Cooling Sunburn

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Good Morning!

 

Cooling Sunburn

 

The overexposure to the sun is damaging. Whether you tan or burn, your skin has

already gone through a process of UV rays that cause inflammation and sometimes

swelling, blistering, peeling, and pain.

 

Prevention and precautions are the most important in treatment. Applying

sunscreen (SPF 15, at least), wear UV-protective sunglasses, and limiting your

time in the sun will help avoid this problem. Stay out of the sun when it's high

in the sky; this is when the UV rays are more intense (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Choose clothing that covers your skin - hats, lightweight, long-sleeved shirts.

Pure aloe vera rubbed into the skin can help to heal. Take antioxidants to help

block the chemical reactions that can trigger cancer's uncontrolled cell growth.

A suntan is a warning. It tells you that your skin has been burned. Ignore

repeated warnings, and you may end up with wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer.

Here are some tips to protect your skin:

 

Limit your time in the sun. Avoid the strongest ultraviolet (UV) sunlight, which

is between midmorning and midafternoon. Be aware that UV light reflected from

water, sand, snow and cement can be as intense as direct sunlight. Sunlight

intensity increases as you get closer to the equator. It also increases about 4

percent with every 1,000-foot increase in elevation. Clouds can block brightness

but may allow up to 80 percent of UV light to reach your skin. Wear protective

clothing and sunglasses. Loose, long-sleeved cotton shirts and hats with at

least a 4-inch brim offer good protection. Sunglasses should have at least 99

percent protection against both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB)

sunlight. Wearing sunglasses is particularly important when you're around water

and snow, where failure to use eye protection can result in a painful burn to

the outer layer of your eye (cornea) and temporary blindness.

 

 

Use sunscreen. Many moisturizing and makeup products now contain nongreasy

sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. They're good to

use all day, every day, even if you live in a cloudy climate. Children and teens

who use sunscreen regularly can significantly decrease their lifetime risk of

basal and squamous cell skin cancer.

 

 

Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, 15 to 30 minutes before you go in

the sun and, use a sunscreen on your lips. Use water-resistant sunscreens and

reapply every 2 to 3 hours — more often if you're swimming or sweating.

 

 

If you're in intense sunlight, use a total sunblock, like zinc oxide, on your

lips, nose and ears. Sunblock comes in sun-sticks for children.

 

 

Even with sunscreen, protective clothing is a good idea. Recent evidence

suggests that sunscreen alone may not provide adequate protection against

melanoma. Some researchers theorize that because sunscreen allows you to stay in

the sun longer, it may actually increase your risk of melanoma. However, the

research is very controversial. In addition, sunscreen does help protect against

basal cell and squamous cell cancer.

 

 

Don't use tanning beds or tan-accelerating agents. Tanning beds emit UVA rays,

often touted as less dangerous than UVB rays. But UVA light penetrates deeper

into your skin, causes precancerous actinic keratoses and increases your risk of

skin cancer. As for suntan-accelerating products, the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) warns

against their use. Artificial tanning agents, which essentially stain your skin,

are generally safe.

 

 

Ask your doctor about medications you take. Many drugs can increase your

sensitivity to sunlight and your risk of getting a sunburn. Some common ones

include thiazide and some other diuretics, tetracycline and sulfa antibiotics,

and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, in dosages used to

treat arthritis.

 

 

If you do develop a sunburn, take aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain,

apply cold compresses and avoid further exposure until the burn heals. A sunburn

spray may help relieve pain.

 

 

Examine your skin regularly. If you see changes in the size, texture (rough,

smooth), shape (round, irregular), or color of blemishes, or you have a sore

that doesn't heal, see your doctor immediately. Make sure your doctor examines

all skin surfaces.

 

 

Don't assume it's safe to stay in the sun just because you're wearing sunblock.

Sunblock alone doesn't protect you from skin cancer. Being sun smart is best:

Avoid the midday sun, wear sun-protective clothing and then wear sunscreen on

exposed skin, in that order.1.

 

 

 

Herbal Remedies for Sunburn

 

Aloe Vera is the best natural pain reliever. Apply the gel directly from an Aloe

vera leaf to the burn. Re-apply every hour until the pain diminishes.

 

White Willow Bark is the natural version of aspirin. This pain reliever can help

with with inflammation.

 

Calendula tincture can be taken under the toungue, as well as, added to body

cream and can be applied to sunburn to soothe pain and help promote tissue

repair. It is an anti-inflammatory and can help to repair of damaged tissues.

The cream is applied three times per day.

 

Gotu Kola has been used in the medicinal systems of central Asia for centuries

to treat numerous skin diseases. Saponins in Gotu Kola beneficially affect

collagen (the material that makes up connective tissue) to inhibit its

production in hyperactive scar tissue.

 

Dried gotu kola leaf can be made into a tea by adding 1–2 teaspoons to boiling

water and allowing it to steep for ten to fifteen minutes. Three cups are

usually drunk per day.

 

Gotu Kola tincture can also be used at a dose of 10–20 ml three times per day.

Standardized extracts containing up to 100% total triterpenoids are generally

taken in the amount of 60 mg once or twice per day.

 

 

Managing Your Sunburn

 

Are You Photosensitive? Certain drugs, soaps, or cosmetics increase your

sensitivity to the sun and lead to a burnlike dermatitis. If you are not sure,

check with your doctor.

 

Antibiotics, tranquilizers, and antifungal medications can cause reactions, as

can oral contraceptives, diuretics, drugs for diabetes, and even PABA-containing

sunscreens. Always ask your doctor about potential side effects of any oral

drugs you may be taking.

 

The best way to cool down an acute flare-up is with ice. It will help reduce

swelling. For best results, put an ice pack on the site of the pain 15 or 20

minutes. Do this for a day or two.

 

 

Moisturize your skin. Soaks and compresses feel good and give temporary relief,

but they can make your skin feel drier than before if you don't apply

moisturizer immediately afterward. Pat yourself dry, then smooth on some bath

oil. Consider Angel's Mist Massage & Body Oils or soothing Angel's Mist Body

Lotions. Let it soak in for a minute, then re-apply. For added relief, try

chilling your moisturizer before applying it.

 

Give yourself time. Time is the best healer. The way we train our thoughts also

has extreme control over our pain.

 

Again, the following tips are very important:

 

*Apply a sunscreen about 30 minutes before going out, even if it's overcast.

(Harmful rays can penetrate cloud cover.) Don't forget to protect your lips,

hands, ears, and the back of your neck. Reapply as necessary after swimming or

perspiring heavily.

 

*Take extra care between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when the sun is

at its hottest.

 

*If you insist upon getting a tan, do so very gradually. Start with 15 minutes'

exposure and increase it only a few minutes at a time.

 

*Wear protective clothing when not swimming or sunbathing. Hats, tightly woven

fabrics, and long sleeves help keep the sun off your skin.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac

http://www.peacefulmind.com/sunburn.htm

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit