Sun Protection - Tanning And Burning

Sun Protection - Tanning And Burning

Sun Protection - Tanning And Burning

Tanning and burning are two intentional or unintentional consequences of being out in the sun. Most people willingly seek out the healthy glow that the sun can produce. Yet two people, spending the same amount of time exposed to the same sun intensity often will come home with far different results. Why is it that one might come home in agony while another comes home looking sleek and glamorous?

The answer has a lot to do with a person's skin type. Other factors can influence the end result such as taking certain prescription medications and using certain types of skin care products, so let's take a closer look.

When skin is exposed to the sun without adequate sun protection, the exposure causes melanin, the pigment in the body that gives skin it's colour, to rise to the surface of the skin. One of the roles melanin plays is protecting skin from the sun. People with light or fair skin have less melanin whereas people with dark complexions obviously have more melanin. Since melanin protects the skin from the sun, it makes sense then that those with less melanin have less protection and vice versa. Darker-skinned individuals tan more often than they burn but not always.

Because a burn takes a few hours to develop, most people don't realise that they may be burning. They might not reapply sunscreen or cover up if they're not feeling burnt. Unfortunately, it's usually not until later that they realise just how bad the situation is.

What To Do When You Get Sunburnt?

In addition to the embarrassing skin colour you get from sunburns, there will be other symptoms. You might feel nauseous and dehydrated and dizzy or light-headed. After a few days, sunburnt skin will begin to peel and unlike what many people think and hope, sunburnt skin will not develop into a tan.

There isn't much you'll be able to do to alleviate the above symptoms of sunburn. You'll definitely want to put on minimal, loose-fitting clothing as any rubbing against the burn will be painful. A pain reliever such as aspirin or acetaminophen will help minimise pain and discomfort. Keeping the body cool is the best thing for sunburns so fill a tub with cool or tepid water and soak... and promise yourself that next time, you'll use sun protection!

Do not immerse your body in a tub full of vinegar or rub the burn with butter. These remedies have been around for years but they're not effective ways to treat sunburns. In fact, it's often advised not to apply lotions or creams because you never know whether the product will intensify the pain or relieve it and some products, including butter, might trap the heat and cause more discomfort.

If the sunburn is accompanied by blisters, you may have a severe second-degree burn. Blistering is normal after a few days but right away it's usually a sign that the sunburn is bad. In this case, it's advisable to seek medical attention right away.

POST COMMENT

Stockholm In Sweden How to Win at Blackjack and Beat the Dealer? Cloth Diapers-What are they and why use them? How To Get A Really deep Voice - Hints To Help You Make Your Voice Deep and sound really good Mutual Fund Alternatives PDA Battery Degradation and Power Loss Authority And Spirituality Should Never Be Regarded As Competitors But As Complementing Each Other Concerning Legitimate Paid Surveys And Getting Paid To Do On-line Surveys Barcelona Real Madrid chasing Ribery offer exposure and the feud is not the highest offer Get Stronger and Faster to Increase Your Vertical Jump Go Green and Save Lives With Photoluminescent Evacuation Signs What If Aladdin and His Lamp Become True? Spy and Anti-Spy