By Carey Ye from www.forhers.com

There’s nothing more exciting than the first few days of warm, sunny weather. After working hours on end, finally, you have a chance to enjoy the great outdoors and indulge in your favorite hobbies. Though diving is certainly thrilling, there are many potential risks to your skin and hair. Exposing yourself to the sun for a longtime can dehydrate you. Additionally, saltwater can potentially damage your skin and hair. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your hobby. With the right measures, you can enjoy diving while also ensuring that your skin won’t be damaged.

Here are a few skin care tips for female divers:

Preemptively Prepare Yourself Before You Go Diving

A great way to protect yourself from sun damage is to take some careful, preemptive steps. Thirty minutes before embarking on your diving journey and getting on the boat, you can thoroughly apply SPF 35+ reef-safe sunscreen (oxybenzone and octinoxate free) on your neck and face. Though sunscreen is a great way to prevent your skin from getting damaged, there are other things you can do as well. You can wear hats and flowy t-shirts that cover your skin for the duration of your boat ride. There are also measures you can take to stop your hair from getting too dry and tangly.  In addition to lightly applying coconut oil to your hair, you should tie it or braid it so you don’t have to struggle with taking your mask strap on and off. You can find all of these products at any local drugstore.

Since everyone’s skin and hair is different, you should only use products that work for you. For example, just because a friend doesn’t have a negative reaction to coconut oil, doesn’t mean that won’t happen to you. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives out there. So, chances are that you will find a product that works.  If you’re having trouble, you can always consult a dermatologist.

Take Important Measures When You’re On The Boat

While you’re on the boat, there are additional things you can do to protect your skin and hair. Before exposing your hair to saltwater, you should pour some fresh water on it so it’s less frail and delicate. When you go diving, you may find yourself out in the water for a long time — that’s part of what it makes so fun! But you should remember to apply sunscreen after each dive and when it’s possible, sit in the shaded area of the boat. Just because you have taken preemptive measures, doesn’t mean you can ignore that swimming and being out in the sun can negatively impact your skin.

How To Prevent Skin and Hair Damage After You’re Done Diving

After a long day of diving, you may feel tempted to just immediately take a nap or grab some food. However, you should make sure to take post-dive measures so your skin and hair don’t get damaged. It’s important to come up with a post-dive regimen that’s not only simple, it’s effective. To prevent an accumulation of bacteria, you can thoroughly wash and dry yourself. Following a day out in the sun, your skin and lips may be dryer than usual. SPF lip balm can help mitigate the damage done by treating chapped lips. To replenish your dehydrated skin, you should apply wrinkle creams, moisturizing lotions, and serums like you normally would.  If you had a sunburn, aloe vera can help soothe the pain. There are also a myriad of face masks out there that can help repair your skin.

Ideally, you should bring a small waterproof gym bag with you so you can easily carry sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizers and serums. In addition to those items, you should also consider bringing sunglasses, a change of clothes, and some water so you don’t get dehydrated.

There’s no reason why diving should have a negative impact on your skin and hair. With simple, efficient precautions, you can go diving while maintaining your youthful glow. Though diving does involve exposing oneself to the sun and swimming in saltwater, if you take the proper preemptive and post-dive measures, you can protect yourself and have a fantastic time.  Get ready for a summer of fun.

Carey is a freelance writer from Burlingame, California. She enjoys writing articles for professionals that are interested in self-improvement, health, skincare and wellness. She has been diving for few years and her favorite spot is the The Underwater Aquarium of the World – Cabo san lucas.