Sunburn

Can you remember your first sunburn? For some reason, people want to be in the sun and exposed. The result is a sunburn. Sunburn is literally a burn on your skin. It is a burn from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The consequence of this burn is inflammation of the skin, or worse. Injury can start within 10 minutes of exposure.

• UVA and UVB refer to different wavelengths in the light spectrum. UVB is more damaging to the skin especially for skin cancer. Both UVA and UVB are responsible for photoaging (premature aging of the skin and wrinkles) and sunburn. Tanning beds produce both UVA and UVB rays.
• Travel to the southern United States, regions close to the equator, and places at high altitudes all offer the unwary visitor an opportunity to be injured by sunburn. Certain light-skinned and fair-haired people are at greater risk of sunburn injury.
• Prior recent sun exposure and prior skin injury are risks for sunburn, even in limited exposure to the sun. However, normal limited exposure to UV radiation produces beneficial vitamin D in the skin.

There are some simple steps you can take to help reduce the risk of sunburn, including:

• Sunscreen with adequate protection against both UVA and UVB rays. While sunscreen should be applied at home about a half hour before sun exposure, you'll need to re–apply more when you arrive. Studies show that most people apply far too little sunscreen, and the SPF of any product is reduced when it's applied too thinly. You'll need to reapply sunscreen after swimming or if you perspire a great deal.
• A watch of some type to recognize how long you've been in the sun. You also need to know when it's time to avoid sun exposure – from 10 am to 2 pm, when the sun's rays are most intense.
• A hat with a wide brim. This is even more effective than sunscreen in shielding the sensitive skin on the face and scalp from damaging UV radiation.

You can learn more about the dangers of exposure to improper heat and light.

Learn about burn basics.

Learn what to do when someone is burned.