Sunburn and sun poisoning facts
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What is sunburn?
Sunburn is an inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. A similar burn can follow overexposure to a "sun" (UV or tanning) lamp. UV radiation can also damage the eyes, although no surface burn is apparent.
Sunburn is a very common condition. According to the CDC, in the United States, approximately 50% of adults age 18 to 29 report having at least one sunburn in the preceding year.
Can sunburn cause permanent damage?
Yes. Sunburn early in life increases the risk of developing skin cancer later on. Repeated overexposure to ultraviolet rays can also scar, freckle, dry out, and wrinkle the skin prematurely. In addition, frequent overexposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of developing eye cataracts and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
What is UV light and where are UV rays most intense?
UV light is radiation energy in the form of invisible light waves. UV light is emitted by the sun and by tanning lamps.
The sun discharges three types of ultraviolet radiation:
Only UVA and UVB rays reach earth. (UVC does not penetrate the earth's upper atmosphere.)
Although research has long implicated UVB as the most likely form of UV radiation to damage the skin and cause skin cancer, it is now known UVA also can be dangerous. UVB is known to affect the outer layer of skin. UVA is much less intense than UVB, but it is about 50 times more likely than UVB to reach deeper layers of skin to cause sun damage.
Tanning lamps also produce UVA and/or UVB. These artificial rays affect the skin in the same way as do UVA and UVB from the sun.
When and where are UV rays most intense?UV rays are most intense at noon and the hours immediately before and after (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.), particularly in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. Although they are less concentrated at other times of the day and year, UV rays can still damage the skin and eyes - even in the dead of winter and on cloudy or rainy days.
UV rays also increase in intensity in relation to altitude and latitude. The higher the altitude, the greater the concentration of UV rays. Likewise, UV rays are more powerful nearer to the equator.
UV rays "bounce" off reflective surfaces - including water, sand, and snow. Thus, a skier, swimmer, fisherman, or beachcomber may be bombarded with UV rays from above and below.
Why does the skin tan after exposure to UV rays?The skin contains a pigment called melanin. It colors the skin, imparting a wide variety of skin tones.
Melanin blocks at least some of the UV rays from penetrating the skin. After repeated or prolonged exposure to UV rays, the skin produces more melanin. Consequently, the skin darkens, or tans, which in turn protects the skin to a certain degree.
What are the symptoms of sunburn?
Some of the immediate symptoms of sunburn after exposure include:
More subtle exposures to the sun may not have any obvious immediate symptoms such as the ones listed above. Most sunburns are mild causing only skin redness, pain, and irritation or possibly a rash due to involvement of the outer layer of skin (first degree burn). This type of burn may be painful to touch.
A more moderate sunburn (second degree burn) may cause the skin to become swollen (edema), and very red, with painful blisters. This type of sun rash may take longer to heal.
People who have chronic (long standing) exposure to sun can increase their changes of developing chronic skin damage from sun exposure (wrinkles, aging, age spots, freckles, skin cancer, scarring, etc.).
The symptoms of sunburn can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending mainly on the following:
What are the symptoms of severe sunburn (sun poisoning)?
In addition to the usual symptoms of sunburn, in severe cases of sunburn (sun poisoning), the individual may experience:
Cases of severe sunburn may also be associated with heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Severe cases of sunburn require emergency medical treatment.
Sunburn pictures
Following are pictures of various degrees of sunburn.
Picture of peeling skin from sunburn
Picture of blisters from second degree sunburn
Picture of acute sunburn
What first-aid measures should be taken with sunburn?
If symptoms of severe sunburn are present, the individual should contact their doctor, urgent care facility, or emergency department. If compresses are applied, they should be dipped in cool or tepid water, not cold water.
If the symptoms of sunburn are mild or moderate, the person should drink plenty of water to replenish the fluid lost from the sunburn and to avoid dehydration. Other simple home remedies for sunburn are listed in the following sections.
What is the treatment for sunburn?
Most of the treatments available to treat sunburn are only used to treat symptoms.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in oral (ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Advil etc.) or topical diclofenac 0.1% gel (Solaraze) forms have shown to reduce redness if applied before or immediately after UVB exposure. This benefit may be diminished after 24 hours. These medications may also help relieve the symptoms of sunburn such as pain and discomfort.
