Berlin - Despite the best advice and precautions, sunburn continues to be a recurring problem for anyone who rides a bike, visits the beach or just spends an afternoon outside a cafe during the summer.
"Most people underestimate the power of the sun and either don't apply enough sun-blocker or no sun cream at all," says Gertraud Kremer, a dermatologist from Berlin. "And things are bound to go wrong when a European travels to the Caribbean in February and goes sunbathing."
There are a few things that can be done as soon as the skin is burned. "Cooling the skin is the first action to take," says dermatologist Johannes Mueller-Steinmann from Kiel.
He recommends using a poultice made from tea bags, cream cheese or ground oak bark, which is available in many health food stores.
Gertraud Kremer of the German Professional Association of Dermatologists recommends using cold gel packs. "Of course they should not be used immediately after taking them out of the fridge. Wrap the pack in a towel before applying it to the skin."
If there is no gel pack at hand, use ice cubes or even a wet towel to cool the skin down.
After cooling the skin, apply a moisturising cream. "That could be a normal skin lotion or an after-sun product that cools the skin and provides moisture," says Renate Donath, a beautician from Hamburg.
Donath recommends using Aloe Vera or a silica gel that helps the skin to heal but do not use a cream that contains oil.
"Oil changes the way skin breaths and prevents it from cooling down," says Mueller-Steinmann.
But people with dry skin that is just lightly burned can use a thick moisturiser after they apply after-sun according to Kremer.
It is also a good idea to avoid applying perfume to the skin as well as excessive showering or baths.
"That just stresses the skin even more," says Kremer. The same principle applies to cosmetics. "If the skin is slightly pink in colour, you can use a powder," says Donath, but heavy powdering is definitely bad for the skin.
Sunburn becomes dangerous when more than 20 percent of the skin is affected, which can happen quite quickly when the back is affected.
"Most people get blood circulation problems when that happens. They lose a lot of fluid and the chances of getting an infection increase," warns Mueller-Steinmann. Fever and shivering are other possible consequences.
"The worst thing that could happen is that a bad sunburn is accompanied by sunstroke," says Kremer. The only thing to do then is to seek a doctor for treatment.
"The most important thing to do is to get out of the sun as soon as you realise your skin is in trouble," says Kremer. The next day should be spent out of reach of the sun's rays as well. That advice includes indirect contact with sunlight such as going for a walk.
Sunburn can cause pigment spots, wrinkles and in worst cases, skin cancer, but experts warn against over-emphasising the sun's negative effects.
Kremer warns against panic and "sun phobia" and says the best thing to do with burnt skin is to let it slowly get used to being exposed to the sun again.
Medical Treatment for Sunburn
- Aspirin or paracetamol are affective in treating the pain caused by sunburn.
- Treat affected areas of the skin with a weak cortisone cream. More serious burns with blisters cannot be treated with household medications.
"Badly burnt skin can be treated with antihistamines such as the ones used to help hay fever sufferers," says Johannes Mueller-Steinmann, a dermatologist from Kiel. - Sapa-dpa