After months of cold weather, it’s finally warm enough to dive again. Though diving is a fantastic way to exercise, explore the great outdoors, and relieve stress, it comes with some risks. Due to being out in the sun for a long period of time and swimming in saltwater, diving can lead to dehydration and subsequently damage your skin and hair. But that shouldn’t deter you from enjoying your favorite hobby. With the proper precautions, you can protect your skin and hair.
Check out these helpful tips:
Prepare Before Your Dive:
To truly reduce your risk of damaging your skin, you can take some smart and simple mitigation measures before you go diving. Apply SPF 35+ reef-safe sunscreen (oxybenzone- and octinoxate-free) on areas that will likely be exposed to the sun, such as your neck, ear, and face. To maximize its usage, you should apply the sunscreen thirty minutes prior to heading out on your diving adventure. You can purchase this sunscreen at a drugstore, supermarket, or hotel shop.
Besides rigorously applying sunscreen, how else can you protect yourself from the sun? Here are some tips:
- Bring a backpack with a hat and a shirt: You need to prepare for those large swaths of the day in which you aren’t diving and are just lounging on the boat, because chances are, you will be exposing yourself to the sun. That’s why it’s crucial that in addition to sunscreen, you should also bring a hat and a shirt to cover yourself. There are even some shirts that are humidity proof and offer sun protection.
- Coconut oil: To stop your hair from getting tangled and dry, coat it with coconut oil.
- Hair bands: If you have long hair, you should tie it or braid it. This way you can easily take your mask strap on and off.
How To Prevent Skin Damage While You’re On The Boat:
Once you get on the boat to go on your diving expedition, you can take a few measures to reduce the damage done to your skin and hair. Saltwater can make your hair brittle. To prevent that, you can bring a bottle of fresh water with you and wet your hair before diving. Throughout the day, you should be consistently reapplying your sunscreen because though some products are waterproof, it’s best to play it safe. Whenever you can, you should rest in the shade to avoid the sun.
Skin Care Tips For Post-Diving:
After a long day of diving, swimming, and sitting under the sun, it’s understandable if you just want to go straight to dinner or jump in the pool to relax. But if you want to protect your skin and hair, you should have a thorough post-diving routine.
Once you’re off the boat, give yourself enough time to wash yourself and dry off. Over the course of the day, your body has accumulated a lot of bacteria so it’s crucial that you clean yourself as soon as possible afterwards. Since your lips are probably dehydrated, you should apply SPF lip balm to stop them from getting chapped. Your skin may be dehydrated as well. To replenish and rejuvenate your skin, use serums, acne creams, and moisturizers.
Even when you try your best to prevent sun damage, sometimes, you can forget to reapply sunscreen after a dive and then subsequently get burned. If you have a sunburn, rub some re-nourishing gel to ease the pain and damage and apply a hydrating face mask before bed. It replenishes your skin, and face masks can be quite relaxing! Although there’s a wide array of great skin care products out there, you should do some diligent research about which products work the best for you.
Unfortunately, some people can have an adverse reaction to certain products so it’s best that you’re extra careful and if you have a particular skin condition, consult with your dermatologist beforehand. Like sunscreen, there are moisturizers out there that are eco-friendly.
How To Thrive While Diving
Diving is a relaxing and fun adventure enjoyed by many people every summer. With the proper precautions and products, it doesn’t have to do damage to your skin and hair. If you make sure to be careful and try your best to stay out of the sun when possible, you can enjoy diving while also maintaining your youthful appearance. Enjoy yourself!
Want to know some of the best places to dive this year? Check out this article.
