Sunburn: Description
Sunburn (dermatitis solaris) is an acute inflammation of the superficial layers of the skin, accompanied by a visible reddening of the skin and even blistering. The cause is too much UV radiation (especially UV-B radiation) – regardless of whether it comes from the sun or an artificial source of radiation.
The radiation damage primarily affects the epidermis, i.e. the uppermost layer of the skin. But inflammation can also occur in the underlying layer, the dermis. Repeated cases of sunburn over several years also cause the skin to age more quickly and can eventually lead to skin cancer.
Skin types and self-protection time
Different skin types have different susceptibilities to sunburn:
People with very fair skin, reddish-blond hair, blue or green eyes, and freckles belong to skin type I. Unprotected, they can only stay in the sun for five to ten minutes (self-protection time) before their skin turns red – signs of sunburn. The skin practically does not turn brown at all.
Skin type II is characterized by blond to dark blond hair, fair skin and blue or green eyes. The self-protection time here is ten to 20 minutes.
People with skin type IV have dark brown to black hair and brownish tinted skin. Their self-protection time is 30 to 40 minutes.
Children: Particularly at risk of sunburn
Children get sunburn particularly easily because their skin is still much more sensitive than that of adults. This is especially true for babies and toddlers, because their skin is still very thin and lacks pigment.
In children, the face, arms and legs are most frequently affected by sunburn, as these areas are often exposed to direct sunlight in summer without protection. In addition, sunstroke or heat exhaustion can occur more easily in children.
Sun allergy
Sun allergy is to be distinguished from sunburn: Small wheals, itchy spots or blisters form on the skin after exposure to the sun. Acne-like nodules are observed in young people.
Sunburn: Symptoms
Sunburn is a burn that occurs, for example, after skin contact with fire. The severity of sunburn depends on the intensity and duration of sun exposure as well as individual conditions (such as skin type). A distinction is made between three degrees of severity:
Grade 1: Mild sunburn; the affected skin areas are red and overheated, tense and are often also slightly swollen. The sunburn itches and burns.
Grade 3: The 3rd degree sunburn corresponds to a severe burn. The uppermost skin layers are destroyed and detach. The wounds usually heal with scarring.
In the case of an extensive second or third degree sunburn, fever and general symptoms may also occur. Do not open the burn blisters yourself, otherwise a bacterial infection may join the sunburn.
The skin of the lips is very sensitive to too much UV radiation. Within hours, redness and swelling appear, especially on the lower lip. In addition, lip sunburn can cause blisters, crusting, scaling and burning pain. Generally, sunburn on the face is particularly uncomfortable.
Sunburn: Duration
Sunburn shows its first symptoms about six to eight hours after sun exposure. After 24 to 36 hours, the symptoms reach their peak, and then subside again after one to two weeks.
Sunburn: Causes and risk factors
Sunlight consists of rays of different wavelengths. Ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) is responsible for sunburn. Depending on the wavelength, it is divided into:
- UV-A radiation (wavelength: 400 to 315 nm (nanometers)
- UV-B radiation (315 to 280 nm)
- UV-C radiation (280 to 100 nm)
Sunburn is mainly caused by UV-B radiation. It damages cells in the epidermis, whereupon these release inflammation-mediating messenger substances (inflammation mediators such as chemokines, prostaglandins). Within a few hours, these trigger inflammation in the underlying skin layer (dermis). This results in sunburn with the typical symptoms of redness, swelling, itching and pain.
The shorter-wave UV-A radiation can penetrate deeper into the skin and eyes than UV-B radiation. It intensifies the UV-B effect and is also involved in the aging process of the skin.
UV-C radiation is even more dangerous and would cause sunburn even more than UV-B light. However, it is practically completely filtered out in the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere, so it does not reach the earth’s surface.
Sunburn: Influencing factors
Whether you get sunburn and how severe it is depends, among other things, on how long the sun’s rays affect your skin. Skin type also plays an important role: fair-skinned people get sunburned more quickly than people with a darker skin tone because they have fewer pigments in their skin that block the sun’s rays.
