Sunburn
What is it?
To burn or discolor from the sun.
Symptoms:
The affected skin will be:
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Painful
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Inflamed
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Hot to the touch
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Blisters might develop
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You may also experience headache, fever or nausea
Plan of Action:
Seek immediate medical care if you are sunburned and experience:
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A fever over 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) with vomiting
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Confusion
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An infection in the sunburned area
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Dehydration
If you have a sunburn:
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Take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) as soon as possible after getting too much sun. Or try a gel pain reliever that you rub on the skin.
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Cool the skin. Apply to the affected skin a clean towel dampened with cool tap water. Or take a cool bath with. Add about 2 ounces (60 grams) of baking soda to the tub. Cool the skin for about 10 minutes several times a day.
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Apply a moisturizer, lotion or gel. An aloe vera lotion or gel or calamine lotion can be soothing. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying. Avoid products that contain alcohol.
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Drink extra water for a day to help prevent dehydration.
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Leave blisters alone. An intact blister can help the skin heal. If a blister does break, trim off the dead skin with a clean, small scissors. Gently clean the area with mild soap and water. Then apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover it with a nonstick bandage.
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Protect yourself from further sun exposure while your skin heals from the sunburn.
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Apply a soothing medicated cream. For mild to moderate sunburn, apply nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected area three times a day for three days. Try cooling the product in the refrigerator before applying.
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Treat sunburned eyes by covering them with a clean towel dampened with cool tap water. Don't wear contacts until your eye symptoms have gone away. Don't rub your eyes.