When summer's sun gets too hot

By MICHELLE SWARTZ

Evening News staff writer

The sun can also determine whether you'll have healthy skin.

"In the summer, I see a lot of kids from 9 to 15 years old. That's the age when you go outside and have fun all day long," said dermatologist James Ulery, M.D., of Monroe's Skincare Associates. "At that age, kids don't usually grasp that the sun can hurt their skin."

A sunburn is literally a burn on your skin. It's caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Effects of a sunburn, such as red, irritated skin, can start within 30 minutes of exposure.

Getting a sunburn has more harmful results than your skin turning red. Blisters, peeling skin, chills, flu-like symptoms and skin cancer are only some of the consequences of not protecting your skin when playing outside.

Mild sunburns, such as red skin or swelling, can be treated at home. However, severe burns that include blistering, fevers and dizziness, need medical treatment.

Even though there is no cure for sunburns, applying sunscreen daily is the key to protecting your health.

"If you're outside a long time or if you're swimming, it's important to keep re-applying sunscreen," Dr. Ulery said. "It's also important that you put on suntan lotion 15 to 20 minutes before going outside. That time is needed to allow the chemicals to bind in the skin so it can protect the skin."

Initially, your skin turns red about two to six hours after exposure. The burn will reach its peak at 12 to 24 hours after exposure.

Change in skin color (ranging from pink to red)

Skin feels hot to touch

Pain

Swelling

Fluid-filled blisters

Chills

Fever

Nausea or vomiting or both

Flu-like symptoms

Skin loss (peeling) about four to seven days after exposure

Seek medical care when you experience these symptoms:

Severe pain

Severe blistering

Headache

Confusion

Nausea or vomiting

Severe sunburn with blistering and pain

Dizziness or fainting

Sources: Better Health Channel and www.eMedicine.com

Just the facts

Chronic sun exposure may lead to premature aging, severe wrinkling, moles and skin cancer. Premature cataract formation in the eye can also be a result.

Sun exposure puts people at risk for skin cancer and premature aging, which mostly comes during childhood. In fact, 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 21.

Regular use of sunscreen can lower your risk of skin cancer by nearly 78 percent.

There is no cure for sunburns except time.

A sunburn can occur in less than 15 minutes and, depending on the severity, can take a few days or weeks to heal.

What are UVA and UVB rays?

UVA and UVB refer to different wavelengths in the light spectrum. Both types of sunrays cause premature aging of the skin, wrinkles and sunburns. UVB, however, is more damaging to the skin.

UVA is ultraviolet radiation that passes through the earth's ozone layer and causes early aging of the skin.

UVB is a stronger ultraviolet radiation that can easily damage the skin. It causes skin cancer and may contribute to cataracts.

Treatment for sunburns

It is recommended that sunscreen lotion that has SPF of 15 or higher and UVA and UVB protection. The lotion should be applied at least 30 minutes prior to sun exposure and be reapplied every two hours. If swimming, re-application should occur more frequently.

The following are some tips to help relieve the pain of a sunburn:

Medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, are useful.

Apply aloe-based lotions.

Take a cool bath (not ice cold).

Prevention

The following are tips to stay protected from the damaging effects of the sun:

Wear protective clothing, such as hats, long sleeve shirts and long pants.

Limit your time in the sun when it is the strongest (between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB radiation.

Apply sunscreen, even when it is cloudy.