Sunburn

Beating the tan.

- Dr J. L. Agarwal

Definition

When a few hours after sun exposure the skin becomes red painful and hot it is knows as sunburn. It may take several days to heal. Intense sun exposure increases the risk of dry wrinkled skin, liver spots, actinic keratoses and skin cancer including melanoma.

One can prevent sunburn and complications. If you are likely to suffer from sunburn some simple home remedies and other treatments can relieve pain and speed up the healing of the damaged skin.

Symptoms of sunburn

Pinkness or redness

Skin feels warm or hot to the touch

Pain or tenderness

Swelling

Small fluid-filled blisters which may break

Itching

If skin burn covers a large area, the headache, fever fatigue may also occur

Sunburn can occur in any of the exposed parts like ear lobes, face, eyes, forearms, legs, neck, etc.

Within a few days healing starts by peeling the top layer of the sunburned skin. After peeling skin may become of irregular colour and pattern, later on slowly the skin may regain normal colour and texture.

Causes