sunblock into your part, or wear a hat when you’re
in the sun. This can also protect the top of your forehead along your
hairline — another place that’s easy to skip — so there’s less need for anti wrinkle facial cream in the future.