EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUNBURNS

Sunburn is defined as inflamed, irritated skin that is hot to the touch. It frequently emerges within a few hours of spending too much time in the sun.

Sunburn relief can be obtained by easy self-care techniques such as taking pain medications and cooling the skin. However, the sunburn may take many days to disappear.

Everyone should apply sunscreen or practice other skin-protection routines to avoid sunburn all year. It is especially vital while you are outside, even if the weather is chilly or gloomy.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SUNBURNS?

Among the signs of sunburn are:

Inflamed skin appears pink or red on white skin and may be more difficult to discern on dark or black skin.

Swelling

Small, fluid-filled blisters that may rupture

Skin that is warm or heated to the touch

Itching, pain, and tenderness

If the sunburn is severe, it might cause headaches, fever, nausea, and exhaustion.

Eyes that are irritated or gritty

Any exposed region of the body might burn, including the earlobes, scalp, and lips. Even covered regions can burn if clothing, for example, has a loose weave that enables ultraviolet (UV) rays to get through. The eyes, which are very susceptible to UV rays from the sun, can also burn.

Sunburn symptoms usually emerge after a few hours of being exposed to the sun.

The body may begin to mend itself within a few days by removing the injured skin's top layer. A severe sunburn may need many days to cure. Any residual skin color changes normally fade over time.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF SUNBURNS?

Too much ultraviolet (UV) light exposure causes sunburn. UV light can come from the sun or from artificial sources like sunlamps and tanning beds. UVA is a wavelength of radiation that may penetrate deep into the skin and cause harm over time. UVB is the wavelength of light that produces sunburn by penetrating the skin more superficially.

UV light harms skin cells. The immune system responds by boosting blood flow to the damaged regions, resulting in sunburned skin (erythema).

On chilly or gloomy days, you might become sunburned. Snow, sand, and water may all reflect UV radiation and burn the skin.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR SUNBURNS?

Sunburn risk factors include:

Possessing white skin and red hair

Swimming or applying water or baby oil to your skin, as wet skin burns more than dry skin.

Combining outdoor activity and alcohol consumption

exposing bare skin to UV rays from the sun or artificial sources, such as tanning beds, on a regular basis

Having a history of sunburn

Living or vacationing in a bright, warm, or high-altitude location

Working outside

Using a medicine that increases your chances of burning (photosensitizing medication)

WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF SUNBURNS?

Sunburn from persistent, intense sun exposure raises your risk of further skin damage and some illnesses. Premature aging of the skin (photoaging), precancerous skin lesions, and skin cancer are examples of these.

Premature aging of your skin

Sun exposure and sunburns hasten the aging process of the skin. Photoaging refers to skin changes produced by UV radiation. Photoaging causes the following effects:

Weakening of connective tissues, resulting in decreased skin strength and elasticity

Fine red veins on the cheeks, nose and ears

Freckles, mainly on the face and shoulders

Deep wrinkles

Rough, dry skin

Macules (dark or discolored patches) on the face, back of hands, arms, chest, and upper back — sometimes known as solar lentigines

Precancerous skin lesions

Precancerous skin lesions are rough, scaly spots that appear in sun-damaged regions. They are frequently observed on the sun-exposed parts of the head, face, neck, and hands of persons with sunburned skin. These spots have the potential to develop into skin cancer. They are also known as actinic and solar keratoses.

Skin cancer

Excessive sun exposure, even without sunburn, raises your chance of developing skin cancer, particularly melanoma. It has the potential to harm the DNA of skin cells. Sunburns throughout infancy and adolescence may raise the chance of developing melanoma later in life.

Skin cancer is most common in parts of the body that are frequently exposed to sunlight, such as the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, hands, legs, and back.

Some skin cancers manifest as a tiny growth or sore that bleeds readily, crusts over, cures, and then reopens. Melanoma can cause an existing mole to alter or a new, suspicious-looking mole to develop.

Consult your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

A fresh growth of skin

A unpleasant alteration in your skin

A change in the appearance or texture of a mole

A wound that does not heal

Eye damage

Too much UV radiation causes corneal damage. Sun damage to the lens might result in clouding (cataracts). Sunburned eyes may feel gritty or uncomfortable. Snow blindness is caused by corneal sunburn. The sun, welding, tanning lights, and damaged mercury vapor lamps can all cause this sort of damage.

HOW IS SUNBURN DIAGNOSED?

A physical exam is usually used to diagnose sunburn. Your doctor may also inquire about your symptoms, current medicines, UV exposure, and sunburn history.

If you become sunburned or have a skin response after only a short time in the sun, your doctor may recommend phototesting. To simulate the condition, tiny sections of skin are exposed to measured levels of UVA and UVB rays. If your skin responds to phototesting, you are deemed sun sensitive (photosensitive).

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR SUNBURN?

Sunburn therapy will not repair your skin, but it will help to relieve pain, swelling, and irritation. If home treatment is ineffective or your sunburn is severe, your doctor may recommend a prescription corticosteroid cream.

If you have severe sunburn, your doctor may admit you to the hospital.

Lifestyle and home remedies

For sunburn treatment, try the following self-care tips:

Take some pain medication: Take a nonprescription pain reliever as soon as possible after getting too much sun for pain relief. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others) and acetaminophen are two examples (Tylenol, others). Alternatively, try a gel pain reliever that you massage on your skin.

