What happens when you get a sunburn

What happens when you get a sunburn?

If you spend too much time in the sun or forget to reapply your sunscreen, you might learn what happens to your skin when you get sunburn.

We all know a sunburn results from too much unprotected time in the sun, but what actually happens to your skin when you get a sunburn—or a tan, for that matter?

Let’s dive into some important questions about sun safety.

Sunburn is a sign of skin damage from unprotected time in the sun. There are a lot of factors that play into how quickly your skin can become burned in the sun, such as the time of year, your location, and how fair your skin is. Without sun protection, your skin can become sunburned in as few as ten minutes.

What happens when you get sunburned is you’ll first notice your skin feels tender, swollen, or hot to the touch. These symptoms are a result of your body’s inflammatory response to cellular damage. Your blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to your sunburned skin, causing that telltale heat and redness. If your skin is a deeper tone of brown, redness may be less noticeable after a sunburn.

In addition to this redness and heat, more severe sunburn can mean blisters and peeling skin.

When skin begins to peel, this is your body’s attempt to shed damaged skin cells.

What happens to your skin when you get a tan?

Gradual sun exposure over time may cause your skin to tan instead of burn. When your skin tans, your body responds to UV exposure by producing melanin—which is the pigment that gives skin its color—to try to protect your skin cells from DNA damage. Although your skin isn’t turning red like a sunburn in this case, any change in the color of your skin—including a tan—is a sign of skin damage.

Why is sunburn bad for you?

Severe sunburns can cause symptoms such as headache, fatigue, nausea, or even fever, but there are more lasting dangers to sunburned skin. Skin damage accumulates over time, so the more your skin tans or burns, the greater your risk of developing skin cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, five or more sunburns can double a person’s risk for melanoma, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

You can avoid sunburn altogether by wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen and using safe sun practices such as wearing protective clothing and staying out of the sun during peak hours. If you’re struggling with sunburns, our dermatologists can help.

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.

Proper Diet Can Improve Skin Health

Proper Diet Can Improve Skin Health

They say you are as healthy as what you eat — but does that really apply to your skin?

Apparently, what you put into your body can affect the overall health and appearance of your skin. The more processed foods and sugars that you consume, the more likely you will be prone to oily skin and acne. On the other hand, the more foods you eat that are rich in antioxidants, the more likely you will be to have better-looking skin.

Not sure which foods to look for? Here are just a few foods that have been shown to not only improve the health of your skin, but your overall health as well.

Dark Chocolate

Yes, your prayers have been answered! Rich in cocoa flavanols, which has antioxidants that help hydrate your skin and improve circulation, consuming dark chocolate has been shown to make your skin more firm and supple. To get the most flavanol out of your dark chocolate, it’s recommended that you eat chocolate that’s at least 70 percent cacao. A couple squares a day should do the trick.

Yogurt

The protein you receive from eating dairy has been shown to help your skin become firmer and be more resistant to lines. If you want to be an overachiever, try Greek yogurt — it contains as much as double the amount of protein of regular yogurt.

Green Tea

Known to be very high in antioxidants, green tea has been shown to help reduce redness and fight inflammation. The ingredients in green tea have also been shown to boost blood flow and oxygen to the skin, which delivers key nutrients to keep your complexion more elastic, smooth and healthy.

Walnuts

Loaded with omega-3 essential fatty acids and copper, walnuts can help improve your skin’s elasticity and boost your body’s collagen production. It’s also the only type of nut that contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which is especially important for vegetarians. Snack on a handful of walnuts a day to help improve your complexion.

Peppers

Carotenoids, the antioxidants found in yellow and orange vegetables can help decrease your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. And one study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate the most green and yellow vegetables (up to 250 grams) had fewer wrinkles compared to those who ate the least amount (69 grams) a day.

Sunflower seeds

Loaded with Vitamin E, sunflower seeds have been shown to keep your skin supple and pimple-free. Vitamin E is thought to enhance immune function, allowing the body to fight off the inflammation that leads to acne — and one ounce of sunflower seeds contain 37 percent of your daily Vitamin E needs.

Soy

Soy contains minerals and proteins that have been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation, leading to a clearer complexion. Studies have shown that by consuming a daily dose of 40 mg of aglycone, an isoflavone found in soy, individuals had fewer fine lines and improved skin elasticity within 12 weeks compared to a placebo. The isoflavone can help stop collagen from breaking down, which is what leads to sagging and lines.

Looking for the best practices to improve your skin health? Our seasoned derma doctors have all the right answers for you. Schedule a consultation!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.

Repairing Sun Damage

Repairing Sun Damage

If you regularly enjoy most of your days outside with all the travels and activities, then chances are you may have gotten some sun damage. Whether it was a full-body sunburn or just an extra freckle here and there, it’s still considered sun damage. And it’s not great for your skin.

To help get your skin back on the right track, here are a few ways you can repair sun damage on your skin:

Use Sunscreen Every Day

Even if you’re not planning on spending very much time outside, wearing sunscreen with SPF of 15 of higher on a daily basis can help give your skin time to heal. That little extra layer of protection has even been shown to lower your long-term risk of skin cancer.