Sunburn & Solarium
Tanning in solariums is often thought to be less harmful to health than sunbathing. However, the artificial UV radiation in solariums has the same acute and long-term effects on the body as the natural UV light of the sun (faster skin aging, sunburn, increased risk of skin cancer).
Pre-tanning in solariums is often intended to prepare the skin for the summer sun. However, many solariums only emit UV-A radiation: One becomes brown then, but the UV-own protection of the skin (as Vorbeugung against sunburn) hardly builds up, because in addition it needs also sufficiently UV-B-radiation.
Apart from that, even with tanned skin there is a risk of developing skin cancer.
Sunburn: examinations and diagnosis
Not every sunburn needs to be examined by a doctor. A mild sunburn can also be treated independently. However, in the following cases of sunburn, a visit to the doctor is advisable:
- Redness and severe pain
- @ Blistering
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
In any case, if toddlers or babies get a sunburn, they should see a pediatrician.
Sunburn: Treatment
How sunburn is treated depends primarily on its severity.
In the case of a mild sunburn, it is usually sufficient to cool the affected areas of the skin. To do this, you can make a damp/cold compress, for example with cold chamomile or green tea, yogurt or curd.
You may also be able to apply skin-soothing lotions with dexpanthenol or calendula or cooling aloe vera lotions or gels. For children, make sure that the preparations are suitable for this age group.
If necessary, a doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid (“cortisone”) to reduce inflammation, which is applied locally – for example, as a cream or lotion.
In the case of a 2nd degree sunburn, a doctor should definitely be consulted. He or she can puncture the blisters properly. This allows the fluid to come out and the blisters to heal more quickly. You should not open the blisters yourself, because they can then easily become infected.
In addition, the doctor can apply a bandage with antiseptic ointment and greasy gauze if the sunburn is more severe. He can also prescribe tablets against the pain and inflammation, for example with the active ingredients ibuprofen or diclofenac.
Sunburn – what helps against it
You can find more tips and treatment options in the text Sunburn – what helps against it.
Sunburn: course of the disease and prognosis
The prognosis for sunburn depends on the severity of the burns. A mild sunburn usually heals within a few days and leaves no permanent damage. In more severe cases of sunburn, the healing process takes longer and scars may remain.
Sunburn & Skin Cancer
Sunburn is often considered quite harmless – a fatal misconception: even though the superficial layers of skin regenerate after sunburn, traces of the damage remain in deeper layers of tissue. And the radiation damage from every sunburn you get in the course of your life adds up. Eventually, it can develop into skin cancer, especially if you had severe sunburns as a child.
Other consequences of sunburn
UV rays also cause damage to the skin even before sunburn becomes visible. Regular sun exposure makes the skin coarse-pored and less elastic and promotes the formation of blackheads and wrinkles.
Prevent sunburn
If you exercise, you should choose the morning or evening hours for this in summer, when the intensity of radiation is lower.
Use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor to protect your skin from sunburn and other radiation damage. However, this only works if you apply a large enough amount, at least 30 minutes before you go out in the sun. Repeat the application if you have been sweating heavily, as well as after swimming.
In general, be careful when you are in the water: At a depth of one meter, you still measure 50 percent of UV-B radiation and 80 percent of UV-A radiation compared to radiation outside the water. So you can also get sunburned while swimming and snorkeling (for example on your back). You usually notice it too late, because hardly any infrared light hits your skin underwater (water absorbs most of this portion of the sun’s radiation).
However, the infrared would warm the skin and thus warn of an impending sunburn. So to protect yourself from sunburn even in the water, you should choose a sunscreen that does not wash off easily. For additional protection against sunburn, wear a T-shirt when diving or snorkeling.
The reflection of solar radiation should also not be underestimated: surfaces such as water, snow or sand reflect the UV radiation like a mirror, which intensifies it. This makes it particularly easy to get sunburned while pedal boating or on the ski slopes.