Cool the skin: Apply a clean cloth soaked with cool tap water to the afflicted skin. Take a cold bath with baking soda added — about 2 ounces (60 grams) per tub. Cool your skin for 10 minutes multiple times each day.

Apply a moisturizer, lotion, or gel on your skin: Aloe vera lotion or gel, as well as calamine lotion, can be comforting. Cool the product in the refrigerator before using it. Avoid alcohol-based goods.

Treat peeling skin with care: The damaged region may begin to peel within a few days. This is your body's mechanism of removing the injured skin's top layer. Continue to use moisturizer as your skin peels.

Take an anti-itch medication: An antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, and others) taken orally may help alleviate itching as the skin peels and heals below.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day: This helps to keep you hydrated.

Blisters should be left alone: An undamaged blister can aid with skin healing. If a blister does rupture, use a clean, tiny scissors to remove the dead skin. Clean the area gently with light soap and water. The wound should then be treated with antibiotic ointment and covered with a nonstick bandage.

Use a calming, medicinal cream: Apply nonprescription 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to the afflicted region three times a day for three days for mild to severe sunburn. Cool the product in the refrigerator before using it.

Treat burnt eyes: Use a clean towel that has been soaked with cool tap water. Wear contacts only when your eye problems have subsided. Please do not rub your eyes.

Stay out of the sun as much as possible: Stay out of the sun or utilize other sun-protection measures while your sunburn heals. You might try a moisturizer and sunscreen product.

Avoid using '-caine' products like benzocaine: These lotions have the potential to irritate the skin or produce an allergic response. Benzocaine has been related to an uncommon but possibly fatal illness in which the blood's ability to transport oxygen is reduced (methemoglobinemia).

Benzocaine should not be used on children under the age of 2 without the supervision of a health care expert. If you are an adult, never exceed the suggested dose and see your health care practitioner before using it.

HOW CAN SUNBURNS BE PREVENTED?

Use these techniques to avoid sunburn even on chilly, foggy, or hazy days. On overcast days, sun exposure is reduced by roughly 20%. Water, snow, concrete, and sand should be avoided since they reflect the sun's rays. Furthermore, UV light is more powerful at higher elevations.

Avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m: Because the sun's rays are at their maximum during these hours, try to plan outside activities during other times. If you can't do that, try to restrict your time in the sun. When possible, seek shade.

Avoid tanning in the sun and tanning beds: Getting a foundation tan will not reduce your risk of sunburn. Apply sunscreen before going outside if you use a self-tanning product to seem tanned.

Apply sunscreen often and generously: Even on overcast days, use water-resistant, broad-spectrum lip balm and sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Broad-spectrum solutions provide protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and UVB radiation. SPF 30 filters out 97 percent of UVB radiation. No sunscreen can completely prevent the sun's UVB rays.

Apply sunscreen liberally to clean, dry skin 30 minutes before going outside. Apply at least 2 teaspoons of sunscreen, or 1 ounce, to all exposed skin surfaces excluding the eyelids. Spray sunscreen into your hands and then rub it into your skin if you're using spray sunscreen. This helps to keep the substance from being inhaled. When smoking or near an open flame, do not use a spray product.

Apply a product with physical blockers (titanium oxide, zinc oxide) over any other items you're using, excluding insect repellant. Insect repellant is applied last. Physical blockers offer the best protection for delicate skin.

Apply sunscreen every two hours, or more frequently if you're swimming or sweating. If you're wearing makeup and want to reapply sunscreen without having to redo your entire face, one alternative is to apply SPF powder over your makeup.

All sunscreen must keep its original potency for at least three years, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Check sunscreen packaging for storage instructions and expiration dates. If your sunscreen is outdated or more than three years old, throw it away.

Keep newborns and toddlers safe: Use brimmed hats and lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs to protect newborns and toddlers from sunburn. Keep them cool, hydrated, and away of the sun. When that isn't an option, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends putting sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to the face and backs of the hands. The American Academy of Dermatology and the Food and Drug Administration do not recommend sunscreen for children under the age of six months.

If sun-protective clothes and shade are not available, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sunscreens are the next best option.

Cover up: In addition to sunscreen, additional objects such as umbrellas or wide-brimmed hats can provide protection when out in the sun. Dark clothes with a tight weave provides additional protection. Consider wearing sun-protective outdoor clothing and equipment. Examine the label for the UV protection factor (UPF), which indicates how well a cloth prevents sunlight. The greater the UPF value, the better.

When going outside, use sunglasses: Choose sunglasses that provide UVA and UVB protection. When purchasing new glasses, look for the UV rating on the label. Darker lenses aren't necessarily better for UV protection. Wearing sunglasses that fit close to your face or have wraparound frames also helps.

Sun-sensitive drugs and cosmetics should be avoided: Some popular prescription and over-the-counter medications might make skin more susceptible to sunlight. Antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others), and cholesterol-lowering medications are examples. Discuss the side effects of your medications with your pharmacist or health care practitioner. Sun sensitivity is also increased by cosmetics containing alpha-hydroxy acids.