SUMMER SUN
The sunshine is irresistible! We love its warmth and healing impact on our bodies and we love that perfect sunny glow on our skin. It seems that no matter what size or shape we are or what colour and type of skin we have, we want more and more of the sun’s light.It can turn a dull, depressing day into a vibrant, happy day!
BUT…
we can also get too much of a good thing and suffer anywhere from mild to severe consequences such as mild or severe sunburn, sun allergy, or even sunstroke!
WHAT IS A SUNBURN?
Sunburn is a reddening, inflammation, and, in severe cases, blistering and peeling of the skin caused by overexposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun or of a tanning bed.
Mild sunburn may include redness of skin, pain, skin peeling and itchiness or rash.
Severesunburn or sun poisoning may include burning hot skin and blistering, swelling, loss of fluid (dehydration), electrolyte imbalance, infection, general fatigue and mild dizziness. Extreme sunburns and cases of sun poisoning can require hospitalization. If your skin is peeling following a bad sunburn, avoid picking at it or peeling it further. If you have blisters, this is a sign of a severe sunburn. It is best to cover them to prevent tearing and leave them alone until they heal.
ARE WE ABLE TO PREVENT SUNBURN?
There are ways to prevent burning as well as ways to heal a burn, thanks to homeopathy.
1. CLOTHING
You can wear protective clothing that has sunscreen built into the fabric, or cover yourself with white thin cotton or linen clothes, wear sunglasses, a sunhat and avoid direct sun exposure between 11 am and 4 pm for longer than 20 minutes at a time until you build up your layers of tanned skin.
2. VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Eating Vitamin D-rich foods or taking a vitamin D 3 supplement, increases your tolerance to sun exposure. Also, eating healthy fats and oils helps create more resilient skin. Correct deficiencies in certain minerals such as zinc and magnesium by eating bone broths and organ meats to diminish photosensitivity and sun rashes.
3. COCONUT OIL
Rubbing cold-pressed coconut oil onto your skin will block 20% of the sun’s rays, and it will also release powerful antioxidants into your skin, which support your own natural defenses to prevent damage from long term sun exposure.
4. ASTAXANTHIN
Astaxanthin from krill oil has protective effects on skin and enhances the ability to tan.
5. HYDRATION
Your skin needs enough water to stay moisturized and to help resist burning.
WHAT CAN I DO IF I DO GET A SUNBURN?
1. Stay out of the sun and in the shade until the burn fades.
2. Drink lots of water, coconut water or fresh juices to stay hydrated.
3. Keep your house cool using fans or air conditioning.
4. Use cold compresses (using cool water or also a couple of drops of lavender essential oil) to
soothe the hot skin.
5. Take a cool shower or bath to cool the sunburned skin.
6. Bath water soothing options include:
-adding 1 cup apple cider vinegar to help balance the burned skin’s pH level, promoting healing
-soaking in an oatmeal bath to relieve itchy sunburned skin
-adding a few drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil to relieve some of the stinging pain
-adding 2 cups baking soda to help ease irritation and redness from the sunburn
-avoiding soap and perfumes in bath water which can further fry your already dry, burned skin
7. Use aloe vera (directly from the plant if possible) to soothe and moisturize the skin.
8. Apply tea bags that have been soaked in cold water to sunburned eyelids to soothe the
burn and reduce inflammation.
9. Apply Witch Hazel to the sunburned area to help reduce inflammation.
10. Apply freshly brewed tea after it has cooled to sunburned skin using a clean cloth.
The tannic acid in black tea helps draw heat from sunburned skin, and aids in restoring the pH
balance. You can add mint to the tea for a more cooling effect.
11. Apply cool, not cold, milk or yogurtwith a clean cloth to your sunburned skin. The milk will
create a protein film that helps ease sunburn discomfort.
12. Use Vitamin E oil on the skin (even on peeling skin). It is an antioxidant, and can help decrease
inflammation caused by sunburn.
