The sun can be a lot to deal with even if you don't live on the Mediterranean Sea. The sun in Italy tends to be stronger since the country is surrounded by water and usually there are no clouds in sight. It only seems natural then that Italians then are always so tan and famous for their olive skin. Coming from the United States I thought that because I was 11% Italian, I wouldn't have to worry about the sun in Italy. I was happy to find out that many of my fellow students had the same thoughts for their time in Italy. This resulted in a mass casualty sunburn over the first weekend we had in Italy.
Sunburns are caused from the ultraviolet rays that the sun emits. Since they are only usually first degree burns and at the worst can lead to a second degree sunburn. These second degree burns are characterized by swelling and blisters along with the normal redness. They often take longer to heal and tend to hurt more than an average sunburn.
The average UV index, which can determine the strength of the sun and how fast people may burn in the sun, ranges from 1-11. 1 being very weak like during a snowstorm in winter, and 11 being in the Sahara desert in the summer. On average, Napoli and the Amalfi coast tends to hover around a 9-10 while New York City averages an 6-8.
We were all so excited to spend the beautiful days out on the beaches, piers, or boats and assumed that like in the United States, taking precautions wasn’t necessary. Monday during classes was like walking into a lobster shack. Everyone was sunburned rather than tan, and almost no one had a full range of motion because of it. While the event was hilarious and unfortunate, our collective epiphany resulted in newfound knowledge of how to approach and deal with the sun.
After weeks of wincing every time I moved, I went to the store and was prepared to buy the strongest sunscreen available. Much to my surprise they recommended that I only buy sunscreen with spf 50. The SPF 50 blocks about 98% of UV rays but anything higher can actually increase your chance of sunburns. People who wear sunscreen above 50 consistently don’t re-apply as often as they should and tend to stay in the sun for longer periods of time.
I also discovered how useful sunglasses or a hat can be. Sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun (fun fact: you can burn your eyes) especially if you have contacts or already damaged eyes. While sunscreen helps with preventing burns, a hat especially can cast shade over a part of your body that is already burned. Hats also protect your hair which can be damaged from the heat and the sun.
Drinking plenty of water while your hanging out on the sea can also help deter the sun. Always staying hydrated can help your skin stay hydrated so that you won't get sunburned as easily. By all means avoid tanning lotion. The sun can be harsh enough as it is and being so close to the equator means the sun is significantly more intense.
If you fell asleep on the beach and it’s already too late for you, aloe can also go a long way. I personally fell in love with putting a bottle of aloe in the fridge before I would spend the day at the beach. By the time I got home, the nice cool aloe worked magic on my burnt skin. I would always try to double-team my efforts. Use aloe for the morning or after showers, and when it dried put on lotion. When my skin would begin to hurt again I would go back to the aloe.
Don't forget to wear loose clothing that won't irritate the area as well as patting down the burn after showers. Rubbing can lead to blisters and cause more of you skin to peel, not to mention the added pain.
If you ladies have already been sunburned but we're still hoping to get in one last girls night, then concealer and coverup might just be your new best friend. Most concealers have a hydrating component already which can help hydrate your skin while also hiding your burn. Green concealers are what's typically used to hide redness on the face but a dark neutral color will also do in a pinch. Then by adding your favorite foundation, you should be good to go!