Sunburnt skin – how to protect yourself from the sun
The skin may be slightly sunburnt, in which case the redness will turn into flaking after a day or two. If your sunburn is more severe, you can visit a general practitioner or a dermatologist.
The sun's effect on the skin at a glance
- When the skin is getting sunburnt, it feels tight and tender. The skin also starts to become red.
- The sun's radiation causes more damage than just the visible sunburn.
- The thinned ozone layer lets through a dangerous amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun onto human skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.
- Children, in particular, need to be protected from UV rays so that their skin can withstand the sun in the future as well.
When should I see a doctor if my skin has been sunburnt?
The skin may be slightly sunburnt, in which case the redness will turn into flaking after a day or two. If your sunburn is more severe, you can visit a general practitioner or a dermatologist. If you have a second-degree sunburn, swelling or blisters may appear on the skin in addition to the redness. In a third-degree sunburn, the blisters are deep and may leave scars on the skin as they heal.
Mehiläinen Digital Clinic is also available around the clock to help you with summer skin problems and sunburn treatment. Via a remote appointment, you can receive instructions for home care and ask if you should book an appointment at a medical clinic, especially if your skin is severely sunburnt.
Treatment of sunburnt skin
Sunburnt skin can be treated with cool water. Your doctor will advise you on any medicinal creams or oral medications. The treatment of second- and third-degree sunburns should always be planned with a doctor to ensure proper skin healing.
How to protect your skin from the sun – 10 rules to protect you against skin cancer
The best way to avoid damage caused by the sun, such as sunburn or skin changes, is to protect your skin with clothing and sunscreen.
Facial sunscreens are lightweight protective creams that are applied to the skin under a moisturiser or foundation. There are sunscreens made specifically for oily, dry and sensitive skin, and you should use them, since a moisturiser or foundation alone will not provide sufficient protection.
The nose in particular needs to be well protected, as it is exposed to the sun every time you go outside. On snowy spring days and when spending time on the water in the summer, your face must be carefully protected, as snow and water will also reflect UV rays towards the face from below.
Your face is exposed to UV radiation every time you go outside. Often, skin changes will appear in parts of the ear or the surrounding area, the back and the thighs that you can't see in the mirror. If there is a skin tone change in your friend's ear or the surrounding area, it's best to let your friend know about it.
It is good to count your own moles and those of your child so that you will know, even after years and decades, whether they have increased, and if they have, where and when new moles have appeared. If you are worried about a skin change, it's wiser to take your child to a doctor than not.
Always wear sunscreen when you go on spring snow or summer waters. Apply sunscreen to a clean face before putting on any make-up. A proper sun protection factor is 50 or 60. A sunscreen that is more than a year old will have lost some of its effectiveness.
Children should be thoroughly protected from the sun with clothing, sunscreen, caps and sunglasses. Direct sunlight causes UV radiation damage. You can get a sunburn even on a cloudy day. When going on holiday to a country further down south, it's a good idea to take a siesta indoors like the locals. The morning and afternoon are perfect times for the kids to play on the beach.
A cap and sunglasses protect the eyeground from UV damage and keep the eyes from squinting.
Protecting your eyes is especially important if you work outdoors. If you have to go out in the sun, apply an UVB+UVA sunscreen with the highest possible SPF to clean skin at least half an hour before going out. Protect your face and scalp with a cap and sunglasses. UV radiation can cause cataracts, i.e. clouding of the lens of the eye, in older age.
The UV rays emitted by tanning beds can be more harmful than UV radiation from the sun. Only medical phototherapy devices are monitored. Desperately trying to defend itself against the UV rays, the skin will tan and become thicker. The skin will then become saggy and wrinkled and age prematurely.
In the summer, exposing your arms to the sun a couple of times a day while going from one place to another is enough for vitamin D to form on your skin. In the winter, you should take vitamin D supplements or consume a lot of dairy products with added vitamin D and fish. Additionally, 20 ug of vitamin D per day is recommended for people over the age of 65 all year round.
When used occasionally, self-tanning lotions are safe, although some of the chemicals in the lotions may be absorbed through the skin. Therefore, they should only be used on healthy skin with a hypodermis that is in good condition.
Get a skin check for yourself every other birthday, for example.