Sunburn is bad news, but the good news is that it’s totally preventable.
Sunburn hurts you in more ways than one. The danger goes far beyond any short-term pain, redness and discomfort, because after the sunburn fades, lasting damage remains.
Sunburn is an inflammatory reaction to ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage to the skin’s outermost layers. At the heart of it all is melanin, a pigment that gives your skin its color and defends it against the sun’s rays. Melanin works by darkening your unprotected sun-exposed skin. The amount of melanin you produce is determined by genetics, which is why some people get sunburned while others tan. Both are signs of cellular damage to the skin. For people with less melanin, prolonged unprotected sun exposure can cause skin cells to become red, swollen and painful, also known assunburn. Sunburns can range from mild to blistering.
What You Need To Know
- Some people are more prone to sunburn: Skin type determines your susceptibility; people with fair skin run the greatest risk. But anyone can get burned.
- Even without a burn, sun exposure raises skin cancer risk. Even if you are tan or your skin type is dark and your skin does not redden, the sun can cause cellular damage that can lead to cancer.
- The UV index is a factor: The sun varies in intensity by season, time of day and geographic location. A high UV index means that unprotected skin will burn faster or more severely. Be careful, especially when the sun is strongest. But even when the index is low, the risk remains. Protect yourself every day of the year.
- You can burn on an overcast day: Be careful even when the sun isn’t shining. Up to 80 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds.
- Light pink is still bad: No matter how mild, every burn is a sign of injury to your skin that can result in premature aging and skin cancer.
Sunburn Risks To You
- Repeated sunburns raise your risk. For fair-skinned people, especially those with genetic predisposition, sunburn plays a clear role in developing melanoma. Research shows that the UV rays that damage skin can also alter a tumor-suppressing gene, giving injured cells less chance to repair before progressing to cancer.
- People who work or play sports outdoors have a greater risk of frequent sunburns that can result in skin damage.
- Even one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma later in life.
- Skin damage builds up over time starting with your very first sunburn. The more you burn, the greater your risk of skin cancer. Subsequent UV damage can occur even when there is no obvious burn.
- It’s easy to reduce your risk of sunburn by practicing sun safety.
How To Avoid A Sunburn
Cover Up – Clothing can provide a great barrier against the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Its protection is consistent over time and doesn’t wear off like sunscreen does. Many new fabrics offer high-tech protection and breath-ability, too.
Stay in The Shade – When you are outside, think of shade as your refuge, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM, the peak hours of sun intensity.
Know Your Sunscreen – I find this one a very important one as many just grab whatever they can find and just apply. Sunscreens come in many formulations and delivery methods, and it can take trial and error to find the one you like best or works best with a huge importance on the ingredients. Do you Know what’s in your sunscreen ? Always choose clean ingredients. Oh, and please do not use the spays.
Shield The Little Ones
– For infants it’s best in the first six months to keep them away from the sun rather than use sunscreen on their sensitive skin. Clothing should cover baby’s vulnerable arms and legs, and don’t forget to use hats, sunglasses and stroller sun shades.
–For Toddlers in addition to providing a protective hat and clothing, you can apply natural sunscreen to children starting at six months.
Best Natural Remedies
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Tried and True – Remedies
Aloe Vera Gel – You have probably heard that aloe vera gel is great for sunburns or even seen some after sun products that have aloe vera in them.
Apple Cider Vinegar – It may sound counter intuitive to apply vinegar to angry, red skin, but raw apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated skin.
Oatmeal – Oatmeal is commonly used to soothe eczema-prone skin, but it’s also a great ingredient for sunburned skin. To get relief, mix oatmeal with some olive or coconut oil before taking a cool shower or bath.
Tried and True Sunscreens
Prevention is key, if not possible, clean and natural remedies are your best friend.
What Should You Know and Do
1. Act Fast to Cool It Down If you’re near a cold pool, lake or ocean, take a quick dip to cool your skin, but only for a few seconds so you don’t prolong your exposure. Then cover up and get out of the sun immediately. Continue to cool the burn with cold compresses
2. Moisturize While Skin Is Damp While skin is still damp, use a gentle moisturizing lotion (but not petroleum or oil-based ointments, which may trap the heat and make the burn worse).
3. Replenish Your Fluids It’s important to re-hydrate by drinking extra water and other liquids that help to replenish electrolytes, immediately and while your skin heals.
4. For Children
- Bathe in clear, tepid water to cool the skin.
- For a baby less than 1 year old, sunburn should be treated as an emergency. Call your doctor immediately.
- For a child 1 year or older, call your doctor if there is severe pain, blistering, lethargy or fever over 101○ F (38.3○ C).
- Sunburn can cause dehydration. Give your child water or juice to replace body fluids. Contact the doctor if the child is not urinating regularly; this is an emergency.
- Apply light moisturizing lotion to soothe the skin, but don’t rub it in.
- Dabbing on plain calamine lotion may help, but don’t use one with an added antihistamine.
- Do not apply alcohol, which can over cool the skin.
- Do not use any medicated cream such as hydrocortisone or benzocaine unless instructed by your pediatrician.
- Keep your child out of the sun entirely until the sunburn heals.
- Practice sun protection and make sure that no matter where you child goes, sun safety is taken into account.
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