The effect of seawater on the skin can be significant and beneficial.
Summer is the time for holidays, but also the period of the year when the skin is very exposed to the influences of the external environment. Most of the population spends every free day during summer at seaside.
Going to the seaside is not only a pleasure and relaxation, but swimming in the sea or ocean provides numerous health benefits.
When we were children, our parents taught us to go deep into the sea and try to wash out our nose, throat and mouth. Seawater in the depths of the sea contains many minerals, and does not contain bacteria. In the depths, the water is cold and dark, full of sulphur, which prevents bacteria from growing.
The composition of seawater and blood plasma in minerals and elements in traces is almost identical. Therefore, seawater has a whole range of benefits for our skin and the entire body.
Minerals that help repair the skin are magnesium, calcium and potassium, iodine, and they are found in seawater in high concentrations. These minerals renew the skin, enable faster healing of wounds, regulate bacterial infections, and alleviate acne.
Seawater cleans enlarged pores, removes excess oil, reduces inflammatory processes.
Seaweed gently exfoliates the skin and accelerates the replacement of dead cells from the surface of the skin with new ones.
Peripheral circulation is accelerated and all together it contributes to the better absorption of lotions and nourishing creams applied after bathing.
The combination of sun, iodine, zinc, iron, selenium from seawater increases the level of serotonin (pleasure hormone) and reduces the level of cortisol (stress hormone). People with hypersensitive skin prone to eczema and psoriasis have great benefits from this mineral bath.
Many cosmetic products are based on Dead Sea minerals, precisely because of their healing properties.
People prone to dandruff enter a calmer phase up to 3 months after their stay at sea. The combination of seawater and solar radiation reduces the amount of fungi on our skin and at the same time increases the circulation and thus controls seborrheic dermatitis.
Sea salt stimulates hair growth, it acts as a natural shampoo, opens up pores on the scalp and allows for better penetration of nourishing masks.
Staying at sea also renews the nervous system, increases physical activity, lowers blood pressure.
Unfortunately, there is a down side to spending time on a beach and in the seawater.
A high index of UV radiation during hot days combined with the refraction of the sun rays on wet skin is a great risk for the skin that can burn easily having a long-term consequences.
The use of UVA and UVB sunscreens with a SPF 30 or higher is essential. Staying in the shade wearing T-shirts with sunscreen applied will protect us quite nicely and enable a longer stay on a beach. Wide-brimmed hats are additional protection for the face from the sun, but also for the head and ears.
Drying out the skin with a combination of seawater and sun requires additional hydration each time we come out of water, especially if the skin is normally dry.
The degree of pollution of seawater in populated tourist settlements can be such that in certain situations it completely annuls the benefits that nature has given it. Due to the high temperature of sea in shallow waters and the waste materials of the hotel, it is possible to develop bacteria that are not common inhabitants of the sea. Therefore, it is recommended to take a good shower after each swim, as well as to dry your ears.
We must not forget the daily facial cleansing from sunscreens. No matter how good the cream we use is, the protective factors occlude the skin, which can provoke the formation of blackheads or various rashes.
With proper care and observance of precautionary measures, we can enjoy our holiday with many benefits.