Learn more about: Naprosyn | Solaraze
Topical steroid creams may not help. Oral steroids such as prednisone also have not been proven beneficial and have been associated with some significant side effects.
Applying aloe Vera gel to the skin may be beneficial in treating the symptoms.
Other remedies such as topical anesthetics (benzocaine) may help relieve painful symptoms of sunburn. Also, topical OTC moisturizer creams (especially if applied right after a shower or bath) can be used to alleviate the sunburn itch.
If you get a significant sunburn during pregnancy contact your doctor to decide what treatments are safe for use.
Are there any home remedies to treat sunburn?
There are some simple measures that can be applied at home to help with sunburns. The easiest and most important remedy to sunburn is using effective preventative measures to avoid sunburn. These steps include:
Once sunburn occurs, there are sunburn remedies that can help with treating the itching and burning sunburn symptoms. These include:
If blisters form after sunburn, do not attempt to burst or "pop" them unless they are located in a very painful area, or are otherwise causing a lot of discomfort due to size. Most blisters will break by themselves if they are left alone. Blisters are better left uncovered as rubbing or placing a tight cover over them may cause infections and more discomfort. If blisters need to be covered because they cause discomfort by rubbing on clothes, use a loosely applied dressing.
Once a sunburn blister breaks, the area of the broken blister should be kept clean by washing it frequently with soap and water. The left over skin should be left alone, but cleaned, until it falls off. Broken blisters generally heal on their own, but topical antibiotic ointments should be applied to the area of broken blisters to prevent infections.
If a sun blister is uncomfortable or too large or located in a cosmetically unappealing area, consider breaking it carefully. This could be done by gently cleaning the area well with soap and water or rubbing alcohol and using a sterilized needle to punch a hole at the edge of the blister gently. The fluid inside can be pushed towards the hole and drained. The area should be cleaned again and covered with a loose dressing afterwards. Topical antibiotics can be applied to the broken blister to reduce the risk of infection.
Is a follow-up visit with a physician necessary?
A follow-up visit with a physician is not necessary unless the sunburn was severe. Every patient who has suffered significant sunburn should report the incident to a doctor so the burn can become part of the patient's medical history. Doing so will alert the physician, during future check-ups, to look closely for symptoms of skin cancer and other problems sunburn can cause.
Who is most susceptible to sunburn?
Persons with certain pigment disorders (such as albinism) and persons with fair skin are at highest risk of suffering a burn. The American Academy of Dermatology classifies skin types into six categories (in terms of susceptibility to sunburn) for skin colors ranging from fair to black. This is called the Fitzpatrick classification. These skin types are as follows:
Types 1 and 2: High Susceptibility to Sunburn
Types 3 and 4: Moderate Susceptibility to Sunburn
Types 5 and 6: Minimal or No Susceptibility to Sunburn
It is often difficult to accurately determine an individual's skin type simply by looking at the color of the skin. It is best to ask the person how quickly they may burn and how easily they tan. Based on the response, the skin type can be determined.
Can diseases cause a heightened sensitivity to UV rays?
Yes. Certain disorders place their sufferers at very high risk of skin damage -- including severe sunburn, blisters, and sores -- from exposure to UV radiation. The following is a small sample of afflictions that increase the skin's sensitivity to UV radiation:
What kinds of skin cancer can UV rays cause?
Overexposure to UV rays can cause three varieties of skin cancer; malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Malignant melanomaBasal and squamous cell cancers are slow-growing and are far less likely to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) than melanoma. Both basal and squamous cell cancers can be cured in most cases if diagnosed early.
Basal cell carcinomaThese conditions are very common and if diagnosed properly and promptly, they are highly curable. It is very important to have routine skin checks by a skin doctor (dermatologist) annually. Annual screening can help in early diagnosis of skin cancer or pre-cancerous conditions that may lead to skin cancer.
How can sunburn and skin cancer be prevented?
The ideal methods of preventing sunburn, and hopefully skin cancer, involve:
How do sunscreens work?
Sunscreens protect the skin by absorbing or reflecting the UV radiation. Many available sunscreens protect mainly against UVB and may not adequately protect against long standing UVA exposure.
Sunscreens may be classified into two groups, physical sunscreens and chemical sunscreens.
Physical sunscreensThe most recommended practice is to use a combination of physical and chemical sunscreens for the most adequate protection.
What is sunburn?
