Attention! Don't Scratch or Peel Your Skin! Effective Recommendations Against Sunburn

Skin redness, swelling, blisters, itching, pain… Sunburn, which usually occurs on sensitive skin, is one of the most common skin problems in summer. Although it is only seen as an aesthetic problem in the society, when the treatment is delayed, it can trigger infections such as herpes and shingles by suppressing the immune system in the skin.

The most important long-term complication of sunburn is the increased risk of skin cancer in burned areas, some of which can be fatal. Acıbadem Maslak Hospital Dermatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk Durmaz states that it is very important to perform the first intervention correctly, especially in blistering sunburns, and says, "Because faulty applications can cause infection on the skin and cause the problem to worsen." So what should we do when sunburn occurs, what should we avoid? Dermatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk Durmaz talked about 12 effective rules against sunburn; made important recommendations and warnings.

Symptoms start after about 2-4 hours!

Sunburn symptoms begin approximately 2-4 hours after exposure to the sun and reach the peak in 1-3 days. prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk Durmaz lists the symptoms of sunburn as follows:

• On the skin, limited to the area exposed to the sun; Symptoms such as redness, swelling (edema), water bubbles, watering and peeling develop. In addition to these, it can manifest itself with symptoms such as warmth, burning, tenderness, pain and itching on the skin.
• Generally, first-degree burns are seen as redness, second-degree burns are seen as redness and blisters, and third-degree burns are seen as ulcerations in addition to redness and blisters.
• In severe sunburns; Systemic signs and symptoms of sunstroke or heat stroke such as fatigue, dizziness, low blood pressure, fever, chills, nausea-vomiting, headache, fainting, general body edema can also be observed, which is called 'sun poisoning'.

Zamconsult a doctor without delay

Dermatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk Durmaz, stating that 'burn' treatment is applied to sunburns, explains how the process is followed: “First of all, you should not be exposed to the sun more and all protection measures should be taken against the sun. A dermatologist should be consulted without delay. In severe, blistering, deep, painful and infected sunburns or in the presence of heat stroke symptoms, the patient may need to be hospitalized. In this case, methods such as intravenous fluid administration, application of closed dressings, intravenous or oral anti-inflammatory drugs are applied. Surgical skin transplantation may be needed in deep sunburns that do not heal.

12 effective methods against sunburn!

Dermatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Emel Öztürk Durmaz explains what to do and what to avoid when sunburn occurs:

DO THESE

• Take care to drink at least 2 liters of water-liquid a day.
• Lower the house temperature to 'cold', 18-22 degrees would be the ideal temperature.
• Take a cold, non-pressure shower for 10-20 minutes several times a day.
• Wearing cold and wet clothes will also help against sunburn.
• Cold dressings are effective in reducing redness, edema and burning sensation by contracting the vessels. to the burning area; You can compress for 2-10 minutes every 20 hours with cold water, carbonated or oatmeal cold water, towels soaked in cold vinegar or cold milk, or gel ice.
• Apply a gel or lotion containing cooling calamine or aloe vera to your skin. Also, after a shower, dressing or compress, use moisturizers containing oats or dexpanthenol, which have skin-soothing properties.
• Lift up the burned areas; For example, if your face is burned, you should sleep with 2 pillows. If your leg is burned, you should raise your leg with a pillow so that it is 30 cm above heart level. In this way, it is possible to reduce the edema that will develop due to the burn.
• It will not disturb the burned areas; Prefer seamless, loose and cotton clothes. Avoid tight, nylon, synthetic, woolen clothes.

DON'T DO THESE!

• You can burst large water bubbles with a needle or syringe under sterile conditions, but you should not open the surfaces and peel the skin.
• Do not scratch or pluck the burned skin due to the risk of infection. You can use antihistamine tablets for itching.
• Avoid scrubbing, washcloth, waxing, shaving, as well as solid oils and ointments such as bath foams, soaps, bath salts, oils (olive oil, centaury oil, lavender oil, etc.), massage oils, local anesthetics, petroleum jelly. These can further irritate the skin, reduce healing, or in themselves directly cause allergic reactions.zamapplications that can create a
• Sunburn methods such as green tea, cucumber, vaseline, toothpaste or yogurt, which are frequently used among the people, are relaxing due to their cold application. However, until now, there is no scientific evidence for the healing effects of these methods, and on the contrary, they are not recommended due to the risk of developing problems such as fever and sun poisoning as a result of preventing heat loss from the skin.