There is still a lot of summer left, are you out enjoying the sun and the warm weather? Have you ever had too much sun? Too much sun means bright red skin that might itch and peel after a day or two. Severe sunburn, or “sun poisoning” affects your whole body, not just your skin.
From WebMD, “severe sunburn or sun poisoning can cause symptoms such as the following:
- Skin redness and blistering
- Pain and tingling
- Swelling
- Headache
- Fever and chills
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Dehydration”
The Center for Disease control recommends the following for treating sunburn, “Take aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to relieve pain, headache, and fever. Drink plenty of water, and soothe burns with cool baths or by gently applying cool, wet cloths. Use a topical moisturizing cream or aloe to provide additional relief. Don’t go back into the sun until the burn has healed. If skin blisters, lightly bandage or cover the area with gauze to prevent infection. Don’t break blisters (this slows healing and increases risk of infection). Apply antiseptic ointment if blisters break.
The Center for Disease Control advises individuals to seek medical help if, “it [the sunburn] covers more than 15% of the body, [or] dehydration, [or] extreme pain that lasts more than 48 hours, [or] high fever (above 101°F).
You can prevent sun burns, even minor sunburns with basic precautionary measures. Visit our sun safety blog for more tips and information.