If you expose your skin to too much sun, it can become burned. You can protect your skin by wearing clothing that covers your skin correctly and by wearing sunscreen at all times. However, if you do get sunburn our GP home doctor service in La Alcaidesa has some advice on how you can heal and soothe it.
About Sunburn
Sunburn is damage to your skin caused by the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. It typically causes the skin to become red, sore, hot to touch, tender and occasionally itchy. After about a week, your skin will start to flake a peel to reveal healthy, healed skin.
The initial effects of sunburn can last for about a week -but there could be some serious long term effects if you repeatedly burn. The more you burn in the sun, the more at risk you are of developing skin cancer in later life.
While the top tip from our GP home doctor service in La Alcaidesa is to avoid sunburn altogether, here are some things you can do to care for existing sunburn.
1. Take Immediate Action
Treating your sunburn as soon as you notice it will go a long way to helping soothe the soreness and itching. As soon as you notice your skin burning, get out of the sun (preferably by heading indoors) and moisturise.
2. Use a Cold, Damp Towel
Placing a cold, damp towel in your sunburned skin for ten to 15 minutes every day will help to draw the heat from your skin. This will help reduce the severity and soreness of the burn and help it to heal quicker. You can also try taking cold baths and showers to help soothe your skin. Make sure to dab yourself dry with a towel afterwards but try to leave a little water on your skin and apply some moisturiser to stop your skin from drying out.
3. Moisturise Frequently
Soothe your skin with a moisturiser that contains aloe vera or soy. Moisturisers containing either of these substances are great for calming and cooling your skin as well as rehydrating your cells and preventing them from drying out.
4. Leave Your Blisters Alone
If your skin starts to blister as a result of your sunburn, don't pop or burst the blisters as this could make the sunburn worse. Blistering skin means you have a second-degree sunburn, which is dangerous; you'll need to stay out of the sun and stay fully hydrated to help your skin to heal. You may need to get your blisters checked by our GP home doctor service in La Alcaidesa if they don't improve in a few days. Make sure you protect your blisters to stop them from becoming infected.
For more help and advice from our GP home doctor service in La Alcaidesa get in touch with us today.