What is Sunburn?
Sunburn is a skin condition that occurs when your skin cells are inflamed due to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The irritation may be moderate or severe depending on the extent of exposure. In case of severe sunburn, a person may suffer from symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, blisters, etc. Repetitive sunburn may cause early aging and wrinkling of the skin.
What are the Symptoms of Sunburn?
There are some typical symptoms of Sunburn. The most common symptom is the shift in skin color. For example, a person with sunburn generally develops skin with pinkness or redness. In case of too much sunburn, a person may suffer from pain and tenderness, and the skin may have liquid-filled blisters that may break. The skin may swell and can have a burning sensation when touched. In some severe cases of sunburn, a person may experience headaches, fever, nausea, fatigue, etc.
What are the Causes of Sunburn?
The cause of sunburn is overexposure to the Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. You also might get UV rays from other sources such as tanning beds or sunlamps. However, the suntan, on the other hand, is the main symptom of sunburn and is caused when the body makes more melanin for protecting your skin from any further damage. Melanin is the pigment that is responsible for your skin color. Darker people have more melanin than fair people. So, if you are spending more hours under sunlight without proper skin protection, you are sure to get a sunburn.
When to see a Doctor?
In most cases, sunburn doesn’t need any intervention from the doctor and can be treated with home remedies and over-the-counter medication. However, in case the symptoms are severe, such as you have blisters that include a large portion of your body including the face, hands, and other exposed areas immediate medical help is needed. If you have serious inflammation, pain, or burning sensation on your skin, you may have to visit a doctor. You can also suffer from more severe symptoms such as fever as high as 103 degrees, confusion, dehydration, etc. This is the time to seek immediate care.
Lifestyle Prevention of Sunburn
- Preventing sunburn is possible by following some preventative measures. Since the cause of the condition is known to us, we use some procedures to avoid it.
- Applying sunscreen is the easiest and most convenient measure for preventing sunburn. Try to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going under the sun. You can use a lip balm that contains sunscreen to protect your lips as well. When you are buying sunscreen, always go for SPF 30 or more.
- Repeating sunscreen is also important. As the sunscreen can be removed because of sweat or water, reapplying the sunscreen is very crucial. It is advised to reapply every two hours if you are spending long hours under the sun.
- If possible, try to avoid activities that need to be performed under the sun, particularly between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. During this span of time of the day, the sunrays are extremely strong. However, in case you have to go outside during this time of the day then try to wear long-sleeved shirts and full trousers.
Common Ayurvedic Remedies for Sunburn
There are some great Ayurvedic remedies enriched with theruptical herbs and spices for sunburn. Herbs and spices such as sandalwood, turmeric, Aloe Vera, coconut oil, neem, etc. are very effective on sunburn.
- Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is hyped as the “burn plant,” the ideal natural treatment for serious sunburn. Aloe vera helps the skin in recovery from sunburns and slight burns. Take a gel of fresh aloe vera leaves and use it on the impacted area. Go over the process each day for a better outcome.
- Turmeric and Sandalwood Paste: Turmeric is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties, whereas sandalwood is enriched with natural oils that help the skin to glow.. Make paste using equal amounts of powdered sandalwood and turmeric with rose water and apply on the affected skin.
- Neem paste: Neem is a very effective herb when it comes to treat anything related to your skin. So using neem oil with chickpea flour will have a great effect on Sunburn. Take half tsp of neem oil and mix it with half a cup of chickpea flour and add water to make it paste and then apply on the affected skin, then leave it for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off with cold water.
Turmeric I Sandalwood I Aloe Vera I Coconut Oil I Neem
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