Using a product after the sun can be beneficial if it contains mild and natural ingredients. Otherwise, it can be harmful
It is extremely important to take care of your skin after excessive sun exposure, as this exposure can cause long-term damage.
But if your first move after a sunburn is to buy an after-sun product and apply it right away, you’re probably not doing your best.
According to experts, if you don’t read the ingredients carefully after the sun, your skin can do more damage. Therefore, it may be wise to choose aloe vera gel.
“After-sun products have a rich, thick formula that contains oils that create an emollient barrier on the skin, trapping heat in the top layer of skin and increasing inflammation and ‘burning’ on your face,” skincare expert Michaella Bolder told the Independent.
Plus, she adds, many after-sun products contain chemicals and/or fragrance. It will only irritate the skin!
Lorraine Shrivener, director of Eden Skin Clinics, explains that aloe vera has long been prized for its healing properties.
According to Shrivener, aloe vera is most effective when it is in the form of a clear, transparent gel.
However, as Cosmedics UK medical director and GP Ross Perry points out, the healing properties of aloe have not been technically confirmed by scientific research.
“Aloe vera is a traditional herbal remedy believed to relieve the symptoms of sunburn,” she explains.
“There is no scientific evidence to support its use for sunburn, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it is soothing and safe and can cool the skin,” she said.
Despite the lack of scientific evidence to support its use as a treatment for sunburn, many health professionals still recommend it for its soothing properties when the skin is irritated.
“Aloe vera has countless positive effects on skin, especially sunburned skin,” says Dermatica dermatologist and consultant Dr Natalie Spierings.
“Its effectiveness has not yet been clinically proven. But aloe vera isn’t harmful and can help soothe sunburned skin, so it’s worth a try,” she adds.
While some skin care experts recommend choosing pure aloe vera gel instead of a heavier, after-sun moisturizer if you’re sunburnt, others recommend simply finding an after-sun cream that contains aloe vera. And ideally a high water, high aloe vera formula – the more natural and mild the better!
Using a product after the sun can be beneficial if it contains mild and natural ingredients.
However, if you’re not entirely sure whether a particular after-sun will do you more harm than good, then choosing pure aloe gel would probably be your safest bet.
In any case, Dr Vikram Rajkomar, consultant dermatologist specializing in the treatment of skin diseases and skin cancer at Pall Mall Medical, recommends seeing a dermatologist as soon as possible if sunburn pain persists.