Sunburn

[Zia_Hayderi]

[FONT=&quot]Sunburn[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Sunburn is an injury to living tissue such as skin produced by overexposure to UV radiation, commonly from the sun's rays. Usual mild symptoms in humans and animals are red or reddish skin that is hot to the touch, general fatigue, and mild dizziness. An excess of UV-radiation can be life-threatening.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sunburn is prevented through the use of sunscreen the effectiveness of sunscreen to give complete safety is debated. Therefore clothing (and hats) is considered the better method to protect skin. Moderate sun tanning without burning can also prevent sunburn as it increases the amount of melanin in the skin, which is the skin's natural defense against overexposure. Importantly, the sunburn and the increase in melanin production are both triggered by direct DNA damage. Malignant melanoma may occur as a result of the indirect DNA damage if the damage is not properly repaired. Proper repair occurs in the majority of DNA damage, and as a result not every exposure to UVA results in cancer.[/FONT]
Causes: Sunburn is literally a burn on your skin. It is a burn from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The consequence of this burn is inflammation of the skin. Injury can start within 30 minutes of exposure.

• UVA and UVB refer to different wavelengths in the light spectrum. UVB is more damaging to the skin especially for skin cancer. Both UVA and UVB are responsible for photo aging (premature aging of the skin and wrinkles) and sunburn. Tanning beds produce both UVA and UVB rays.

• Travel to the southern United States, regions close to the equator, and places at high altitudes all offer the unwary visitor an opportunity to be injured by sunburn.

• Certain light-skinned and fair-haired people are at greater risk of sunburn injury.

• Prior recent sun exposure and prior skin injury are risks for sunburn, even in limited exposure to the sun. However, normal limited exposure to UV) radiation produces beneficial vitamin D in the skin.

Symptoms: Mild and uncomplicated cases of sunburn usually result in minor skin redness and irritation. Untreated and with enough exposure, you can experience poor circulation to vital organs and even death (sun poisoning). Sufficient exposure can become remarkably painful.
Under following conditions it is necessary to go to a hospital's emergency department include the following:

• Severe pain
• Severe blistering
• Head ach
• Confusion
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting
• An acute problem with another medical condition

Diagnosis: Severity of burn is assessed and in more severe cases, or for people with preexisting medical problems, the doctor may order certain laboratory tests to aid in determining the severity of your injury.
Prevention: The best prevention is to avoid the sun. This is often not practical or desired many times.

• Other, more practical strategies include wearing wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants.
• If this is not possible, a variety of sun-blocking agents are available for use. Some are just for the lips and face. Others are for more general-purpose use. Pay attention to the SPF and whether or not PABA is in the product. PABA should be avoided in children younger than 6 months because it can cause skin irritation.
• The higher the SPF number, the more protection the sun-blocking agent may have. SPF is actually a ratio of the time it takes to produce a skin reaction on protected and unprotected skin. Thus, a 30 SPF would in theory allow you to be exposed 30 times longer than with no sunscreen. However, this is usually not true in practice.

People seldom apply enough sunscreen or rarely reapply it. Sunscreen should be applied in generous amounts in layers and reapplied after being exposed. Activities such as sweating and swimming degrade its effectiveness. Sunscreens are not waterproof.

• Certain drugs can sensitize the skin to radiation injury. If you take them, avoid the sun. Your doctor or pharmacist can further advise you about your medications and sun sensitivity.
• Mind-altering drugs (including alcohol) can diminish your awareness of getting sunburned and should be avoided. Short and sequential exposure times can lead to skin pigment changes, which most of us call tanning. This can lead to increased sun tolerance but can also lead to long-term problems such as skin cancer. Getting a tan is often a primary reason people go out in the sun with maximum skin exposed in the first place. Sunburn is most common in children and younger adults.
• Avoid tanning beds entirely.

Treatment: Silver sulfadiazine (1% cream, Thermazene) can be used for treatment of sunburn with appropriate cautions about use on the face.

• If your case is mild and not life threatening, the doctor may simply suggest plenty of fluids, aspirin, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).

• Additional topical measures such as cool compresses, Burrow solution soaks, or high-quality moisturizing creams and lotions may be prescribed.

• If your case is severe enough, oral steroid therapy (cortisone like medications) may be prescribed for several days. Steroid creams placed on the skin show minimal to no benefit.

• Stronger pain-relieving medication may be prescribed in certain cases.

• If you have blistering, steroids may be withheld to avoid an increased risk of infection. If you are dehydrated or suffering from heat stress, IV fluids will be given, and you may be admitted to the hospital. People with very severe cases may be transferred to the hospital's burn unit.