Heal Sunburn Through Skin Rejuvenation

Sunburn on the face and body is a common problem when living in a tropical country like Thailand; there are more hot and sunny days than not. And when our skin is exposed to sunlight for too long without adequate protection, our skin is at risk of sunburn. Learn how to treat sunburn and when you need to seek a dermatologist’s help.

Symptoms and Causes

Sunburned skin feels tender and hot to touch, and is usually red and inflamed. The swollen area may also develop blisters that can be dry and itchy. Some cases of sunburn may also cause headaches, vomiting, and fever.

As the name suggests, sunburn is caused by the sun, which emits ultraviolet (UV) rays that can damage the skin. Some effects, like sunburn, are temporary and usually take a few days to treat, but some effects, like photoaging, take more time.

There are two types of UV light, which can have adverse effects on the skin after prolonged exposure. UVA can penetrate through the deeper layers of the skin, causing damage over time. Repeated untreated exposure can lead to more permanent damage to skin cells and cause premature aging or photoaging, precancerous lesions, and even skin cancer.

Meanwhile, UVB can penetrate the upper layer of the skin, causing it to burn. Our immune system reacts to this by increasing blood flow to the area, causing redness and inflammation.

The skin on our face is more delicate, so it’s particularly sensitive to the sun’s harsh rays and is more susceptible to sunburn. Once you feel your skin is inflamed or hot and painful to touch, it may mean that it’s sunburned already.

First Aid

The best way to heal sunburn is by acting quickly. Head indoors right away and try to cool your skin. You can wash your face with facial soap and water, then apply moisturizer to soothe burned skin.

Drinking lots of water is also key to hydrating the affected area. You can also take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lessen swelling and redness.

Prevention

Our skin plays a crucial role as our first line of defense against potentially harmful substances in our environment, so it goes without saying that our skin needs protection, too. As always, when it comes to health, prevention is key.

Make sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen that offers UVA and UVB protection before you step out of your house, even when it’s cloudy. And if you will walk outside, wear a hat to protect your face and adequate clothing to cover the rest of your body.

Avoid exposure during peak sunlight hours from 10 am to 3 pm. If you need to be outside within that time, make sure to hydrate yourself often and try to stay in the shade, or carry an umbrella.

If you are going swimming or doing water activities, be sure to reapply water-resistant sunscreen at least every two hours.

Treatments

Typically, most sunburn takes a few days to heal. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, we recommend consulting a dermatologist, who may prescribe topical medication such as hydrocortisone to lessen skin irritation and promote healing.

A consultation with a doctor may be necessary for severe sunburn cases, especially when blisters cover a large area of the body, you’re feeling feverish or nauseated, or when your blisters are infected.

After the sunburn has healed, skin rejuvenation is the next step, especially if sunburn on the face has caused undesirable flaws that may affect your self-confidence.

Restoration