A Guide To Sunburn: Factors And Recommended Treatments

When outdoors, especially travelling, sun damage is one of the leading causes of skin problems.¹Because Singapore is near the equator, it gets solar exposure all year.² Hence, compared to the rest of the world, Singapore may have a higher level of UV radiation, which causes sunburn.

Sunburn is a skin burn caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays or artificial sources, such as tanning beds.³Usually, the most prominent risk factors for sunburn are your skin type⁴, how long your skin has been exposed to the UV rays, and the sunlight intensity at that exposure point.³

The number of sunburns you get is directly proportional to the risk of skin cancer.³That is why it’s essential for us to fully understand the cause, treatment and prevention of sunburns to decrease the risk of skin cancers significantly.³Moreover, it can also lessen the solar effects of ageing, leading to better aesthetic results.³

Therefore, patients can significantly decrease their risk of skin cancers by fully understanding the cause, treatment, and sunburn prevention.³ This will improve their quality of life. Additionally, by preventing sunburn, patients can lessen extrinsic ageing from solar causes, which can lead to better aesthetic results.³

What contributes to sunburn

A lot of factors can contribute to the possibility and severity of sunburn.³ Here are some of them:

Medications: Certain medicines can increase the risk of sunburn, such as antibiotics that treat infections (e.g. doxycycline, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamide), diuretics that help with urine flow, drugs that relieve pain, and retinoids.³

Increase of UV radiation: Typically, the sun’s UV rays are the most intense between 10 am and 4 pm. If the sky is clear (little to no clouds), it also means higher exposure to the UV rays.³ Sometimes, the proximity to the equator (e.g. Singapore) also means more direct exposure to UV rays.³

Higher altitudes: At higher altitudes, such as mountain climbing, it has less atmospheric filtering of UV radiation. Therefore, it will have a thinner layer of atmospheric protection.³

This may explain why there is a higher risk of skin cancer in regions with high elevation, such as Leadville, Colorado (which has an elevation of 3,094m)⁵

Ozone depletion: Recently, climate change has increased, which may lead to ozone depletion.⁶Because ozone protects from harmful UV radiation, having a hole or thinner layers of ozone would mean the sun’s UV rays have increased penetrance.⁶

This leads to an increase in the frequency of extreme temperatures and higher daytime temperatures.⁶

Symptoms of sunburn and what to do about it

Sunburn is a significant result of UV radiation when it generates free radicals that can cause inflammation. The severity is dependent on the proportion of burned skin and how deep the most severe burn is.⁷

Sunburns can be classified into three categories based on the severity of the damage: first-degree, second-degree and third-degree.⁷

First-degree

First-degree sunburns happen after around 4 hours of sunlight exposure⁸. They are considered superficial because it affects the skin’s outer layer with minor tissue damage.⁷ Because this can heal by itself within one or two days, medical attention is not necessary.⁷

Some skin symptoms include:

Redness (it will be more obvious for those with lighter skin)^7&8
Swelling^7&8
Soreness^7&8

Other symptoms may include:

Headache⁸
Higher body temperature⁸
Fatigue⁸
Nausea⁸

Should you have a first-degree sunburn, here are some tips to alleviate the symptoms:

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated⁸
Take a cold shower or bath⁸
Apply cool compress to the burned areas⁸
Gently rub moisturiser, aloe vera, or hydrocortisone cream to the affected area.⁸
Avoid going outdoors (in case of sun exposure) until the sunburn has disappeared.⁸
To avoid infection, bandage the areas and put antiseptic or hydrocortisone cream on the burns.⁸

Second-degree

Second-degree sunburns affect the outer layer and the underlying layer of the skin.⁷ Hence, unlike first-degree sunburns, fixing this sunburn may need medical treatment, since they will take several weeks to heal.^7&8Some symptoms include:

Blisters^7&8
Deep red skin^7&8
Pain^7&8
Swelling^7&8
Wet-looking, shiny skin⁸
Discolouration within the burned skin area⁸

If the second-degree sunburn includes severe blisters or is swollen, it’s best to consult a doctor.^7&8It’s also advisable to get medical treatment if you show symptoms such as:

Higher body temperature⁸
Excessive shivering or sweaty⁸
Irregular heartbeat⁸
Slurred speech⁸
Seizures⁸
Confusion⁸
Exhaustion⁸
Dizziness⁸
Nausea⁸
Headache⁸
Muscle Cramps⁸

While those with second-degree sunburns can follow similar steps to alleviate their symptoms as those with first-degree sunburns, they may need further advice and treatment, such as burn creams or burn dressings.⁷

Other home treatments may include ice packs, cold baths, or cool compresses to lower body temperature.⁸

Third-degree

Third-degree burns affect as deep as the hypodermis, so this can cause the skin to carbonise or turn to translucent white, exposing the vessels under the skin. The healing will be slower, since the tissue is destroyed.⁷

Because people with these kinds of burns are more vulnerable to infections, it’s better to consult a dermatology clinic instead of trying to alleviate the burns on your own. After all, this degree of sunburn can leave scars.

Don’t let sunburn leave scars

There is a common phrase, “prevention is better than cure.” Therefore, it’s better to have preventive measures in place before going out. Some examples may include:

staying in the shade⁹
wearing clothing that covers the body⁹
putting on sunglasses⁹
always wearing sunscreen⁹

However, should you need a safe, painless, and minimally invasive treatment for your sunburn, our dermatology specialists at AYD are here to lend a helping hand. Dr. Angeline Yong is an experienced and accomplished dermatologist that seeks the most innovative and effective solutions for all patients.

As a dermatologist accredited by the Ministry of Health, she has won the National Skin Centre Service Champion Award (Gold) and earned fellowships in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Reconstruction in the UK, and hair transplantation and cosmetic dermatology in the USA.

She is also a recognised member of the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery (ACMS), American Society of Dermatological Surgery (ASDS), and the British Society of Dermatological Surgery (BSDS).

You can be assured that Dr. Angeline Yong will be better able to provide the ideal solution, allowing you to restore the unblemished, younger-looking, and glowing skin you deserve. To find out more, contact us to book a consultation today.

References

Wilder-Smith, A. J. (2018). Hell’s itch due to Sunburn. Journal of Travel Medicine, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/tay124

Cheong, K. W., Yew, Y. W., & Seow, W. J. (2019). SUN exposure and sun safety habits among adults in Singapore: A cross-sectional study. Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, 48(12), 412–428. https://doi.org/10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.v48n12p412

Crane, J. S., & Guerra, K. C. (2022). Sunburn.

Watson, S. (2021, October 8). Sunburn prevention and treatment. WebMD. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/sunburn

Ista A. Egbeto, I. A., Rivera-Ortega, J., & Clark, N. (2022, April 1). Why is skin cancer risk elevated at higher altitudes? Frontiers for Young Minds. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2022.615634

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A Guide To Sunburn: Factors And Recommended Treatments￼

A Guide To Sunburn: Factors And Recommended Treatments