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eNEWSLETTERS

Sunburns 101

Caring for a sunburn
Nothing is worse than coming home after a long relaxing day in the sun to find you are burnt to a crisp. That feeling of your skin cracking is a sure sign that number one; you are burnt and number two; you have damaged your skin in some way.
While having a sunburn can be very painful, you will want to take good care of your sunburn in order for your skin to heal properly.

What is sunburn?

According to drugs.com, sunburn is a skin condition where your skin is damaged by increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Too much UV radiation may damage your skin cells, and the DNA inside them. DNA is little pieces of information that tell your cells how to grow and what to do. When these cells are damaged, they may repair themselves, or die and peel off. When the DNA is damaged, abnormal cells may grow and become cancer cells.

Sunburn causes

Different people can handle different amounts of UV radiation before the skin gets damaged. Some people can stay in the sun for long periods of time without getting burnt while others cannot. Please take the following in to consideration the next time you step out in to the sun, as these reasons may increase your risk for sunburn;

Medicines- talk with your doctor to see if your medication may make you more sensitive to the sun.
Prolonged exposure.
Skin tone- those with very light or fair skin are more at risk for sunburns.
Time of day- the sun is hottest from 10am to 3pm.
Unprotected skin- those who do not apply sunscreen or wear light clothing are more at risk to experience sunburn.

Sure signs of sunburn

Your signs and symptoms can start to appear while you are still in the sun, a few hours after exposure, or even 12-24 hours later. Your skin may experience;

Blisters
Itching
Redness
Pain
Burning feeling
Peeling and/or flaking
Swelling/ tightness

Caring for sunburns

Hydrate your skin asap

Apply a lotion or gel that contains aloe vera, this will help the healing process.

Wear loose clothing to avoid aggravating the skin.
Stay out of the sun and tanning beds to avoid further sun damage.
You can take aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for the pain. This will help reduce the amount of pain as well as help with inflammation. Be sure to talk with your doctor to see which medicine is right for you.
Soak in oatmeal in cool water; this will help decrease pain, redness, and itching.

For more ways on how to care for sunburns, visit:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-ways-to-soothe-a-sunburn.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4496950_treat-care-sunburn.html
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sunburn/page5_em.htm

Preventing sunburns

Drink a lot of water when under the sun to prevent dehydration.
Stay indoors in the shade on days when the sun is the hottest.
Wear clothing that may block UV radiation; dark, loose clothing made of tight weave fabric, pants, long sleeve shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses.
Wear sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes prior to heading outdoors, and again every two hours.

With summer in full swing it is important to follow these tips to avoid the pain of a nasty sunburn.
Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2323633_take-care-sun-burn.html
http://www.drugs.com/cg/sunburn.html

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