What is sunburn?
What is sunburn?
What sunburn really means and what to do next.
- Sunburn is the skin’s defense reaction to serious damage from UV radiation.
- The best solution is hydration and protection.
- Even a single sunburn can lead to skin cancer many years later.
We’ve all been there: after spending a long time in the sun without sufficient skin protection, we ended up with red and painful burns. (Ouch.) You probably know very well that sunburn means skin damage, but let’s take a closer look at what it really means—and what to do about it next.
What exactly is sunburn?
Sunburn is the skin’s response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and is also an indicator of serious damage. Just 10 minutes of intense UV exposure can trigger the skin’s defense system and ultimately cause any of these signs of damage:
- Redness – an inflammatory reaction caused by the dilation of blood vessels.
- Tightness – due to the skin losing moisture and hydration.
- Tanning – caused by the skin producing more melanin in an effort to stop UV rays from penetrating deeper skin layers.
- Hypo- or hyperpigmentation – irregular light or dark spots caused by extreme UV exposure.
Why is my skin peeling?
Peeling skin after sunburn is one of the skin’s defense mechanisms: it’s how the body gets rid of damaged cells that could “go out of control” and become cancerous. The mass death of cells causes whole layers of damaged skin to peel off, making way for new cells underneath.
I have sunburned skin. What now?
First of all, get out of the sun and avoid risking further skin damage from sun exposure until your skin heals. Next steps:
- Drink plenty of water – dehydration often goes hand in hand with sunburn!
- If you have painful blisters on your skin, seek medical advice from your doctor.
- Take a cool bath (without adding any products) and then gently pat your skin dry.
- Apply products containing soothing ingredients like aloe, lavender, or cucumber. Avoid heavy creams that might prevent the skin’s natural cooling process.
- For restoring skin hydration, choose products containing ingredients like algae extract or hyaluronic acid.
Most importantly, give your sunburned skin time to heal! For the next few weeks, avoid sun exposure as much as possible and cover sunburned areas with clothing or treat them with a product containing SPF if you must be in the sun. Remember that skin has a “elephant’s memory.” Even if UV damage is not visible, it can cause skin cancer many years later—so prevention really is the best cure!