Sunburn Causes, Types, Symptoms and Remedies

Some people may call it poisoning from the sunlight. The effect is the same: instead of the desired Hollywood tan, you risk getting a sunburn due to the extensive sunlight and hours spent on the beach without a proper protection. If you don’t follow the elementary rules, you risk discovering your body’s surface all reddish or pinky, swelling, burning, and itchy. Every touch then becomes rather painful. In severe cases, people also report about the desire to vomit, headache, and nausea.

As it was mentioned, most often people find their skin sunburn due to the excessive time spent on the beach without proper defensive creams and other elects of protective hygiene. Also, it might be dangerous to walk a tourist miles under the sun in especially hot and sunny regions of the world like Africa or Latin America. The exact source of the sunburn is the ultraviolet rays (UV). Another source is the tanning bed rays.

There are several types of sunburns known to the world. The first one is reflected in the red body’s surface. Often, reddish rash covers the body. The second level of sun poisoning is the result of the heat stroke. Electrolytes and liquid then start leaving the organism. If the person has special cosmetic products on or has just taken some drugs, the risk of sunburn is higher.

One of the most frequent phenomena is the blisters covering the burning skin. This is another consequence of too much UV rays. Such blisters have a fluid inside. The person also might complain of the burning, swelling sensation as well as inflammation. It is better not to scratch the injured areas and not press them. These things are called to protect the body’s surface instead of hurting it.

One reason for the cramps on the beach might be the cold temperature of water in contrast to the beach itself. The second source is the heat. When the person faces a sunburn effect, it may also challenge the heat cramping. The muscles close to the injured regions cramp and hurt too much. It may feel like they are temporarily paralyzed. Try to drink more water when it happens. Do not apply butter to the injured regions as this method does not work as it was recently proved. Apply special sprays and creams only if approved by your doctor. Try chilly water compresses instead – this is a time-tested method of sunburn treatment!

When the sunburn attack reaches its peak, the person may faint all of a sudden. You start seeing black dots and then fall down. As the number of sweat goes up, the risks also increase that you’ll faint. Otherwise, a severe dehydration is expected. It is better to quickly sit or lay down as the person risks fainting. Other outcomes include fatigue and exhaustion.

One more thing people who were attacked by the UV rays of the sun may notice is the increasing fever. The temperature of the body changes as the sunburn attacks, so it is logical that a fever may appear due to such fluctuations. The temperature may achieve more than 104° F. The patient might complain of dizziness and sleepiness. It is better to call emergency.

Those who face the sunburn effect experience the strong desire to vomit as the organism feels like being fed up with the waste material. This symptom occurs only in case of a rather severe sun poisoning. Vomiting is very risky as it provokes ongoing loss of water. If you start feeling cramps, be ready to vomit sooner or later. That is why you should always have a lot of water with you in any hot day.

If the person faces polymorphous light eruption (PMLE), the bumps will cover the body. Native Americans have higher chances of PMLE. In this case, the blisters appear on every damaged area. If you have specific genes, you risk facing this severer condition of the sun poisoning more than others. The itchy sensation will remain for 2-3 days. Better not to touch the lumps.

Treatment and prevention measures. People who lack melanin are at higher risks of experiencing a sunburn of the severe level. Thus, they have to enrich the amount of this element in their organisms. Of course, it is better to avoid staying on the beach under the direct UV rays during the hottest days – even the strongest protection won’t help. Instead of scratching the blisters or lumps, it is better to try Aloe Vera gel. It is a good thing to try. Apply extra hydrating lotions with special moisturizing creams to ease the pain if you cannot stand it. Only in the extreme cases of sun poisoning, the person will be placed in a hospital.