We’ve all been warned: Not only are sunburns extremely uncomfortable and unattractive — they are unsafe. If you’ve ever been to see a dermatologist about a few suspicious looking moles or freckles, or if you have freckles that are from the sun, you know already that too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. Of course, this is a worst-case scenario, but all the same, there is a reason why your mom slathered you in Coppertone as a toddler at the beach: Too much sun, and you will burn. Too much sunburn, and you get blisters, a sign of a more severe burn than a little freckle or pink splotch signifies.
So you fell asleep in the sun and forgot the sunscreen — oops! If you’re lucky, you now have a slightly painful, slightly pink burn all over the parts of your body that were exposed. If your snooze went longer than an hour or two, and you have light to medium skin, you might have developed such a bad burn that you developed blistering and pain that does not go away. In this case, you should immediately see a doctor. At their most mild, sunburns can cause peeling and itchy skin that feels hot to the touch. At their worst, they could become nightmarish.
We are here to tell you that in cases of mild sunburn, our clinically-formulated Delta-5 oil is available to help.
What Is Delta-5?
Delta-5 is Sciadonic’s newest and best-selling product, developed by Dr. Alvin Berger. Made from seeds that come from coniferous plants, the oil has incredible healing potential due to the sciadonic acid in it, an acid that has been said to be more potent than hyaluronic acid — and hyaluronic acid has been the beauty industry’s darling for decades. Delta-5 is not only a terrific moisturizer, but deeply penetrates the skin for a greaseless effect, leaving your sunburn feeling more smooth, supple and less painful within just 24 hours of use. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons Delta-5 is so effective when it comes to healing a sunburn is because sciadonic acid has major anti-inflammatory properties. And what is a sunburn if not inflammatory?
Causes of Sunburn
So how do you know that you’re actually truly sunburned? According to the experts at Mayo Clinic, a sunburn is caused by the following:
“Sunburns are caused by exposure to too much ultraviolet (UV) light. UV radiation is a wavelength of sunlight in a range too short for the human eye to see. Ultraviolet A (UVA) is the type of solar radiation most associated with skin aging (photoaging). Ultraviolet B (UVB) is associated with sunburn. Exposure to both types of radiation is associated with developing skin cancer. Sunlamps and tanning beds also produce UV light and can cause sunburn.”
Not only that, but you can be sunburned on cloudy or foggy days, as UVA and UVB rays penetrate clouds. If you do get a headache or have confusion and/or blistering, do not wait to see a specialist. You could have developed not just a sunburn, but sun poisoning. The symptoms of sun poisoning are:
- Swelling
- Large blisters
- Headache
- Fever
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Difficulty Breathing or Rapid Pulse
- Fainting
- Dehydration
Risk Factors
Babies and children are more likely to develop sunburns than adults, generally speaking. Those with light skin are also more susceptible to sunburn, no matter what age. If you are on birth control pills, antibiotics or certain other medications, you are at greater risk than if you were not on these medications. Simply spending too much time in the sun can cause sunburn, no matter how light or dark your skin, or how well protected you might be. No single sunscreen can protect you from sunburn if you aren’t vigilant about reapplication and have a time limit on how long you lie in the sun. Exposure during certain peak hours can cause worse damage than others. Generally, if your skin is exposed to the sun after 4pm or before noon, you are less likely to develop a sunburn. Yet, even with this lessening of sunlight, SPF is still very much needed.
Sunburn Prevention
Eye damage, premature aging, skin cancer and lesions are among the complications that could arise if you are regularly overexposed to UVB and UVA rays. Scary, isn’t it? Luckily, you can prevent sunburn by taking the following precautions:
- Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Avoid sun tanning and tanning beds.
- Cover up with a hat and some long sleeved swimwear.
- Use sunscreen frequently. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater.
- Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if you are swimming or exercising and sweating.
- Wear sunglasses when outdoors. Choose sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection.
- Make sure to talk to your doctor about potential side effects of all medications you are currently taking. This includes asking about increased sun sensitivity. That way, you can be sure to be extra cautious if needed.
How to Heal Sunburned Skin
In the case of a mild sunburn, there is no better way to soothe and heal your skin than Delta-5, which has also been known to heal other types of mild burns due to its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effects.
