About this topic
Many of us enjoy time spent outside. You get vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D is needed to help your body absorb calcium. Too much sun may harm your skin and health. A sunburn is caused by your skins reaction to ultraviolet rays from the sun. These are UV rays. They cannot be seen, but can harm your skin and eyes. UV rays from the sun may also cause skin cancer. ‚
Too much sun or repeated sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer. Even if you do not get burned, it does not mean that you are not at risk for skin cancer. ‚
Limiting direct sun exposure can help you enjoy the warm weather and outdoor activities. You can help protect yourself from the harmful UV rays of the sun. By doing a few simple things, you can enjoy the outdoors and play safe in the sun without risking your skin or your health. ‚
General
You are at a higher risk for getting skin cancer when you have: ‚
- Fair skin. The lighter your skin, the more quickly you can get burned.
- Hair that is light brown, blonde, or red in color
- Blue, gray, or green eyes
- Past sunburns
- Unusual or a large number of moles or freckles
- Family history of skin cancer
When you are going out in the sun, you need to take extra care to protect your skin. Here are some things you can do: ‚
- Use sunblock the right way for longer protection.
- Use a sunblock on all of your exposed skin. The sunblock should be broad spectrum and water resistant. It needs to have a sun protection factor or SPF 30 or more. Your sunblock should protect you from UVA and UVB rays. Protect your lips as well. Many cosmetics, moisturizers, and lip balms are made with SPF.
- Apply sunblock 20 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun.
- Use sunblock with titanium dioxide for your face. It is less likely to bother your facial skin and will not hurt if it gets into your eyes.
- Put more sunblock on every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.
- Sun can also damage your skin on cool, windy days. Clouds and fog do not filter UV light. Wind can thin sunblock. Make sure you reapply sunblock every 2 hours.
- Avoid the sun in the middle of the day. The suns rays are strong between 10 AM to 4 PM. Your unprotected skin can be damaged in 15 minutes with direct sun exposure. Plan to be outside early in the morning or in the evening. This will help to avoid too much sun exposure.
- If you are going outdoors, try to stay in the shade if possible. Bring an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses. Wear light cotton long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- The sun's rays may reflect on sand, concrete, water, and snow. Snow can increase the sun's UV rays, especially at higher altitudes, like in the mountains. The sun's UV rays are stronger the closer you are to the equator. Take extra care at these times.
- Some drugs can make you very sensitive to the sun. This may make it easier for you to burn. Talk to your doctor about the drugs you are taking.
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Will there be any other care needed?
If you get a sunburn: ‚
- Try taking a cool shower or bath to ease the burn. A cold cloth on your skin may also help ease the pain.
- Ask your doctor what products are safe to use to keep your skin moist.
- Do not pick or break blisters that form. Cover them with bandages.
- Do not peel your skin when it starts to dry, flake, and come off. This will make it worse.
- Stay away from direct sunlight until your skin is fully healed. Too much sun may worsen your problem.
- Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes to prevent more irritation to your skin.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Pale, clammy, or cool skin
- Upset stomach, nausea or throwing up, feeling faint or dizzy
- Eyes hurt and are sensitive to light, or eyesight is blurred
- Very bad headache
- Confusion
- Pulse is very fast
- Very thirsty
- Not able to pass urine
- Very painful blisters or blisters look infected
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Dermatology ‚
http://www.aad.org/skin-care-and-safety/skin-cancer-prevention/be-sun-smart/be-sun-smart ‚
American Academy of Pediatrics ‚
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/Baby-Sunburn-Prevention.aspx ‚
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/ ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/summer_safety.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