Recently, Ms. Hao, a resident of the provincial capital, said that she did not dare to go out every summer when it was hot, for fear of sunburn on her skin. Last summer, her face became red and swollen, with large patches of spots and small pimples, which were itchy and painful. In the scorching summer, it is also the high season for sunburns. Today, I interviewed Dr. Cao Haiyu, chief physician of the Department of Dermatology at the First Hospital of Shijiazhuang. Dr. Cao reminded everyone to pay attention to sun protection and gave advice on how to prevent sunburn.
Long-term exposure may lead to skin cancer
Sunburn refers to the acute phototoxic reaction that occurs in the exposed skin after normal skin is overexposed to UVB in sunlight. It is most commonly seen in women and children. The main manifestation is bright red erythema appearing on the exposed skin several hours after sun exposure, accompanied by edema, a sensation of pricking pain and burning, gradually turning dark red and scaling off, improving in 2-3 days; more severe cases may develop blisters, easily breaking into erosive surfaces, drying up and crusting after a few days, scaling off and leaving pigmentation. If a large area is exposed to the sun, systemic symptoms may occur, such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue, nausea, and general discomfort.
According to Dr. Cao, long-term exposure can cause acute and chronic damage. Acute damage is what we usually call sunburn; chronic damage includes premature skin aging, sallow complexion, dryness, spotting, and wrinkles. This is because ultraviolet rays in sunlight destroy the skin's tissue, slowing down the skin's metabolism and allowing dead skin to accumulate on the epidermis for a longer time. In addition, long-term exposure can also lead to skin cancer. If a baby has suffered from severe sunburn, it will increase the risk of developing skin cancer.
Prevent sunburn in advance
Sunburn can be prevented in advance. Dr. Cao gives three suggestions to netizens: 1. Participate in outdoor exercises regularly to gradually deepen the skin tone and enhance the skin's tolerance to sunlight; 2. People who are sensitive to sunlight should avoid intense sun exposure, use umbrellas, wear wide-brimmed hats, and wear long-sleeved clothes; 3. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before exposure. Dr. Cao emphasized that outdoor activities in summer should not last too long, and special attention should be paid to protection during outdoor swimming.
In addition, eating fish often does not easily lead to sunburn. According to "Health and Life", an article published in the American magazine "Good Diet" pointed out that Omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish can enhance the skin's resistance to ultraviolet damage. This study followed 1,100 Australian adults and found that people who ate fish three times a week (especially salmon and tuna) had a 30% reduction in precancerous skin damage five years later. This type of skin damage is called actinic keratosis, the most common symptom of chronic sun damage, which can easily develop into skin cancer if left untreated. Epidemiologist Dr. Adele Green said this is due to the rich Omega-3 fatty acids in fish playing a protective role, protecting cell membranes from free radical damage. Among the fish we commonly eat, those with the highest content of Omega-3 fatty acids are perch, salmon, and tuna.
Sunburn should be treated immediately
If the skin is not well protected and gets sunburned, it should be treated immediately, using ice water for cold compresses or non-clotting cold emergency skin care; seek medical attention if necessary, and follow the doctor's guidance to apply anti-inflammatory drugs. Generally, after treatment for two or three days, the symptoms begin to subside and heal. If the surface layer of the skin begins to peel off, do not tear it off slowly; let the dead skin fall off naturally. Dr. Cao introduced that peeling indicates new skin is growing. If the new skin has not fully grown, tearing off the dead skin will expose the tender new skin to air and sunlight too early, which can cause black spots on the new skin.
In addition, here are some home remedies. Dr. Cao said there are three most commonly used methods: First, watermelon peel application method: repeatedly wipe the watermelon peel on the sunburned arm, and soon the juice of the watermelon peel will be absorbed by the dehydrated skin. Repeating this multiple times will significantly alleviate the symptoms of sunburn. If a scraper is used to make thin slices of watermelon peel and applied to the reddened skin, it will help the skin absorb the watermelon juice better. The principle is that watermelon peel contains vitamin C, which has anti-inflammatory and whitening effects when applied to the skin, so it can treat sunburned skin. Second, tea water treatment for sunburn: dip a cotton ball in tea water and gently pat the reddened areas. This can soothe the skin and reduce the burning sensation. The principle is that tannic acid in tea has good promoting and astringent effects, reducing tissue swelling and cellular exudation, which is very effective for mild sunburn without peeling. If the sunburned area is too large, you can add strong tea to a basin at home and soak the sunburned skin in the water for a few minutes, which will have a more significant effect. Tea water is the most suitable for emergency sunburn treatment. Third, there is another method called cosmetic water ice pack method: first use a cosmetic cotton pad dipped in cosmetic water to cover your face, alternating continuously. The principle is that sunburned skin is extremely dehydrated, and supplementing cosmetic water has the effect of shrinking pores and moisturizing the skin. If you want to adopt ice packs, you can add ice cubes to the cosmetic water or put the cosmetic water in the refrigerator to cool it down, then take out the frozen ice blocks, wrap them in a towel and apply them to your face.