Recently I attended a wedding where the bride wore a strapless gown, showing off her gorgeous décolleté and delicate features. Unfortunately for her, it also showed off a unique sports bra tan line, complete with red splotches showing the telltale signs where exposed skin had accidentally been passed over by a swipe of SPF.
Even the most careful of sun protection applications can result in unwanted burns. I myself have been a victim of inadvertent scorched skin, and have vowed to never (ever, ever) let that happen again. It probably goes without saying that most of us are thorough with our shoulders, backs, necks, arms, and legs, but here are a few places you might want to double check before heading out into the intense heat. Discover them after the jump.
- Upper ears: Peeling, blistery ears? Ouch. Believe me, if it happens one time, you'll never let it happen again.
- Hair part: The top of your head is often the first place the sun's rays hit. Be sure to apply sunscreen to any exposed skin on the scalp — especially your part. Better yet, wear a cute straw hat.
- Under arms: Falling asleep in the sun with arms stretched behind your head leaves plenty of exposed skin. Pay close attention to the back and underside of the arms to avoid an unpleasant burn that could leave you immobile.
- On tops of feet: Wading in the water is nice. Burning the tops of your feet while wading in the water is not. Use protection.
- Eyelids: A burn on the eyelids and brow bone area is harsh, and unless your sunglasses have UV protection, make sure you don't miss this delicate area.
- Under straps: Straps and clothing/swimsuits shift as you move your body throughout the day. Take extra special care to apply sunscreen not only to the areas around your clothing and swimsuits, but directly underneath them, too.
- Hairline: Warm weather hairstyles often call for pulled-back ponytails. A swipe of sunscreen around the hairline will prevent strange and painful burns around the perimeter of your face.
Fendi
Splendid
Graham and Green
i always forget to lotion my ears. burnt, peeling upper ears are horrible!
1Hair part is something I always forget!
I was so careful b4 my wedding of all my tan lines from my bikini, and to be careful of that I was wearing while running so that I didnt have any funny tan marks.
I have never been burned on my feet! That sounds horrible though!
2Definitely watch the edges along clothing and swimwear. I've had a burn before where you could see the outline where my fingertips were as I applied the sunscreen.
3Sunburn anywhere is the least of my favorite from summer. No matter how religiously I moisturize and apply sun block, there will always be that one spot I missed. I wish there was an easier way to do this.. Like an allover spray with SPF that would actually work..
4They make spray sunscreens that help some with coverage in "hard to reach" places like on your back and stuff: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=183378&catid=137152&trx=P...
okay that was super long . . . the one i was thinking of is the Aveeno Sunblock Spray, it even works when you spray with the can upside down.
5One day last summer I forgot to put sunscreen in a little corner of my face (next to my hairline). The rest of my face was protected, but I wound up with a red blister that peeled and the new skin there is very sensitive. Yuck.
6My hair part burn is finally better. Walking around in Paris for a couple days was awesome, but MAN did my scalp hurt.
7I saw on The Today show and read about sunscreen/sunblock application, and I actually listened to an NPR Podcast that no matter what it is you are applying, that for it to be fully effective that it needs to be applied 30 minutes before you actually go outside. I thought that was good information to share!
8Like Asense, always forget about my ears and have gotten sunburned several times..
9Excellent tips...I like to use my sunscreen like lotion before I get dressed too. That way I get more areas, since sun rays strike underneath clothing too!
10The ears always get me!
11Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.