At Almasi Skincare we offer excellent sunburn treatment in Nairobi Kenya.
What is a Sunburn?
A sunburn is a skin condition that is characterized by the skin becoming painful and feeling hot to touch after spending too much time in the sun.
What Causes a Sunburn?
A sunburn is an inflammatory reaction to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun which damages the outer layers of the skin.
Sunburns can also be caused by UV rays from other sources like tanning salons and solariums.
What are the Sunburn Risk Factors?
Risk factors for developing sunburns include the following:
Persons with Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype I, II, III (pale white skin, fair skin, darker white skin respectively) are more likely to develop sunburns than those with Skin Phototype IV, V and VI (light brown skin, brown skin, dark brown or black skin respectively).
Persons living near the equator like in Kenya are more likely to develop sunburns.
Persons living in high altitude areas are more likely to develop sunburns since UV radiation increases with elevation.
Persons living in places with a lot of snow and ice since they cause most of the environmental reflection of UV radiation.
Persons exposing their skin to the sun between 10 am and 2 pm since most of the sun’s radiation reaches the earth at that time. This is more so if the skies are clear since clouds reduce UV radiation.
What are the Sunburn Symptoms?
Symptoms of sunburn develop a 2-6 hours after exposure to UV rays and they peak after 12-24 hours. These symptoms include:
Skin that is red or pinkish or purplish (erythema) depending on whether the person has white, brown or black skin.
Skin that feels warm or hot to touch.
Skin that is painful to touch and it may itch.
Skin that is swollen (edema).
There may also be small, fluid filled blisters on the skin.
If the sunburn is severe, the person may also have a headache, muscle cramps, fever, nausea, fatigue, feeling dizzy and shivering.
In very severe sunburn cases there may be second degree burns, skin infections, dehydration, shock and death.
Sunburns can affect skin on any part of the body that is exposed to the UV rays from the scalp to the earlobes, eyes and lips. Areas covered with clothing with a loose weave can also burn.
Sunburns start to heal after 4-7 days when the damaged layer of the skin begins to peel off.
Sunburn Treatment in Nairobi Kenya
Sunburn treatment in Nairobi Kenya includes the use of selfcare measures, skincare products and prescription medications.
Selfcare Measures for Sunburn Treatment
Selfcare Measures for sunburn treatment include the following:
Getting out of the sun.
Cooling your skin by taking a cool shower or bath and applying a damp towel.
Applying an after sun cream or spray like Solar Recover After Sun Moisturizing Spray.
Covering the affected skin to keep it out of direct sunlight until it has healed.
Drinking plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration.
In addition to these dos, don’t do the following:
Don’t apply petroleum jelly on the sunburnt skin.
Don’t place ice or an ice pack on the sunburnt skin.
Don’t prick the blisters.
Don’t remove the peeling skin
Don’t wear tight clothes over the sunburnt skin.
Prescription Medications for Sunburn Treatment
Prescription medications for sunburn treatment include the following:
Painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Topical corticosteroids can be applied to the area.
Sunburn Complications
Complications of sunburns include developing the following;
Skin cancers like malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and sqaumous cell carcinoma.
Premalignant skin conditions like actinic keratosis.
Brown spots on the skin with freckles (lentigines)
Wrinkles and premature aging of the skin.
Click here to read about Wrinkles Treatment in Nairobi Kenya
Visit our Almasi Skincare Clinic for excellent sunburn treatment in Nairobi Kenya.