Take care this Summer Holiday and avoid Sun burn

With the hot weather shining down across Europe we are all suddenly rushing to get a bit of that sizzling summer tan on our pasty pale bodies – however bare in mind that its best to take a cautious approach and look after yourself – here are a few Q&A’s about Sun burn, what causes it and how to deal with it; 

WHAT IS SUNBURN?

The sun produces two main types of light, ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB), and they differ in the way they penetrate the skin. UVB is the one that will cause you to turn red.

The UVB radiation has two main effects. In the short-term, it triggers a reaction in the skin that causes chemicals to be released that result in redness and inflammation. And in the long-term, it damages the DNA in the skin.

WHY IS SUNBURN SOMETIMES DELAYED?

You hardly ever see sunburn straight away. If you see redness on the skin immediately, you're probably seeing a burn that's caused by the intense heat of the sun, rather than the ultraviolet, in exactly the same way that standing by a roaring fire turns skin red.

It's an indication that you may be on the way to getting sunburn, but the sunburn itself may not show for eight hours. experts aren't sure why, but the theory is it takes that amount of time for the genes that control the mechanism to trigger the release of the chemicals. 

CAN I TAKE ACTION TO MINIMISE DAMAGE?

Yes. If you've just come out of the sun and think you may have overdone it, you can take aspirin or ibuprofen, as these are drugs that block the formation of the chemicals that cause redness and swelling.

FIRST LINE OF ATTACK TO TREAT SUNBURN?

Obviously, you should get out of the sun straight away and stay out of it. If a baby or a child is sunburnt, or you've got blisters or a fever, you should seek medical advice from your GP or NHS Direct. Otherwise, from a medical perspective, the most important thing you can do is intensively moisturise your skin using a product that won't irritate the skin further.

WHICH IS BETTER, A HOT SHOWER OR COLD BATH?

Some people swear by a hot shower for taking the sting out of sunburn, but part of the reason why your skin is hot is because you've got increased blood supply to the surface of the skin, and a hot

WHAT ARE THE BEST PRODUCTS?

Calamine lotion will help to cool skin while, when it comes to moisturising, look for products containing ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin e, which quickly deliver a lot of moisture to skin.

 WILL ANTIHISTAMINE CREAM OR PILLS HELP?

No. An antihistamine won't work because the reaction you're seeing on the skin isn't a histamine reaction. It may look similar - red, swelling - but as the cause is not related, an antihistamine won't help.

 WHEN DOES SUNBURN PEAK?

Sunburn pain can be at its most intense around 12 hours after exposure, but may continue to develop for 24 hours. And the bad news is, once you've actually developed the symptoms of sunburn, painkillers won't work. For a painkiller like ibuprofen to work, it needs to reach the area that is inflamed. If you've damaged the skin's cells, you've damaged the delivery system, so it's doubtful that you'll get anything more than a placebo-effect relief from it. If the pain is so bad that you need to take painkillers, you should probably see a medical professional.

CAN HOME REMEDIES SUCH AS VINEGAR HELP?

Home remedies are based on cooling the skin down, or moisturising it in some way. The only time you might want to use vinegar is if you've got blisters - a capful of vinegar and cool water can help dry out blisters. Otherwise, using vinegar really isn't recommended as it's mildly acidic and will have a slight astringent effect, drying out skin that is already desperately in need of moisture.

IS PRICKLY HEAT RELATED TO SUNBURN?

Prickly heat is a condition that affects 14 per cent of the population and is an abnormal immunological response to the UVA type of light. The best way to avoid it is to gradually work up to exposing your skin to the sun rather than suddenly blasting it with sunlight.

CAN YOU STOP PEELING?

No. If the skin is going to peel, it's going to peel because it's been destroyed. Be very careful when you are peeling because the skin underneath will be very tender and will need to be kept well protected from the sun and well moisturised.

ARE SOME PEOPLE MORE PRONE TO SUNBURN THAN OTHERS?

People with fair skin or those who haven't had much sun exposure are more likely to burn quickly as they tend to have low levels of melanin, the component of skin that gives us natural protection against burning. Redheads are particularly susceptible as their skin contains a different type of melanin which is much less efficient.

LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS?

Sunburn can be repaired in a relatively short space of time. However, it is an indicator of invisible, long-term damage. If you have been sunburnt, you have damaged the DNA in the skin, and it is this damage that it is thought goes on to create problems such as skin cancer.

So now you know how to avoid being burnt why not put those skills in to practice with a great Summer Villa Holiday. Search Bargain Villas for a cheap deal! With loads of Summer discounts you're sure to find a bargain!

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