How To Get Rid Of Sun Burn Overnight?

Are you a beach addict? Then, you are not oblivious to the sunburn. It is one of the extreme cases of skin damage that is caused due to overexposure to the harmful UV (ultraviolet) Radiations. Sunburn isn’t necessarily be caused exclusively by exposing to the sun; it can also be caused due to other sources of UV radiation from welding arcs.

Sunburn can affect any part of the exposed region on the body. Sunburn is classified as first or second-degree burn. The affected area will turn red and blisters will take formation. There is a chance you could also have skin peeling. In the worst case of UV exposure, it could lead to skin cancer.

 

So, if you want to know how to get rid of Sunburn overnight, then you should continue reading ahead. This article will focus on informing you the causes, symptoms, and ways to cure the sunburn.

Did you know, if you tanned sufficiently, you would increase the melanin in your skin? Melanin is skin pigment that will insulate the skin from the brutality of skin damage (not an alternative for sunscreen). Irrespective of sunburn or just tanning, the result is direct DNA damage. The DNA of the skin is damaged when you expose your skin to even the slightest amount of UV rays.

One of the initial forms of treating the sunburn is to Avoid PUFA (Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acid) and increase the intake of antioxidants and saturated fats. Some say that taking astaxanthin (internal sunscreen) will help keeping the skin from sun damage. Coconut oil can go a long way from making your meals tastier to healing the skin from sun damage. It is one of the best natural remedies to keep the skin protected from the beaming UV rays of the sun.

Signs Of Sun Damage

Those who have suffered from the heat wave will have a story to speak of the sun damage endured by their skin. One of the visual indications of the sun damage is the redness of the skin (erythema). Your skin will turn intensely red. The area that has turned red will sting when you attempt touching. However, when the damage is not intense, the symptoms will recede without having to take a focused treatment. But, when you take sufficient precautions the healing will accelerate.

Your skin will appear warm in the affected region due to the concentration of blood due to the healing process. The intense blood accumulation will make the area warmer. Other less prominent symptoms of sun damage are fever, chills, edema, nausea, and peeling of the skin. There could be some variation in the skin damage due to sunburn. In mild cases of sunburn, the skin will heal itself in a couple weeks. But, in the extreme cases of sun damage, you will need medical intervention; especially if you have been suffering from the blisters.

How Long Does It Take For The Skin To Be Damaged?

Some may think that the skin will be damaged only by prolonged exposure to the sun. But, you couldn’t be wronger if you have thought that way. Sun damage occurs the moment you expose any patch of your skin. It can happen in less than 15 minutes. If you are dealing with welding arcs and other sources of powerful Ultraviolet rays, then you will feel the symptoms on the skin in seconds. But mostly, it takes some time before you start noticing visible signs of damage.

If you have been out under the sun, the damages progress as such:

You will see the redness of the skin 30 minutes and sometimes it can take 2 to 3 hours for the redness to be visible and distinguishable. The intensity of the pain will remain steady during the 6 to 48 hours time window. Sometimes, the pain can last up to 3 days followed by peeling off the skin within the next eight days. Occasionally, the itching and peeling can last several weeks.

There is a lethal side of the sun exposure. It can lead to skin cancer. It can be devastating, and symptoms will appear gradually. There are three types of skin cancer that can affect a person.

• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Basal cell carcinoma
• Melanoma

The risk of melanoma increases exponentially with the rise in the lifetime exposure of the individual to the lethal beams of UV rays damaging the skin tissues.

Decoding The Skin Response During Sun Burn

As mentioned earlier, the sunburn is triggered by radiation of UV. The primary source of this radiation accredited to the sun. Apart from the sun, other sources of radiation are the tanning lamps and welding arcs. Workers at the germicidal irradiation facility are also at risk of UV exposure. The UV light is known to damage the DNA on the skin. The resulting response is the skin pigmentation, which is caused when the DNA attempts to repair the damage. Peeling is the other symptom by the DNA to remove the skin cells that can’t be repaired. The melanin that causes the darkening of the skin is a photoprotectant. It absorbs the UV radiation and attempts to prevent the damage to the underlying skin layers.

There is an indirect DNA damage because there is a disruption of the chemical bonds due to the creation of free radicals. When you suffer sunburn, it will result in the formation of prostanoids and bradykinin. These chemical bonds make the skin sensitive to the heat. The protein that handles maintaining the body heat threshold is brought from 43°C to 29° C. As a result; you will experience intense stinging pain.

The skin type and age of the person influences the effect of the burn. When the skin is tender and pale, it is more vulnerable than a darker skinned individual. Also, the age-based risk group members are those younger than six years and older than 60. Other factors that influence or magnify the skin damage are certain pharmaceutical products. Antibiotics, oral contraceptives, and tranquilizers are known to amplify the sunburn.

