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WHAT  IS  SUNBURN? 

Sunburn occurs when people spend too much time in the sun or under sun lamps. Sunburn makes the skin red, sore and blistered and can often cause sickness and fever. Continued over-exposure to the sun not only ages the skin prematurely, but can also cause skin cancer.

 

The sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface includes two kinds of invisible ultraviolet light, called A and B. UVA rays are deeply penetrating and remain relatively constant all year round. UVB rays penetrate less deeply, but are the ones that cause sunburn. They are at their highest levels in the summer and, like UVA, cause skin cancer. It is important to protect the skin and eyes from both UVA and UVB rays.

 

Symptoms of sunburn

Initially, there may be no sign that your child's skin is burning except for a slight pinkness to the skin.

Several hours after the exposure he may start to complain that his skin feels hot. and painful. The skin may feel itchy and tight; and look red and burnt.

 

How to protect your child from the sun

 

Some children are more sensitive than others to the sunlight, especially those with fair skin. Following these guidelines will help you to ensure your child is protected in the sunshine.

 

The sun is at its hottest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., so seek shade or keep your child covered up during this time.

Apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of more than 25, half an hour before going out in the sun.

Use sunblock on your baby’s skin and on parts of your child’s skin that are likely to burn, e.g. the nose, ears and shoulders.

Cover your child in clothing made of tightly woven fabrics that will both absorb and reflect the sun’s harmful rays.

Make sure that your child is wearing a hat with a wide brim to shade his ears, neck , face and head.

Encourage your child to wear sunglasses, which filter out both UVA and UVB light.

Do not assume that because it is cloudy your child is safe from sunlight-80 percent of ultraviolet light will get through the clouds.

FACTORS THAT MAKE THE SUN MORE DANGEROUS

           

·        Skin moles: children with moles, or whose parents have moles, are more at risk of getting skin cancer, especially malignant melanoma. You should, therefore, be particularly careful with these children in the sun. 

·        Sweat or water on the skin: any kind of liquid on the skin will not only reduce the effectiveness of a sunscreen lotion, it will attract more sunlight, which will make the skin more vulnerable. 

·        Water, sand, wind, snow and pavements: these all increase the sun's strength by reflecting the rays, therefore doubling

       its strength. 

·        CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons):  these are chemical emitted by machines such as refrigerators, and used in various aerosols and solvents. They increase the destruction of the ozone layer, allowing more UV rays on to the Earth's surface. 

·        The angle of the sun: this applies only if you are at the equator where the sun's rays are a lot  stronger. 

·        Altitude: the higher you are, the thinner the atmosphere, therefore the greater the exposure to both UVA and UVB rays. 

 

Hazards of sun exposure

 

Sunburn skin might seem to be a mild effect of sun exposure, but there are more serious long-term effects of spending too much time in the sun.

 

·        Reduced immunity: over-exposure to ultraviolet rays may affect the body's immune system in the long term. 

·        Premature ageing: the sun can have a ravaging effect on skin. It causes pre-malignant skin changes called solar keratoses. 

·        Skill cancers: three types of skin cancer are directly linked with sun exposure. These occur mainly in the 50-60 age group, but, particularly with malignant melanoma, young people are affected. Malignant melanoma may be linked to one or two episodes of blistering sunburn in our youth, which sensitize the skin, leading to melanoma. 

 

Effects of sunburn on the skin

 

The skin protects the body against injury and infection, as well as regulating body temperature. Over-exposure to the sun is a major cause of skin damage to the top layer, the epidermis, and a deeper layer, known as the dermis.

 

Upper layer of skin

UVB rays permeate the upper layers of the skin, damaging cells and causing burning and blistering.

  

Langerhans cells

These cells are part of the immune system and fight off infection. Exposure to    the sun     can cause damage to the cells contributing to the risk of skin cancer.

 

Dermis

UVA rays can penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and damage the dermis, which can cause the skin to lose its elasticity. 

 

 For  More  Information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.