Sunburn has met its match.
, Principal Scientist at OLAY, says,"use a fragrance-free mineral sunscreen." Eliminating the scent can be helpful since the solvent alcohols found in chemical sunscreens tend to sting.
Some prescription medicines are unfortunately another sunburn trigger. "Sunburn risk is increased when an individual is taking certain antibiotics and medications such as tetracyclines, specifically doxycycline and retinoids," Laura Gardon, RN, BSN, and SunBurnt Special Projects Representative, says. You may be familiar with doxycycline if you're treating rosacea or severe acne.
Take a look at your sunburned skin. Is it red? Do you have painful blisters? The way your skin looks often dictates how much damage sunburn has caused. The skin will turn red if the top layer is burned, while the skin will form blisters if the burn is more severe."A blister forms by our bodies as a natural protective mechanism to an injured area," Dr. McKinley Grant says."An intact blister is sterile and should be protected from breaking open.
Flaky skin is another sign of sunburn, and while using an exfoliator to scrub away the layer of dead skin that sunburn can create, it can lead to further irritation. Exfoliating sunburned skin"exposes the damaged layer of skin which can inhibit the healing process, open the skin up to infection, and potentially cause long-term damage or discoloration," says facialist and medical aesthetician.
Severing fierce and fashionable looks is always on the agenda, but when you're experiencing sunburn, it's important to be a little more cautious with your outfit choices.