Yoon Ja-young is in charge of articles translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times. She is interested in improving the newspaper through AI.
Between sunburn and tanning
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By Yoon Ja-young
By Yoon Ja-young
August is the peak time for taking summer vacation; and so here are some health tips for people going on holiday.
Those heading to beaches should protect themselves against sunburn. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays causes inflammation of the skin, turning it red and causing it to sting. The skin peels off and vesicles can form in serious cases. These symptoms often last for over a week.
“It is impossible to completely block ultraviolet rays while sunbathing on a beach in summer,” said Prof. Shin Min-kyung at Kyunghee University Medical Center. She recommends using sun-block every two hours, and wearing wide brimmed hats and long sleeves to minimize exposure.
When skin turns red, be sure to soothe it first. Dr. Kim Ji-hyun, a dermatologist at Grand Dermatology Clinic, recommends applying an ice pack, cold milk, or cold cosmetic water to get rid of the heat in the skin. A massage pack using natural ingredients such as cucumber and potato and aloe products can also soothe. If the symptoms continue after a week, however, a visit to a dermatologist will be necessary.
Tanning may cause skin troubles like melasma, freckles and sunburn, but many people want to tan their skin anyway. Dr. Kim says that it takes preparation to tan well. First, use a scrub while showering to get rid of dead skin cells. This will help tan the skin evenly. After showering, supply moisture by using body lotion.
Tanning doesn’t mean exposing yourself completely to the sun. You still need protection, applying sun block every one or two hours during tanning. Some people believe lengthy exposure under the sun will result in good tanning, but it can cause sunburn and other skin troubles. Dr. Kim thus recommends avoiding tanning between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the ultraviolet rays are at their peak. When using tanning cosmetics, he recommended wearing plastic gloves or washing hands immediately after applying the products to the body to avoid pigmentation of the palms.