Sunburn is an inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. A similar burn can follow overexposure to a "sun" (UV or tanning) lamp. UV radiation can also damage the eyes, although no surface burn is apparent.
Sunburn is a very common condition. According to the CDC, in the United States, approximately 50% of adults age 18 to 29 report having at least one sunburn in the preceding year.
Can sunburn cause permanent damage?
Yes. Sunburn early in life increases the risk of developing skin cancer later on. Repeated overexposure to ultraviolet rays can also scar, freckle, dry out, and wrinkle the skin prematurely. In addition, frequent overexposure to ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of developing eye cataracts and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
What is UV light and where are UV rays most intense?
UV light is radiation energy in the form of invisible light waves. UV light is emitted by the sun and by tanning lamps.
The sun discharges three types of ultraviolet radiation:
Only UVA and UVB rays reach earth. (UVC does not penetrate the earth's upper atmosphere.)
Although research has long implicated UVB as the most likely form of UV radiation to damage the skin and cause skin cancer, it is now known UVA also can be dangerous. UVB is known to affect the outer layer of skin. UVA is much less intense than UVB, but it is about 50 times more likely than UVB to reach deeper layers of skin to cause sun damage.
Tanning lamps also produce UVA and/or UVB. These artificial rays affect the skin in the same way as do UVA and UVB from the sun.
When and where are UV rays most intense?UV rays are most intense at noon and the hours immediately before and after (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.), particularly in the late spring, summer, and early autumn. Although they are less concentrated at other times of the day and year, UV rays can still damage the skin and eyes - even in the dead of winter and on cloudy or rainy days.
UV rays also increase in intensity in relation to altitude and latitude. The higher the altitude, the greater the concentration of UV rays. Likewise, UV rays are more powerful nearer to the equator.
UV rays "bounce" off reflective surfaces - including water, sand, and snow. Thus, a skier, swimmer, fisherman, or beachcomber may be bombarded with UV rays from above and below.
Why does the skin tan after exposure to UV rays?The skin contains a pigment called melanin. It colors the skin, imparting a wide variety of skin tones.
Melanin blocks at least some of the UV rays from penetrating the skin. After repeated or prolonged exposure to UV rays, the skin produces more melanin. Consequently, the skin darkens, or tans, which in turn protects the skin to a certain degree.
What are the symptoms of sunburn?
Some of the immediate symptoms of sunburn after exposure include:
More subtle exposures to the sun may not have any obvious immediate symptoms such as the ones listed above. Most sunburns are mild causing only skin redness, pain, and irritation or possibly a rash due to involvement of the outer layer of skin (first degree burn). This type of burn may be painful to touch.
A more moderate sunburn (second degree burn) may cause the skin to become swollen (edema), and very red, with painful blisters. This type of sun rash may take longer to heal.
People who have chronic (long standing) exposure to sun can increase their changes of developing chronic skin damage from sun exposure (wrinkles, aging, age spots, freckles, skin cancer, scarring, etc.).
The symptoms of sunburn can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending mainly on the following:
What are the symptoms of severe sunburn (sun poisoning)?
In addition to the usual symptoms of sunburn, in severe cases of sunburn (sun poisoning), the individual may experience:
Cases of severe sunburn may also be associated with heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Severe cases of sunburn require emergency medical treatment.
Sunburn pictures
Following are pictures of various degrees of sunburn.
Picture of peeling skin from sunburn
Picture of blisters from second degree sunburn
Picture of acute sunburn
What first-aid measures should be taken with sunburn?
If symptoms of severe sunburn are present, the individual should contact their doctor, urgent care facility, or emergency department. If compresses are applied, they should be dipped in cool or tepid water, not cold water.
If the symptoms of sunburn are mild or moderate, the person should drink plenty of water to replenish the fluid lost from the sunburn and to avoid dehydration. Other simple home remedies for sunburn are listed in the following sections.
What is the treatment for sunburn?
Most of the treatments available to treat sunburn are only used to treat symptoms.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in oral (ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Advil etc.) or topical diclofenac 0.1% gel (Solaraze) forms have shown to reduce redness if applied before or immediately after UVB exposure. This benefit may be diminished after 24 hours. These medications may also help relieve the symptoms of sunburn such as pain and discomfort.
Learn more about: Naprosyn | Solaraze
Topical steroid creams may not help. Oral steroids such as prednisone also have not been proven beneficial and have been associated with some significant side effects.
