Sunlight, Sunburn, Skin Damage and Sunscreen

Sunlight can buoy our mental outlook and help us feel healthier. For people with arthritis, the sun's warmth can help alleviate some of their pain. [Many people also believe that a suntan makes a person look young and vibrant. But too much anything of anything is normally never good. And so is the case with excessive sun.

Both UVA and UVB are responsible for photo aging which is the premature aging of the skin wrinkling, and sunburn. Sunburn is a contiguous type of sun damage in where its effects might not appear for some time. And the pain of sunburn is usually at its worse between 6 and 48 hours after exposure Actual skin reddening and a burning feeling might take up to a day to occur. And peeling of the skin usually comes after several days thereafter as the skin layers that were burned dry up and gradually start to flake off.

The sun's UVB rays are very detrimental to the skin particularly for skin cancer. . Skin cancer was at one time a disease of the middle-aged and seniors, but it is fast becoming a disease of people in their twenty's and 30's. Skin cancer is the foremost form of cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million new cases named every year. It's estimated that 51,400 people in the United States will be diagnosed with melanoma the deadliest form of skin cancer a 9 percentage increase from 2000.

Of course, sunscreen offers a protective cover from the sun in the form of a decreased chance of sunburn and other sun related skin damage. Sunscreens are not just for the beach - use them when outdoors at all times -- whether just in the yard or participating in sports. These aren't the same as sun tanning lotions, which are intended to aid in tanning and to moisturize the skin. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 are recommended for most people.

In treating sun damage, skin hydrating and humidifying ointments may also temporarily take away pain. Many people consider these can also reduce eventual peeling off, but this isn't an established fact Skin that is much burned can't tolerate cold water. Skin moisturizing applications or aloe vera are all right for first-degree burns, but topical anesthetics ("'caines") should be avoided. And sunscreen chemicals take time to bind to the skin's surface. So don a hat to cover your forehead.

Also, apply cool compresses to the burned area several times a day to reduce pain and burning. For larger sunburns, run a cool bath, adding two ounces of baking soda to the tub. Cool compresses made with towels or wash cloths will also help alleviate the pain. In addition, .drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid like water or fruit juice each day. You may need medicine to lessen the pain, swelling, or fever caused by the burn.

In conclusion, this may serve as a gentle reminder of the progression of skin damage that can occur after just a little too much fun in the sun. Enjoy, just don't overdo.

http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et0701/et0701s18.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-does-my-sunburn-look-worse-after-taking-a-shower.htm