Sunburn prevention is one of the top things to pay attention to during a beach vacation! Sunburns can put a real damper on the fun at the beach. These 4 simple steps will go a long way to preserve the fun of your beach experience and reduce the risk of cancer-causing UV sun rays.

1. A good water resistant sunscreen with an SPF rating of 20 will block 95% of the sun’s harmful rays; using a wide spectrum sunscreen will protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. Keep in mind that in order to get adequate protection from your sunblock, one should apply the equivalent of about one ounce of lotion every time you apply it. Your sunscreen will work best when you apply it 15-30 minutes BEFORE hitting the beach, and again 30 minutes AFTER you’ve arrived.

2. Wearing a hat will keep the sun off your nose, and with a wide enough brim, your ears as well. These two very sensitive areas are more prone to sun damage because they’re some of the thinnest parts of the skin. A hat plays such an important role at the beach because the face- where you really don’t want sun damage! Sunburns on the face, and in general, speeds up the aging process. Stay youthful, and wear a hat!

3. Throwing on a shirt can be a real shoulder saver! Shoulders are one of the first things to burn when out and about on a sunny day. Not only shoulders can be saved from the sun, but belly, back, and chest as well! This can be a good idea if you want to take a lone beach trip and don’t have someone to rub sunscreen on your back!

4. Beach umbrellas are great to get a break from the sun without taking a break from the beach! A beach umbrella creates a shady place to relax when not playing in the surf. This is a good way to stay cool and protected from the sun. You’ll be glad you brought one of the top 10 beach essentials along on your next trip to VA Beach!

So, what if you didn’t follow these tips? You have a sunburn… Now what?

The best ways to save your skin after being fried are using ALOE VERA and/or TEA TREE OIL

Aloe Vera gel is derived from the inside of the Aloe Vera plant. Aloe Vera is an extremely soothing and anti-inflammatory gel that can take the sting out of burned skin. Usually you will see it as a green gel, but that is not its natural color! That is an added color. When buying Aloe Vera from the store, try to buy a brand that doesn’t have alcohol because that could actually dry out the skin and make matters worse.

Tea Tree Oil application can also be a fast and easy way to turn your red skin to a bronze faster. Tea Tree Oil can be bought at any pharmacy. This is a natural way to aid a sunburn back to healthy skin. This should not be applied by itself. When using Tea Tree Oil, it is best to use oil or lotion with it. You can speed up the recovery of your skin is adding a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil in the Aloe Vera and rub on sunburn! Genius!

Coming to Virginia Beach is all about having fun in the sun, so follow these steps to enjoy the time outdoors all summer long!

*This is not medical advice, this is simply what is usually applied to sunburns, and from our knowledge- it is what works best!

Last edited: April 6, 2017