Are your skin and hair ready to enjoy the sun?

We're counting down the Sundays until summer, but... are you preparing your skin and hair to enjoy it as much as you do?

Most people enjoy the sun's rays and what they mean. Summer is a time of long days, more outdoor plans and a greater sense of freedom. We know that uncontrolled exposure to the sun is not good, as it can cause various kinds of changes in our body . Knowing the effects of the sun on our hair and skin will help us better understand how and why we should not only take care of ourselves, but also prepare for this time. In this article I tell you all the keys you need to know to reach summer with healthy hair and skin .

What are ultraviolet rays?

The sun has immediate and long-term effects on the skin and hair through its rays, which reach the earth more directly in summer. Some are beneficial, such as the formation of vitamin D, or a feeling of well-being, but others can have negative consequences.

We all know about ultraviolet rays, but did you know that they are made up of several different types of rays?

• UltraViolet type A (UVA): are the most abundant. They penetrate deeply into the skin, generating free radicals, damaging cellular DNA and increasing the risk of cancer and skin aging (spots, wrinkles, thinning of the skin) in the long term.
• UlturaVioleta type B: they do not penetrate as deeply but cause damage more immediately. Have you ever been burned? Well, these are the rays responsible, generating direct damage to DNA and cell growth.
• Infrared: is responsible for generating that pleasant sensation of heat under the sun, but it can penetrate to the deepest layers of the skin, causing high oxidation.

How to avoid sun damage to skin and hair

To avoid all these possible immediate and delayed damage from the sun on our skin and hair, we must combine both internal and external care.

Tips to take care of yourself from the outside

• Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Avoid direct sun by using an umbrella or standing in the shade. The rays in this case arrive without interference, being more intense and damaging.
• Avoid the central hours of the day, when the rays reach the earth more directly and abundantly.
• Cover your skin and hair with caps, hats, clothing...
• Apply sunscreen all over your skin, even on unexposed areas. There are different types of creams to make application more comfortable in all areas.

Tips to take care of yourself from within

Antioxidants are elements that help protect the body's cells against the aggression caused by free radicals, so frequently generated by the sun's rays. The body has its own mechanisms to neutralize them, but if their production is excessive they will cause damage. To prevent them, we must increase the intake of antioxidants and do so some time before exposure to ensure that the body is prepared.

Providing antioxidants to our body is easy through the consumption of vitamins and minerals from groups A, C and E, beta carotene, selenium and Zinc , among others. These vitamins and minerals can be found in:

• Fruits and vegetables with high antioxidant power: such as blueberries, goji berries, cherries, grapes, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, beets...
• Nuts, legumes and seeds: such as red beans (their skin contains more antioxidants than many red fruits with flavonoids and tannins among others), pistachios, walnuts, chia seeds, açai...
• Nutritional supplements with a high load of antioxidants such as Olistic for Women : it is important that they include ingredients such as:

• Resveratrol : substance with antioxidant power produced by the leaves and fruit of the vine. It has been observed that this action can be achieved by taking it orally.
• Astaxanthin : It is a carotenoid naturally present in the algae Haematococcus pluvialis, where its function is to assist in photosynthesis and protect chlorophyll from damage caused by sunlight. There are studies that show that its oral use can have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and photoprotective effects at a dermatological level.
• Anthocyanidins : A type of flavonoid contained in dark-colored fruits. Its antioxidant power has been demonstrated, but it also stimulates the synthesis of connective tissue . This type of tissue is widely distributed throughout our body and performs filling, support and repair functions, among others.

And remember! Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today. You must prepare your body for the greater exposure to rays associated with summer so that you do not notice its consequences when autumn arrives and, above all, to avoid them in the long term.

Take care of your diet, take advantage of fresh foods of this season, ensure an abundant intake of antioxidants and take care of yourself during your sun exposure. You will be better in summer and also in autumn and winter. You may even be able to avoid the dreaded autumn hair loss .