Is After Sun Harmful?

Aftersun is not harmful to your skin. It is true that certain ingredients, such as perfume or alcohol, can irritate your (burned) skin even more. Therefore avoid aftersun with these ingredients. Always opt for a water-based aftersun. You can find out whether this is the case by taking a look at the ingredients list. Is ‘aqua’ mentioned as the first ingredient? Then you’re in the right place. An example of this is the Drs Adam. This is a water-based aftersun without perfume and alcohol.

Can you also use body lotion instead of aftersun?

Unlike aftersun, body lotion does not provide cooling. In addition, fatty products such as body lotion and body cream retain heat. Especially if you have a serious burn, you can therefore better use aftersun. Don’t have aftersun at home? Then use body lotion to moisturize your skin, but choose a water-based body lotion without perfume and without alcohol. This way you prevent your skin from becoming even more irritated.

What to do if you are burned?

If you don’t protect yourself (well enough) from the sun, you can burn. Burned skin is red and can feel painful and warm. What should you do if you are burned?

  • Get out of the sun as soon as you feel yourself burning.
  • Cool your skin with a lukewarm shower or a wet towel.
  • Hydrate your skin with a cooling aftersun.
  • Stay indoors and find a cool space.
  • Drink enough water to avoid dehydration and headaches.

If you are badly burned you can suffer from swelling, blisters, fever, headache, nausea and palpitations. In the worst case, you can even get heatstroke. Are you burned and do you experience one or more of these complaints? Then consult your doctor.

How can you prevent sunburn?

With sunburn, prevention is really better than cure. Burning increases the risk of skin cancer considerably. This is how you avoid burning:

  • After applying, wait half an hour before exposing your skin to the sun. This way the sunburn can absorb well.
  • Gently get your skin used to the sun. Do not sit in the sun for too long if you have little or no tan yet.
  • Lubricate regularly and do not be too frugal. Apply every two hours. Make sure to do this after you’ve been swimming or if you’ve been sweating a lot. Do this even if your sunscreen is water resistant.
  • Avoid the sun between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Then the sun is highest in the sky and the chance of combustion is greatest.
  • Do not stay in the sun for too long. Regularly seek shade.

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