How to Treat a Sunburn Blister
No matter how often or infrequently you expose yourself to the sun, some day you are going to experience a sunburn blister. Maybe you went for a day of golfing or swimming and it turned out sunnier than expected. Perhaps you simply were out in the sun for too long mowing the grass or working in the garden.
What is a sunburn blister?
Whatever the reason, you awoke the next day to see a sunburn blister. In fact, maybe you have a huge area of skin covered with hundreds of them. A sunburn blister is what forms when you burn your skin from prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays. You will notice the first sunburn blister within a few hours of being outside but it might take overnight or a couple nights for the total extent of the sunburn to really set in.
Severity of blisters
The severity of a sunburn depends on how long you were exposed and the type of skin that you have. Lighter skinned people sunburn more easily than those with darker skin. Most often, a sunburn causes your skin to look very red, be warm to the touch and painful. A sunburn blister forms when the sunburn is deeper than your first layer of skin.
It is caused by a release of fluids from secondary skin layers.
The lightest form of sunburn is called a first degree burn. A sunburn blister means it’s a little more severe and that is known as a second degree burn. The worse a burn is, the higher the number. Third and fourth degree burns are the worst. The problem with blisters is that they can open up and become infected.
Treatment of sunburn
If you have a lot of sunburn blisters, you may need to see your doctor to make sure that they heal up and do not become infected. If you burned a large area of skin, you could even have such symptoms as nausea, fever or headache. You may need a prescription medicine to get the burns to heal up.
If you have a more minor sunburn to a small area of skin and blisters burst, you should apply some antibacterial cream and wear loose clothing. Do not ever burst the blisters on your own. You can get over-the-counter anesthetics which can relieve pain. Bathing in cool water will help sunburn to feel better.
One of the best ways to take care of a sunburn is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Do not spend long periods of time in the hot summer sun. If you are going to be out in the sun off and on for the day, use a sunscreen. The best ones are those which have an SPF of 30 or above. You can even get sunscreens which are waterproof so that you can go swimming and remain protected. Apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin. The most often forgotten spot is the ears so remember to apply sunscreen to your ears as well as the rest of your face.
Overexposure to the sun for long periods of time can cause skin cancer. Be wary of this as you plan your summer activities. The best way to protect yourself is the same as for sunburn. Wear sunscreens when you are out in the sun for large portions of the day. When it’s cool enough, keep your body covered to avoid sun exposure. And, if you don’t have to be outside all day, go when the sun is at its weakest--in the early morning or late afternoon.
A sunburn blister is not a good sign. Learn more about sun safety so that it doesn’t happen again.