The term "sunburn" describes red, painful skin that’s sometimes swollen. It arrives because of overexposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. How much UV rays reach you depends on the sun’s angle. The greatest time for sunburn is usually high noon in most locations. That’s when the sun’s rays pass most directly through the atmosphere.
Sunburn is more than a mild annoyance. Even mild ones are painful, and severe sunburn may require hospitalization. In medical terms, sunburn is caused by the body’s reaction to DNA excitation by the UV rays. In bad cases, it can cause skin cancer and other serious problems.
Sunburn is, of course, noticeable when the skin turns really red. But it may be accompanied by drowsiness and dilated pupils. The actual symptoms vary and are dependent on the amount of melanin in your skin, the length of exposure, and other factors. It typically takes a half-day to a day for a sunburn to peak. At that point, you may just have tenderness. In severe cases, you can get blistering, chills, nausea, fever and vomiting. In some cases, sunburn resembles shock as fainting or weakness may result.
It doesn’t take long for a sunburn to occur. For some, a burn can happen in 15 minutes or less. Once it happens, there’s little to be done to limit the damage that has already occurred. But there are some tricks and tips you can do at home to ease your discomfort. Some are obvious, but others are time-tested that date back to the day when more people were out in the sun working.
Try These Home Remedies
Your first goal should always be to lessen the pain of a sunburn. You can take over-the-counter pain relievers like Aleve or Tylenol, which at least will relax some of the nerves in your body and eliminate your focus on pain.
While taking the pain relievers, try a cool compress to the affected areas, or take a cold shower or bath. Follow that up with a healthy dose of aloe vera lotion, moisturizer or hydrocortisone cream. All of them will help with any pain or swelling that arises in the affected area.
One word of caution – don’t break any blisters that develop. It will slow your healing and disgorge some of your body’s natural healing defenses, plus leave you more open to infection. Similarly, if you have peeling skin, don’t yank it off -- treat it with moisturizer.
While you’re recovering, stay well-hydrated with water (not alcohol) and make sure you stay out of the sun or stay covered if you venture out. It’s your time to get well, and your skin won’t appreciate a dose of the same thing that’s irritating it.
Keep newborn babies shaded at all times, even with sunscreen. Avoid tanning booths. It is recommended that you apply an ounce of sunscreen to your exposed areas (SPF 15 or higher) at least a half-hour before going out in the sun. The high hours for sunburn usually are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Down the Road
Sunburn seems to be more of a problem than it should be. The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that 42 percent of people get at least one sunburn per year. Keep in mind that numerous sunburns lessen your resistance to melanoma. If you have five or more sunburns in a lifetime, your risk for melanoma doubles.
There are two types of skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Both occurrences are attributable to accumulated sun exposure over the years, and they most frequently occur in the areas that are likely to get the most exposure, i.e., the ears, hands, face. Melanoma differs from the two skin cancers -- just one brief exposure can cause it. Of course, other factors, like family history, skin type and your location in the world (tropical climes seem to draw more UV rays) play a large role.
That Old-Time Treatment
If you’d like to try a few things that granny knew about, there are ample home remedies. Potato paste, created by crushing a few spuds and smearing the results over the affected areas, is one particular cure. The starches in the potatoes work wonders on the skin.
You might also treat your burns with a combination of baking soda and cornstarch, which works to provide healing to the affected areas. You also may treat the burned areas with vinegar or witch hazel, a type of alcohol rub that was popular in the early 20th century. Witch hazel has long demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and can provide some temporary relief. Apply it to the affected areas every hour.
Compresses made from the essences of fat-free milk, oatmeal and lettuce have some uses. All involve immersing the food items in water, discarding the results, then using the solution that’s left to make compresses for the affected areas. Some people use yogurt as a balm, but make sure it’s plain yogurt and not fruit-flavored. Tea bags can also help in sensitive areas like the eyes.
Relax and Chill
Keep in mind that your body suffered trauma from sunburn. It’s your time to sit back, have a fan blow some cold air on you, drink plenty of cold fluids, and apply ice packs and other healing balms to the affected areas. You need to regenerate the body, not just the skin. If you need to rest, it can be difficult to avoid having the burned area irritated. If you find it hard to sleep, try putting your feet up and keeping your legs above your heart. That will stop swelling and perhaps allow you to drop off to sleep in a more comfortable position.
The best advice in all cases is not to burn in the first place. Sunburns are avoidable injuries and require just a little bit of pre-planning and caution. The care and protections you take now will be apparent in the future as your skin retains its natural elasticity and texture.
It can take anywhere from three to six months for severely burned skin to return to normal. So take the time to prepare and avoid having to worry about the consequences of burning.