Introduction
Sunburn is the damage to the skin caused by sunlight, which can be accompanied by pain, itching, redness, warming and detachment of the uppermost layer of skin. The causes are the UVB rays contained in sunlight and insufficient sun protection. Sunburn is a risk factor for the long-term development of skin cancer, especially if it occurs more often and at a younger age. As a short-term consequence of sunburn, there is a risk of dehydration, as the body’s own fluid can no longer be held in the body by the skin at the affected areas.
Why is sunburn more dangerous for children?
Sunburn damages the body’s outer protective barrier, namely the skin. This not only protects against dangers such as environmental pathogens, but also against loss of body fluids. If this barrier is severely damaged, the loss of function can be compensated to a certain extent by the rest of the body – but in an adult, at least 90% of the skin should still be intact, i.e. no more than 10% should be damaged.
In children, this limit is lower: here, 5% damaged skin surface is sufficient to significantly increase the risk of dehydration. In addition, a child’s body is much smaller than that of an adult and this critical limit of 5% is therefore reached much faster. The risk of suffering a harmful loss of fluid due to skin damage from sunburn is therefore much higher in children than in adults. In addition, sunburn in childhood significantly increases the risk of developing black skin cancer, as UV radiation causes lasting and deep damage to cells while the body is still growing. In addition, the frequently accompanying complaints, such as overheating, weigh more heavily in children, as the compensation mechanisms are also less well developed than in adults.
The causes
The components responsible for sunburn are the so-called ultraviolet (UV) rays. Excessive exposure to these rays damages the uppermost layer of the skin, the so-called epidermis. The attacked skin cells now release inflammation-promoting messenger substances which cause the typical symptoms such as reddening, overheating and sensitivity to touch of the affected areas.
UV rays are intercepted by melanin in the skin. People with a darker skin type therefore have a lower risk of skin damage and resulting sunburn from exposure to sunlight. People with lighter skin should therefore take care to protect their skin from excessive sun exposure on sunny days. Sun protection measures are sunscreen with a sufficiently high sun protection factor, wearing a headgear and avoiding the more intensive midday sun between 12 and 3 pm.
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