Marianne Gutierrez: Health Practitioner: Insect bites and sun-burn

Insect bites and sun-burn · 20 June 2006

Barbados 2006

Gorgeous place. Gorgeous beaches. Very friendly people as long as they are not in ‘official’ mode. Then they have forgotten how to smile while busily and importantly and loudly thumping and stamping every piece of paper then can find. Otherwise they hold on to your bags for you while you stand wobbling along on the bus coping with the swaying and lurching and loud music saying: ‘You’re very welcome.’

Desert Island?

But the insects bite. The sun burns. So here is my recipe for coping.

Plug-ins with natural oils (Boots the Chemist to help sleep) and add 3 drops of Citronella. Keep windows closed if possible.
sprinkle a few drops of citronella around the bed.

Olive oil and citronella (10 mls of oil and 4 drops of citronella) and rub a palmful of the mixture on exposed skin (ankles and arms) when you go out at night.

If bitten then rub in tea-tree as it takes away the itch and helps reduce the effect of the bite. Then rub in Aloe Vera gel to calm and cool.

Sand flies. Use the citronella mixture. I did buy a natural insect repellant but it had bergamot in and this should not be used in the sun as it causes skin pigmentation.

Sun-burn – aloe vera gel, aloe vera gel, aloe vera gel – get the message? Also a lathering of lavender and olive oil to strengthen and renew the skin. (10mls olive oil and 4 drops of lavender)

Prickly heat – rinse off all skincare products from shower gels, moisturisers to suncare and sun protection products. Apply aloe vera gel liberally. Don’t use any products on the skin when in the sun as it is the sun on the products on the skin causing the prickly heat. Also see: Prickly heat

If you are prone to burning then cover up with a loose cotton shirt.
PABA (para amino benzoic acid) is still in some products and causes prickly heat. I have been sensitive to other ingredients in products so I don’t use them.

My suncare product is: Olive oil and rosehip oil oil, lavender and aloe vera. It lasts for about 20 minutes in the sun and then I have to cover up. I have used commercial suncare products but they still only last 20 minutes before I burn. I have used a total sunblock which did the job but was patchy – so I have an interesting pattern on my shoulders and back!!

Check this website out for some great natural products: Absolutely Pure

We had a wonderful time visiting my son in Barbados and meeting all his friends. I am now at home, recovering from the long flight home on Friday. I slept for two days! Great!!!!

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