Applying aloe Vera gel to the skin may be beneficial in treating the symptoms.
Other remedies such as topical anesthetics (benzocaine) may help relieve painful symptoms of sunburn. Also, topical OTC moisturizer creams (especially if applied right after a shower or bath) can be used to alleviate the sunburn itch.
If you get a significant sunburn during pregnancy contact your doctor to decide what treatments are safe for use.
Are there any home remedies to treat sunburn?
There are some simple measures that can be applied at home to help with sunburns. The easiest and most important remedy to sunburn is using effective preventative measures to avoid sunburn. These steps include:
Once sunburn occurs, there are sunburn remedies that can help with treating the itching and burning sunburn symptoms. These include:
If blisters form after sunburn, do not attempt to burst or "pop" them unless they are located in a very painful area, or are otherwise causing a lot of discomfort due to size. Most blisters will break by themselves if they are left alone. Blisters are better left uncovered as rubbing or placing a tight cover over them may cause infections and more discomfort. If blisters need to be covered because they cause discomfort by rubbing on clothes, use a loosely applied dressing.
Once a sunburn blister breaks, the area of the broken blister should be kept clean by washing it frequently with soap and water. The left over skin should be left alone, but cleaned, until it falls off. Broken blisters generally heal on their own, but topical antibiotic ointments should be applied to the area of broken blisters to prevent infections.
If a sun blister is uncomfortable or too large or located in a cosmetically unappealing area, consider breaking it carefully. This could be done by gently cleaning the area well with soap and water or rubbing alcohol and using a sterilized needle to punch a hole at the edge of the blister gently. The fluid inside can be pushed towards the hole and drained. The area should be cleaned again and covered with a loose dressing afterwards. Topical antibiotics can be applied to the broken blister to reduce the risk of infection.
Is a follow-up visit with a physician necessary?
A follow-up visit with a physician is not necessary unless the sunburn was severe. Every patient who has suffered significant sunburn should report the incident to a doctor so the burn can become part of the patient's medical history. Doing so will alert the physician, during future check-ups, to look closely for symptoms of skin cancer and other problems sunburn can cause.
Who is most susceptible to sunburn?
Persons with certain pigment disorders (such as albinism) and persons with fair skin are at highest risk of suffering a burn. The American Academy of Dermatology classifies skin types into six categories (in terms of susceptibility to sunburn) for skin colors ranging from fair to black. This is called the Fitzpatrick classification. These skin types are as follows:
Types 1 and 2: High Susceptibility to Sunburn
Types 3 and 4: Moderate Susceptibility to Sunburn
Types 5 and 6: Minimal or No Susceptibility to Sunburn
It is often difficult to accurately determine an individual's skin type simply by looking at the color of the skin. It is best to ask the person how quickly they may burn and how easily they tan. Based on the response, the skin type can be determined.
Can diseases cause a heightened sensitivity to UV rays?
Yes. Certain disorders place their sufferers at very high risk of skin damage -- including severe sunburn, blisters, and sores -- from exposure to UV radiation. The following is a small sample of afflictions that increase the skin's sensitivity to UV radiation:
What kinds of skin cancer can UV rays cause?
Overexposure to UV rays can cause three varieties of skin cancer; malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Malignant melanomaBasal and squamous cell cancers are slow-growing and are far less likely to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) than melanoma. Both basal and squamous cell cancers can be cured in most cases if diagnosed early.
Basal cell carcinomaThese conditions are very common and if diagnosed properly and promptly, they are highly curable. It is very important to have routine skin checks by a skin doctor (dermatologist) annually. Annual screening can help in early diagnosis of skin cancer or pre-cancerous conditions that may lead to skin cancer.
How can sunburn and skin cancer be prevented?
The ideal methods of preventing sunburn, and hopefully skin cancer, involve:
How do sunscreens work?
Sunscreens protect the skin by absorbing or reflecting the UV radiation. Many available sunscreens protect mainly against UVB and may not adequately protect against long standing UVA exposure.
Sunscreens may be classified into two groups, physical sunscreens and chemical sunscreens.
Physical sunscreensThe most recommended practice is to use a combination of physical and chemical sunscreens for the most adequate protection.
Source: http://www.rxlist.com
Source: http://www.rxlist.com
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