Dermatitis/Sunburn

Dermatitis/Sunburn
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What is it?
 Sunburn- overexposure to the sun’s rays without protection
Signs and Symptoms:
 Appear- in 1 to 24 hours, some past their peaks in 72 hours
 Symptoms- swelling, tenderness of skin, lower legs are slow to heal, if a
large portion of the body is sunburned there may be fever, weakness, chills
and shock
Recommendations:
 Avoid- lying out in the sun more than 30 minutes at the time, avoid further
exposure after being sunburned, sensitizing preparations as local anesthetic
lotions or ointments, sunlight for 1 to 3 weeks, ages the skin, wear wide
brimmed hats, long sleeves and pants as needed.
 Times- before 10:00 AM and after 400 PM
 Commercial Products- Sun-screen ointments, lotions and creams are all
available to help prevent sunburn; Complexions and SPF suggestions-Very
Fair- 15+, Fair- 10-15, Average- 8 to 10, Olive or Brown- 4 to 6
o Light Screening Chemicals- phenylsalicylate, p-aminobenzoic acid
and benzophenones
Facts:
 Exposure to Sunlight- epidermis thickens, lays down melanin at an
increased rate, in fair complexion causes freckles
 Photosensitizing Medications- talk with your physician about your initial
exposure
o Medications- phenothiazines, sulfonamides,
demethlchlortetracycline, guanidine, griseofulvin, thiazides
 Relieve Symptoms- cold compresses of whole milk, aloe, saline solution
 Skin Cancer- 80% occur on the neck, hands and head
What can I do?
 See your Health Care Provider- about a secondary infection/furunculosis or
a corticosteroid given orally 2 to 3 days