Summer is still going strong, and you know what that means, it's your last chance to lay out poolside (or beachside, if you're lucky) to soak up those last rays of sun.
While laying out all day long sounds like the best idea ever, remember, the lobster look does not suit anyone. Needless to say, don't forget your sunscreen. Although everyone should be slathering that lotion on, it is definitely more important for the fair-skinned. And for the 1 percent of the population that has red hair (like me), these steps may be familiar for you. Here, the 5 stages of sunburns that will make your last bit of summer a major bummer:
Stage One: Denial and Isolation
The first stage is denial. When you first start to get the prickly feeling in your back, legs, shoulders, or anywhere else. This is when you realize you should probably have reapplied sunscreen, or maybe even flipped over while tanning about 30 minutes ago. You may try to deny the burn at this point, and you will NOT listen to your friends if they start to tell you you’re getting red, but you know no one can help you now. It’s too late.
Tip: Flip every 20 minutes while tanning, and reapply every hour or so.
Stage Two: Anger
The second stage is anger. This is when your body starts to get “angry” with you. Your skin will start to get red, resulting in a bright scarlet red color left on your skin that starts to get warm. If you’re lucky, this can be soothed with aloe (lots and lots of it!), and if you’re not, you might end up with heat radiating from your burn. If bad enough, it can be felt through a layer of clothing.
Tip: Put your aloe in the fridge so it is not only soothing, but also cooling!
Stage Three: Bargaining
The third stage is bargaining. At this point, it has been about three days since the burn happened, and your body will begin to “bargain” with you. This “bargaining” will end in a constant itching of your skin. You may feel as if there are bugs crawling all over you every second of the day. It is unrelenting. The itching is payback from your own body, your own skin, for getting it so burnt.
Tip: No tips here. Good Luck surviving!
Stage Four: Depression
The fourth stage is depression. This may be the worst stage because it is sad and depressing. This “depression” is caused by the constant peeling of your skin. Not only is the peeling gross, and annoying, but it can also be embarrassing, which may cause you to cover up and hide from your friends and their ridicule. Let’s hope you get through this stage quickly and under the radar of the eyes of others.
Tip: Don’t give in to the peeling, and stay strong; you’re almost there!
Stage Five: Acceptance
The fifth stage is acceptance. After the first four terrible stages, your skin has finally healed and you have come out of this trauma with a tan as proof. At this point you would expect people to learn their lesson, fear the sun, and stay inside, right? WRONG! Now is the time that we get over our previous pain and get back out there. Put on your suit, grab your towel and sunglasses, and enjoy the sun!