13. Cucumbers have natural antioxidant and analgesic (pain relieving) properties. Chill cucumbers,
then mash in a blender to create a paste, and apply to affected sunburned areas including the
face. Cucumber also can be soothing for peeling skin following a sunburn.
14. Pour a cup of cool water into a container. Add a cup of apple cider vinegar. Dip cotton pads
into the mixture, squeeze out any excess and dab onto sunburned areas.
CAN HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES REMEDIATE SUNBURN?
Yes they can. There are topical remedies and internal remedies that can help.
1. Topical Remedies for Sunburn
Apply the remedy as soon as possible after the burn occurs, and reapply as needed over the next few days. Administer one dose every three hours until improvement is seen or less frequently depending on the severity of the burn. As always, stop giving the remedy when symptoms have improved.
REMEDY
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DEGREE OF BURN HEAT
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SITUATION
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SUGGESTED USE
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CALENDULA
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Mildly hot
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Mild sunburn
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Use externally in tincture or liquid dilution; use in spray form to easily cover large areas of the body.*
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HYPERICUM
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Hot
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Medium to severe sunburn
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Use externally in tincture or liquid dilution; use in spray form to easily cover large areas of the body.
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URTICA URENS
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Very hot and painful
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Severe, painful, burning sunburn
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Use externally in tincture or liquid dilution; use in spray form to easily cover large areas of the body.
|
*Make your own diluted remedy spray if you cannot find one available.
2. Homeopathic Remedies You Can Take for Sunburn
Beginning as soon as possible after the injury, give one dose every 15 minutes until the pain subsides or for three to six doses. After the initial round, the remedy may be given for continued pain relief and healing – three to four times. As long as the burn continues to heal, the external remedies can be used for pain relief, to speed healing of the tissues, and to prevent or minimize scarring.
Arnica: Give Arnica first for the shock of the burn 30C (2 doses - 15 minutes apart) or 1 dose 200C.
Cantharis: Usefor a burning sensation that is relieved by cold applications.
Give it in the 30C or 200C potency every 15 minutes until pain is reduced, then as needed.
Urticaria Urens: Use for burns with a stinging or prickly feeling.
Give 30C potency each 15 minutes until pain subsides, or as needed.
Belladonna: Use for really red and hot sunburn, perhaps with a pulsing sensation in the skin.
Give 30C potency each 15 minutes until pain subsides, or as needed.
Kali mur 6x and Kali sulphuricum 6x can be given in addition to the selected remedy.
Give one dose of each 3 to 4 times daily or less frequently, depending on the severity of the burn,
for up to three days.
3. Rehydration
Dehydration can also occur as a result of too much sun.
The best treatment is rehydration with water and electrolytes as well as coconut water or filtered
water,
The healthiest advice about sunburn is to avoid it; it is uncomfortable, damaging, and sets the stage for more serious problems later on. According to the Mayo Clinic, even a single sunburn can increase your risk of future complications such as dry, wrinkled skin, liver spots, actinic keratoses, and skin cancer, including melanoma. But on those occasions when it is already too late for prevention, consider homeopathy to help restore the skin to the healthiest level possible, as soon as possible.
IS SUN ALLERGY THE SAME AS SUNBURN?
Sun allergy is different than sunburn. It is an immune system reaction to the sun and can occur at any time in someone’s life; typically it occurs in people in their 20s and their 30s. Sun allergy can affect people of all skin types and the exact cause of this disorder is still unknown.
People usually develop reactions within a few hours of sun exposure. Symptoms depend on the type of sun allergy. Most sun allergy sufferers get an itchy red rash. The skin reaction usually lasts for a few days, or up to two weeks. Then it would go away by itself.
DO MEDICATIONS AFFECT MY SKIN’S SENSITIVITY TO SUNLIGHT?
Certain medications can make your skin sensitive to sunlight. The sun may irritate your skin if you are taking NSAIDs, statins, some diuretics, antibiotics and hypoglycemics. Skin can also react to sunscreens.
To avoid the rashes, limit your time in the sun.
If you have to go out in the sun, reapply sunscreen every two hours.
It is better to use a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide.
If you have to go out in the sun, reapply sunscreen every two hours.
