Sunburn – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sunburn is the result of not using proper skin protection while sunbathing or even from routine sun exposure. The skin becomes red, tender and swollen. You may have a stinging sensation and blistering may occur. Some people even get a low grade fever. The skin will eventually shed or peel, once the skin underneath has renewed itself.

Causes of sunburn

The causes of sunburn are overexposure to the sun, tanning lamps, outdoor activities, excessive intake of birth control pills and also sometimes the antibacterial agents used in soaps. As with any disease, sunburn has certain symptoms. The symptoms of sunburn are the reddening accompanied with the skin becoming tender, blister formation.

Sunburn results when the amount of exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light source exceeds the ability of the body's protective pigment, melanin, to protect the skin. Sunburn in a very light-skinned person may occur in less than 15 minutes of midday sun exposure, while a dark-skinned person may tolerate the same exposure for hours.

You can be sunburned on a cloudy or overcast day as well as a clear sunny day. The risk for sunburn is increased for persons with fair-skin, blue eyes and red or blond hair. Persons taking some medications including sulfa drugs, tetracyclines, some diuretics are at risk.

Symptoms of Sunburn

The symptom of the sunburn can appear from 1 hour to 1 day after exposure to the sun. While some of the symptoms such as red skin, are usually temporary, the skin damage is often permanent. In the case of severe sunburn, blisters are formed. Possible symptoms of sunburn are:

Swelling of the skin, especially in the legs

Skin peeling

Red warm skin

Initially, your skin turns red about 2-6 hours after exposure and feels irritated.

Flulike symptoms

Blistering - May range from a very fine blister that is only found when you begin to "peel" to very large water-filled blisters with red, tender, raw skin underneath

When UV radiation strikes the body, the skin cells react immediately. Specialized cells produce melanin, the body's defence against UV radiation. People with naturally dark skin have more melanin and more melanin-producing cells. When light-skinned people are damaged by UV radiation, these cells produce more of this dark substance, creating a tan. Since they have fewer pigment-producing cells, the total amount of pigment (melanin) is low and thus the protection against further UV light is poor. So further exposure leads to sunburn and sun damage even if there is some tanning.

Treatment of Sunburn

The treatment tips of Sunburn are following

One of the best sun burn treatments is Dr. Michelle Copeland Revitalizing Protect & Repair Regimen , which can protect and repair damaging effects of the sun.

The best treatment for most sunburns is time. More severe burns may be treated with burn ointments such as silvadene .

A medicine called Indocin if taken soon after a sunburn will help reduce the pain, redness and swelling. Indocin is available from your doctor with a prescription.

Medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are useful, especially when started early.

For mild sunburn, cool compresses with equal parts of milk and water may suffice.

Avoid lotions that contain topical anesthetic medications because you can become sensitized and then allergic to that medicine.

Vitamin A, C and E containing creams have a beneficial effect on the sunburned areas.

Use a light moisturizer or a dusting of powder to ease chafing.