Redness, pain, swelling… sunburn, a summer threat not to be taken lightly

Les coups de soleil : une menace estivale à ne pas sous-estimer

Alors que l'été bat son plein, focus sur les coups de soleil – trop souvent banalisés – et sur leurs dangers particulièrement chez les enfants.

A sunburn is a burn caused by overexposure to the sun's UVB rays. Its severity can vary from simple "reddening" to much more serious lesions. Because 80% of skin cancers are linked to excessive sun exposure. Even more worrying, more than five severe sunburns before the age of 15 double the risk of developing melanoma in adulthood.

First steps count

For "mild" sunburn, cool the burned area with tap water (between 15°C and 25°C) for about 15 minutes, until the pain has completely disappeared, or take a lukewarm, not cold, bath if the burned area is extended.

In case of first-degree burns, apply thick layers of a soothing and moisturizing ointment that you can find in pharmacies. It will allow better healing.

For superficial second-degree burns, additional precautions must be taken to avoid infection. Thus, clean the burned areas with soap, with a skin antiseptic.

A medical opinion ?

A doctor's opinion may be necessary if your sunburn covers more than 10% of the total surface area of ​​your body. Or if the blisters are larger than 3 centimeters in diameter, if they affect sensitive areas (hands, genitals), if there are signs of skin infection (increased redness, pain, swelling or presence of pus). The same goes for headaches accompanied by confusion, weakness or dizziness or if you have eye pain and cannot tolerate light.

Finally, as is often the case, prevention remains essential. To do this:

avoid the 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. time slot to expose yourself  don't take off your hat and sunglasses  choose a sunscreen that is suited to your skin type  Apply it 15 to 30 minutes before exposure. Reapply every two hours and after each swim.