Understanding The Risks Of UV Radiations

• The UV rays are maximum during the daylight saving time (10 AM to 4 PM). It is known that radiation is maximum during this period.
• Clouds will block some of the UV radiation that s descending on the surface of the earth. But, clouds block the UV radiation only partially. Even on an overcast day, significant radiations still penetrate the clouds and hit the surface.
• Proximity to surface that reflects can cause sunburn. If you are closer to any reflective surface like water, sand, glass, and snow could raise the chance of being vulnerable to the sunburn.
• Sunburn can be intense depending on the seasons. The risk of sunburn is greater in the late spring and early summer.
• As you place yourself at a higher altitude, you place yourself in the direct path of UV rays rising the risk of sunburn drastically. It is known that the likelihood of radiation increases 4 % for every 1000 ft of elevation. Sun damage due to ultraviolet is eminent at high altitude due to the absence of atmosphere to block the UV rays.
• If you are in the equatorial region, the risk of UV radiation increases dramatically as the region is in the direct path of the sun’s heatwaves.

A good example is the Southern United State receives more sunlight than the Northern United States (50% greater chance).

The intensity of the UV radiation varies vastly; there is a considerable risk to humans in the path of the sun’s radiation. The proximity to the sun’s radiation increases with the tropic latitudes. The other sources appear to remain constant. Taking into account the demography of sunlight exposure each year in these tropical and polar landscapes, the UV seems to remain the same.

Approaching the temperate zones of the planet, there is a varying statistics on the sun rays exposure. However, when the latitude is higher, the intensity is less brutal. On the Northern Hemisphere, the risk of UV radiation is greater in May, June, and July. In the southern hemisphere, the peak periods are November, December, and January.

If you take into consideration based on the time, the intensity of the UV rays is directly dependent on the angle of sunlight hitting the surface. Putting it briefly, compare the ratio of the object to it shadow size. During the solar noon, the shadows will be at their maximum. Hence, the sun’s radiation passes right through the atmosphere. Irrespective of the latitude, shadow lengths are proportional to UV radiation.

Most frequently, the damage occurs when the skin is exposed to the longer wavelength of UV radiation at the ground level. Although, the skin is susceptible to damage from the lower series of UVC band, which is uncommon unless in the case of welding arc.

Atmospheric Influence In Sunburns

In the recent times, it was found that the depletion of the Ozone has contributed to the drastic increase in incidents of sunburns globally. Due to 4% receding in the Ozone layer in the stratospheric part of Earth, there is an equal increase in the incidents of UV damage on the surface of the planet. The Ozone hole has led to drastic changes in the southern hemisphere.

Tanning

Since, tanning the skin sufficiently is known to help the skin protect itself from the harmful radiations of the sun; it has become a trend among the westerners to tan the skin under the sun or using tanning lamps. But, sometimes excessive tanning can lead to overexposure to UV radiations, and long-term exposure can lead to other undesirable complications.

How To Get Rid Of Sun Burn Overnight?

Taking necessary care is essential to deal with the sunburn. Here are some things you can do to avoid damage to the skin.

• Avoid staying out in the sun during the peak hours of UV radiations (10 AM to 4 PM).
• Wearing protective clothing is a necessity to prevent the sunburn damage. It is essential to wear clothing that does not allow the sunlight to penetrate the cloth fibers easily.
• Wearing sunscreen or sunblock is an absolute necessity to prevent the damage to the skin. Look for the sunscreen that has a greater SPF rating on them. SPF is the Sun Protection Factor. When you have higher SPF rating, the lesser DNA destruction will occur on the skin.
• Wear a sunscreen 30 minutes before you step out in the sun and also 30 minutes after you have exposed the skin to the sun. You must mandatorily apply 2µL of the sunscreen on a square cm to get the exact desired results. Many people oblivious to this fact and it is applied just formally in less than the recommended quantity.
• Also, look for sunscreens that offer UVA and UVB protection. The UVA radiations are not responsible for sunburns, but they age the skin and causes skin cancer.
• Frequent reapplication of sunscreen may be needed if you engage in physical activity like swimming, rubbing, or sweating.
• Note: Using the sunscreen in right quantity and frequency will cause Vitamin D deficiency. But prolonged unconditional use can result in the deficiency.
• Wear select gears when you are working with welding arcs and machines that give off UV radiations. The equipment must include a full face and body protection. A UV filtering helmet that is approved for use in welding activity and non-penetrating clothing for the body is necessary.

Eye Care Against Sunburn

Your eyes are most vulnerable against the sunburn and will need sufficient protection keep them from the sun damage. Many just focus on the skin and forget paying attention to the eyes. Snow blindness is also called as sunburn of the cornea. You can avoid the damage to the eyes by wearing wraparound glasses, and UV filtering lens that will prevent the harmful radiations from reaching the sensitive areas if your eye.

Treating The Sunburns

It is easier to treat the mild stages of sunburn. If your sunburn haven’t healed quickly on its own in a couple of days, NSAID drugs and aspirins will come handy in dealing with the pain or redness of the skin. If you still have persistent discomfort try some home remedies like placing a wet cloth over the affected area and repeat the process every few hours. You can also try applying the aloe vera lotion to calm the stinging sensation of the skin. Despite these efforts, if your pain lasts, then it is time to pay a visit to your physician who will guide you through a symptomatic treatment method to heal the pain.