Exfoliate

Build-up of dead skin cells can make your skin appear blotchy and uneven — especially after you’ve experienced sun damage. By exfoliating every day, you are able to remove those dead skin cells and help your skin look healthier and smoother.

Hydrate

Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do to help keep your skin looking and feeling healthy after sun exposure. Not only will hydrating help keep your skin from drying out, but moisturizing can also help plump up dry skin and make your skin instantly appear less wrinkled.

Try Laser Treatment

If all else fails, it may be time to try laser treatment. There are a few different types of laser treatment you can try, but it’s best if you speak with your dermatologist first to discuss your options and what he/she recommends for your particular skin type.

Learn more about how to repair sun damage or to get started on your own personalized treatment plan by scheduling an appointment with our expert dermatologists!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.

Steps for Proper Sunscreen Application

Steps for Proper Sunscreen Application

There’s a proper way to apply your sunscreen.

Have you ever put on sunscreen and thought you did a good job, only to realize a few hours later that you still got sunburnt? You’re not alone.

Chances are, you may have missed a critical step in your sunscreen application routine. From selecting your sunscreen to the steps you take before, during, and after you’re exposed to the sun, there are a lot of things you need to take into consideration.

That’s why we’re sharing this quick and easy guide to help you keep your skin protected all summer — and all year — long.

Step 1: Check Your Sunscreen

We’ve talked about selecting the right sunscreen for your skin before. Ultimately, you want to find sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher, water-resistant and offers broad-spectrum coverage.

One other thing to keep in mind is whether or not your sunscreen is expired. While the FDA requires that all sunscreens retain their original strength for three years, some sunscreens do not include an expiration date. It’s a good habit to invest in a new supply of sunscreen every year and to keep an eye out for any obvious changes in color or consistency in your sunscreen. If you think you may have an expired bottle, grab yourself some new reinforcements. Your skin will thank you.

Step 2: Use the Right Amount

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people only apply 25 to 50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen to their skin. To help give you an idea of how much sunscreen is the right amount, an average adult needs at least one ounce — or one handful — of sunscreen to cover their entire body.

Step 3: Apply Properly

Sunscreen takes about 15 minutes to absorb into the skin. So make sure you apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before sun exposure. Applying sunscreen after sun exposure is one of the leading causes of sunburn.

Additionally, remember to cover your entire body, especially the parts of your skin that are not covered. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen on your neck, face, ears and the tops of your feet and hands. These are the areas that skin cancer is most commonly found. Also, be sure to protect your lips from skin cancer with lip balm that’s SPF 15 or higher. 

Step 4: Reapply

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is putting on sunscreen once and then never reapplying throughout the day. If you are swimming or sweating, your sunscreen will rub off and leave you exposed to harmful UV rays. Even if you aren’t swimming or sweating, it is always a good idea to reapply sunscreen every two hours you spend outside.

If you are near sand or water, your need for sunscreen increases, as these surfaces tend to reflect the sun’s rays more, leaving you more susceptible to harmful UV exposure.

If you follow all these steps religiously and are still finding yourself getting sunburnt every now and then, it may be time to talk to a specialist. 

Schedule an appointment with Shinagawa Aesthetics today to find a sunscreen and routine that works best for you!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.

Foods for a Clear Complexion

Foods for a Clear Complexion

For most of us scramble for the self-tanner and start taking steps to get our skin into tip-top shape. If you are struggling to achieve that fresh, clean glow, you may want to make some adjustments to your everyday diet.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, what you put into your body has a huge impact on your skin. 

The more you are able to incorporate some of these skin-friendly foods into your diet, the better off your skin will be.

Water

Even though water isn’t technically categorized as “food,” it is one of the most important things you can put into your body to help improve your skin’s complexion. Not only does it help boost your metabolism, but it also helps flush out your system and keep impurities from causing blemishes to pop up.

Eggs

Who knew that cracking a couple of eggs in the morning would be good for your skin? The yolk in eggs is full of skin-clearing selenium, zinc, vitamins and protein, which all contribute to healthy skin. Additionally, the protein found in eggs is critical for collagen production, which helps give your skin a nice, smooth appearance. 

Seeds

A handful of seeds can go a long way when it comes to the health of your skin. Pumpkin seeds in particular are filled with zinc, which protects your skin cell membranes, helps maintain collagen and prompts skin renewal. Sunflower seeds are another great option, offering plenty of vitamin E to help protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals in the environment and in your body.

Fresh Fish

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which in turn fortify your skin cell membranes and protect your skin against sun damage, fresh, oily fish such as salmon or tuna are great for your skin. The omega-3 fatty acids found in this type of fish also helps prevent redness and wrinkle development, keeping your skin fresh and supple.

Sweet Potatoes

Finally, start adding some sweet potatoes to your daily routine. Rich in vitamin A, the nutrients found in sweet potatoes have been shown to enhance the color and appearance of your skin. Vitamin A has also been shown to repair skin tissue and protect against free radical damage from the sun and the environment.

Looking to freshen up your skincare routine? We recommend consulting with your dermatologist first before making any changes. Set up an appointment with one of our experienced dermatologists today!

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat at https://shinagawa.ph so we can address and answer them for you.