Heal A Sunburn Quickly
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Sunburn is injury to the skin with inflammation, tenderness, and sometimes blistering, following excessive exposure to sunlight. It is the most common skin problem faced during the season having blistering sun, summer. Cold weather also does not make one immune to bad sunburn when the sun reflecting off snow can cause burns on exposed skin. Sunburn can be defined as the noticeable reaction of skin when it comes in contact with invisible rays known as ultraviolet rays that are part of sunlight. And if truth be known, it takes months for the skin to return to normal once it has been burned, and sunburn has been linked with skin cancer later on in one's life. The signature symptom of sunburn is bright red skin that is painful to touch. As one heals the peeling skin may become itchy. Sunburn is also known as actinic dermatitis.
People having light-skin tone can experience sunburn injury in as little as 15 minutes while dark skin folks can have the same in one hour. Children and babies are particularly prone to bad sunburns and extra care should be taken to prevent it and give treatment due diligence if it occurs. Repeated exposure to the sun also expands the prospect for chronic dry skin, scarring, wrinkles and freckles. Sun poisoning (really bad sunburn) symptoms include nausea, chills, fever, dizziness, rapid pulse, etc. It should be remembered that sunburn is a burn like any other and can be categorized as degrees 1, 2, or 3 for severity. Serious and extensive cases should be seen by physician. Sun protection can include sunscreen but is not limited to protective clothing like hats and sleeves and it is recommended for mitigating the frequency and severity of sunburn. Use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating. Sunburn does not show up immediately. If you wait until the skin has started to pink before getting out of the sun, you have already been in it too long. Symptoms usually start about four hours after exposure, worsen in 24 to 36 hours, and last for three to five days. If the injured skin is widespread a person can have general symptoms such as the aforementioned chills, fever, dizziness, as well as a headache, nausea, and other signs of shock.
Home treatment measures may provide some relief from a mild to bad sunburn. Sunburn typically resolves on its own within several days, depending on the severity of the burn. Self treatment may help reduce pain, arrest infection, and aid healing overall. The first thing to do is to reduce pain and that is accomplished through taking painkillers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil). Also there are the spray varieties of soothing pain relief like a lidocaine topical (Solarcaine) which also cools the skin. One of the oldest home remedies for sunburn treatment is the application of aloe vera to burned areas. People have been using the gel of the aloe vera plant for many years on burns, rashes and other skin problems. It can be a great way to soothe the burned area and provide relief for the patient. Some people like to grow their own aloe vera plants at home to treat burns. It is even easier to buy gelled aloe vera in a large bottle at your local drugstore, especially when you have a lot of skin to cover. Concentrations near 100% of pure aloe vera will give you the maximum effect. It can be applied as frequently as you desire.
Using cool cloths on the sunburn or taking frequent cool showers or baths can give relief from the symptoms. Topical steroids (such as 1% hydrocortisone cream) may also help with sunburn pain and swelling. Do not use the cream on children younger than age 2 unless your doctor tells you to. Bad sunburn can also cause a mild fever and a headache. Lie down in a cool, quiet room to relieve the headache. A headache may be affected by dehydration, so the replenishment of fluids by drinking cool, non-caffeinated water-based beverages helps. Prevention of the peeling is difficult since it can be a natural part of healing. Moisturizing lotions of any type may help relieve the itching. Other home treatment measures, such as chamomile, may help relieve your sunburn symptoms.
Small, unbroken blisters that are less than 1 inch wide usually heal on their own in most cases. Do not try to break the blisters. Just leave them alone, and do not cover the blisters unless something such as clothing is rubbing against them. If you must cover them, apply a loose bandage. Secure the bandage so the tape does not touch the blisters. Large and even draining blisters usually heal without problems. Most large blisters will break without interference and then heal by themselves. Always be certain your hands are clean before touching blisters since they can easily become infected. If you have a large blister, you may want to drain it, depending on where it is. If you decide to drain it, clean a needle with rubbing alcohol or soap and water, and then gently puncture the edge of the blister. Press the fluid in the blister toward the hole you made. Wash the blister after you have drained it, and pat it dry with clean gauze. Do not pull off or cut the loose skin covering the blister unless it dangles or infection is obvious underneath it. If the blister has only a small rupture, leave it on, and softly flatten it. Put on an antibiotic ointment to undermine the possibility of the bandage sticking to the blister and to aid the prevention of infection. Alcohol and iodine are not recommended treatments. Change the bandage every day and anytime it gets wet or dirty. You can soak the bandage in cool water just before removing it to make it less painful to take off.
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If after you have been severely exposed to the sun you develop any of the following problems along with those of a really bad sunburn, you should consider seeking professional medical help: vision problems that continue after you get out of the sun, a fever that is not quickly reduced by home treatment, dehydration that develops from being unable to drink enough to replace lost fluids, signs of skin infection in blisters, symptoms that become more severe or more frequent, and any other alarming symptoms that may presage shock or a severe allergic reaction.
