Painful and itchy sunburn

Information on Sunburns

Any type of treatment for sunburns that include painful and itchy sensations should be providing the relief from pain and it must include healing and proper hydration of the affected area. When the summer arrives and brings along the warm weather, it is normal for most people to venture out into the fresh outsides and stay out in the sun as much as possible.

The human body spends a lot of time in the coats and sweaters during the cold months of fall and winter so it can be said that it becomes very susceptible to damage cause by ultraviolet rays. Most scientists claim that, it takes less than 15 minutes for the skin to get burned and damaged by ultraviolet rays.

The intensity of the ultraviolet rays is the strongest during the middle portion of the day, but the risk of skin burning can also get increased by certain other factors such as cooler temperature and coastal winds. If a person does not use a powerful sunscreen, severe redness and burns may occur after only half an hour of exposure to sunlight.

A person may also be tricked by partially cloudy conditions and think that it may provide less exposure to sunlight.

Symptoms and Prevention

All persons have experienced sunburns at some point of their lives, and they usually affect the neck, nose, hands, legs and the back. All sunburns can be characterized by certain types of symptoms such as hot sensation, tightening and flushing.

The affected areas usually suffer minor or major dehydration, depending on the severity of the sunburn. The affected areas are also usually characterized by skin tightening, pain, redness and sometimes severe itchiness. Severe cases may also involve blisters because the fluids contained in them protect the skin and separate the dermis layer from the epidermis.

It is always recommended to use sunscreen protection with an appropriate SPF which is short for sun protection factor. Short exposure requires an SPF15, while longer exposure to sunlight must be protected by an SPF30 or even SPF50.

The most vulnerable areas are usually the neck, face and nose. It is also recommended to dress lightly in lightly colored clothes. Treatment for sunburns should include proper hydration, staying away from the sun and constantly moisturizing the skin. Cold compresses may be helpful as well as different sunburn relief products that can be purchased. The best treatment for sunburns is always to prevent them occurring in the first place.