Summertime is the best time of the year to spend some time outside & enjoy the nice weather! Unfortunately, sunburn has become a common norm for us when we go for too long. Sunburn, however, is not something that should be taken lightly. Did you know that the most common cancer is melanoma? Melanoma cancer’s leading cause is sunburn!
What is sunburn?
To understand sunburn we must first think of where it comes from. The sun emits 3 Ultraviolet rays (UV rays) they are
- UVA
- UVB
- UVC
only 2 of these rays make it to the earth’s surface, UVA & UVB. These two ultraviolet rays are actually a form of radiation. As we know our skin cells can only tolerate so much radiation before we burn. When we are exposed to the suns rays for too long we get sunburn which is actually a radiation burn! When someone gets sunburn they are 3 times more likely to develop melanoma cancer.
What are the symptoms of sunburn?
We have all experienced a mild form of sunburn before. The symptoms of a mild sunburn may be
- redness on skin
- irritation or pain when touched
- peeling
- dehydration
When experiencing these symptoms you can help yourself by moisturizing your skin with lotion. Lotion helps damaged cells, lotion infused with ALO VERA will also help sooth the pain and cool you down. If you do not have access to this, keeping the skin cold will also help with the pain.
Extreme cases of sunburn can include
- sun blisters
- puss
- sun poising
- high heart rate
- nausea
- dehydration
- blackout
- extreme pain
If you are experiencing these symptoms you should take yourself to your nearest urgent care because you will not be able to stop these symptoms yourself & you need immediate attention.
How to prevent sunburn
As we all know the best way to prevent sunburn is to use sunblock when you are going to be outside for an extended period of time. However what most people overlook is that if you are
- swimming
- running
- exercising
- sweating
You need to reapply as soon as you are done. Sunblock wears off the more your body sweats or is in water. Even if you have SPF 50 you could be unprotected as soon as you get out of the pool. Make sure you stay safe from sunburn for the rest of this summer!