It is better to use a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide.
Avoid the sun during peak hours (between 10am and 3pm).
Wear sunglasses, a hat and protective clothing with long sleeves and long trousers.
Homeopathy is a safe and inexpensive treatment for sun allergy. Homeopathic medicines have no side effects. It is better to start a preventive treatment a few weeks before going on vacation or before summer`s onset.
ARE THERE ANY HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR SUN ALLERGY?
Some commonly used homeopathic medicines for sun allergy include:
· Apis mellifica - Burning and itchy pink swollen patches, improved by cold compresses.
· Belladonna - Hot bright red rash; sun allergy can be accompanied by fever.
· Hypericum - Herbal and homeopathic preparations of St.John`s wort have a completely different action when it comes to sun allergy. Herbal preparations make the skin more vulnerable to sunlight while daily doses of homeopathic dilutions of St.John`s wort have the opposite action - they can desensitize the skin. The skin becomes accustomed to UV light and symptoms caused by sun exposure are reduced.
· Histaminum 9C -people who are susceptible to hives should take it once a week.
· Muriaticum acidum - Red papules and vesicles with violent itching
· Natrum mur - Sun allergy is worse at the sea side; various chronic skin disorders - urticaria, eczema, acne, herpes; skin and respiratory allergies.
· Pulsatilla - Thin mottled skin, sensitive to sunlight and cold - prone to sunburn and sun allergy in summer and to frostbites in winter; slow digestion with intolerance to fatty foods; ENT and urogenital disorders with yellow-greenish discharge.
· Sulphur - Severe sun allergy with violent burning and itching worse by bathing and heat; skin and body orifices turn red easily, prone to various skin disorders and multiple allergy; heat intolerance.
Extreme sunburns and cases of sun poisoning can require hospitalization.
For sun allergies, hives or other variations of reactions to the sun, see your homeopath for a remedy which more exactly suits your specific situation
WHAT’S THE DIFFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT/SUN STROKE?
Heat exhaustionis an abnormal condition marked by weakness, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, and fainting. It is caused by low levels of body fluid and salts resulting from exposure to intense heat or the inability to adjust to heat. Body temperature is near normal; blood pressure may drop but usually returns to normal as the person is placed in a lying-down position; the skin is cool, damp, and pale. The patient IS dehydrated. The person usually recovers with rest and replacement of water and salt.
Heat strokeis a severe and sometimes fatal conditionthat results from the failure of the body to regulate its temperature. This is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun or to high temperatures. Lessening or lack rate, hot and dry skin, headache, confusion, blackouts, and convulsions may occur. Sweating is an early symptom. Body temperature of 105 degree Fahrenheit or higher, fast pulse patient may have fluid and body sodium depletion as seen in classic heat exhaustion.
HOW CAN HOMEOPATHY HELP WITH HEAT EXHAUSTION OR SUN STROKE?
There are a few remedies indicated which you would match to the symptoms that present.
Glonoinum(most commonly indicated)
Violent headache with throbbing, flushed face
Vertigo and dizziness
Hot dry skin, drowsy
Belladonna
Violent headache with throbbing
Hot flushed face but cold hands and feet or body
Gelsemium
Vertigo and dizziness
Weakness with trembling and/or nervousness
Headache in occiput (lower part of head, just above top of neck)
Veratrum album
Headache with nausea, extreme weakness, feelings of possibly collapse
Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Chill and/or perspiration on forehead
Cantharis
Skin is sunburned
Weakness, exhaustion from severe sunburn:
Dosage
Chose only one remedy and take one pellet in 30c potency. Wait 30 minutes.
If there has been little or no improvement (amelioration), take a second pellet.
If you feel 50% better after the first or second dose, stop the remedy.
Take up to three pellets in 24 hours. If you do not improve, seek medical attention.
IS THERE A WAY TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION OR SUNSTROKE?
Do not do any strong physical work in the highest heat of the day.
Rest in the shade.
Drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
Wear a broad brimmed hat and sunglasses.
Keep your body cool.
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