Sunburn

Despite the warning about sun damage to the skin, one-third of adults and 70 percent of children admit to having a sunburn over the past year. So we all know what causes sunburn at the most basic level -- we stayed out in the sun too long without protective clothing. Eventually the skin burns, gets irritated and starts to turn red.

A blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence increases the chances of getting melanoma later in life by two times. And the risks rise the more frequently one spends in the sun without protection.

The sun generates three different types of ultraviolet rays. One, UVC, doesn’t reach the Earth’s surface -- so no problems there. But the other two, UVA and UVB, penetrates the Earth’s surface and your skin surface where it could do long-term damage to your skin. UV light can alter your DNA and age your skin prematurely. Over the long run, these DNA changes can cause skin cancers, including life-threatening melanoma.

Signs of a sunburn: redness of the skin; skin hurts to the touch or even without a touch; swelling, and sunburn blisters. You may also have flu-like symptoms such as chills, nausea, headache and weakness.

A few days later, more or less, your skin will probably start itching and then peeling as your body tries to shed the sun-damaged skin. Treatment involves stopping the pain of the burn while relieving sore, irritated skin. To this end, use menthol, camphor and aloe creams to take the sting out of the burn. Refrigerate the creams and that will complement the soothing action.

Use cold compresses or a cool bath to take the heat in your skin down. Use NSAIDS like ibuprofen or naproxen to help with the inflammation and pain of the sunburn. Drink lots of water and, duh, avoid the sun until you feel recovered. Even then, take care, you’ve damaged your skin once, it could easily happen again.