You might want to go out for a picnic or a quick swim to break the summer heat. These activities are all fun and games till you get sunburns.
Skin damage due to excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays present in sunlight is called sunburn. You can also get sunburns from artificial sources of UV light, such as tanning beds. Sunburn is instead a radiation burn. You can notice a sunburn within 11 minutes of exposure. The skin will start turning red within two to six hours. Your skin will continue to develop sunburn for the next few days. Depending on the severity of your sunburn, it might take a few days or weeks for the skin to heal.
If you have a mild sunburn, you can take care of it at home. However, a severe and blistered sunburn requires immediate medical attention. Getting a sunburn repeatedly can cause premature skin wrinkling and skin cancer in the long run. So, it’s best to take necessary precautions and avoid sunburns.
Sunburns occur because of overexposure to UV radiation. You can develop sunburn when the UV exposure overpowers melanin’s ability to protect the skin. If you have light skin colour, you may develop a sunburn within 15 minutes of sun exposure. People with dusky skin tones tolerate sun exposure for hours without developing a sunburn.
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Risk factors for developing a sunburn:
Young children and infants
Between 10 AM to 4 PM, as the sun’s rays are the strongest during this time
Certain medicines, for example, doxycycline
Specific health issues, for example, lupus, can make you more prone to sunburns.
Symptoms of Sunburn:
Symptoms of sunburn vary depending on the severity of the burn.
Symptoms of first-degree sunburn are:
Fever
Headache
Redness of the skin
Skin feels tight and hot to touch
Skin blistering and swelling
Skin becomes tender and painful
Skin peeling
Nausea
Symptoms of second-degree sunburn are:
Pain at the site
Skin appears wet
Excessive redness of the skin
Swelling and blistering over a large skin surface
The appearance of a white spot at the site of the burn
Second-degree burns might be accompanied by heat illness. Symptoms of heat illness include:
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Exhaustion
Fever
Fast breathing
Muscle cramps
Headache
Symptoms of a third-degree sunburn include:
Heatstroke
Dull or white coloured skin
The burn site appears leathery
Skin numbness
All the signs of heat illness mentioned above
Suggested Home Remedies for Sunburn:
Below are some remedies that you can use to care for sunburned skin at home. Although these home remedies can be used for minor sunburns, you need to reach out to your healthcare professional and receive help if you have a severe form of sunburn.
Stay Hydrated
You need to drink more water to stay hydrated when dealing with a sunburn. Sunburns draw the water from the body to the skin surface, rendering the person dehydrated. Drinking excess water can help you prevent dehydration caused by sunburns.
Use Moisturiser
You can apply a good moisturiser to the affected area if your skin is not too painful to touch. Using a moisturiser that contains aloe vera or soy can help you soothe the sunburned skin. Moisturiser will help boost the moisture content of the skin. Avoid using butter on the sunburned skin. If you use butter or petroleum jelly, or any other oil-based product on the affected skin, it might block the skin pores and lead to an infection.
Shower Often
You can try taking cool baths or showers frequently. It will help you reduce the pain. Pat yourself dry after coming out of the shower but remember to leave some water on the skin. Applying a good moisturiser straight after the shower will help you retain the moisture in the skin.
Protect the Skin
You need to protect the sunburned skin as it heals. Before venturing out, wear clothes that cover your skin. Wear clothes made of tightly woven fabrics. A tightly woven fabric does not allow light to come through when you hold it against a bright light. You can also try wearing loose cotton clothing.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is an essential natural ingredient for dealing with many skin conditions. You can use aloe vera to relieve sunburns. It can also get rid of itching and help heal the blisters. It also provides a soothing sensation to the skin due to vitamin C and vitamin B. You can use aloe vera gel to aid in healing sunburned skin. Aloe vera gel can be rubbed directly on the affected area.
Black Tea
Tea is an ingredient that most people have in their kitchens. It is a common home remedy used to relieve sunburns. You can apply cooled black tea directly to the sunburned skin. Certain compounds present in black tea help remove the heat from the sunburned skin. Black tea might help repair skin damage and prevent cancer.
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Green Tea
Green tea has good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It helps to deal with adverse reactions on the skin, like sunburn after UV exposure. It can help reduce skin redness and skin damage. Green tea can be applied to the sunburned area to relieve skin damage.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a popular ingredient found in many sunscreen products. Tea tree oil can help manage sunburn by improving the blood flow to the skin’s blood vessels, bringing essential nutrients to the damaged skin.
6 To use tea tree oil, dilute it with some carrier oils like coconut, almond, or olive. Avoid using pure tea tree oil directly on the affected skin.
When to Seek Medical Help?
If you notice any of the signs mentioned below, you should contact your healthcare provider.
Rapid breathing and pulse
Dizziness
Chills and fever
Nausea
Skin rash
Painful blisters
Skin that appears pale and feels clammy and cool to touch
No urine output and extreme thirst
Sunken eyes
Conclusion:
Sunburn is nothing but skin damage due to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Depending on the severity of sunburn, it can take a few days to a few weeks to heal completely. Getting sunburned frequently can increase your risk of skin cancer. Sunburns can be taken care of at home. You can use some at-home remedies to relieve sunburns and their symptoms. For example, ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, and tea tree oil can be used to relieve sunburns. If your sunburn is minor, which is a first-degree sunburn, it might heal on its own after some time. In case of severe sunburn, you need to contact your healthcare provider and receive timely treatment.
