Sunburn in the child

introduction

Sunburn is the damage to the skin caused by sunlight, which can be accompanied by pain, itching, reddening, warming and peeling of the top skin layer. The causes are the UVB rays contained in sunlight and insufficient sun protection.

Sunburns are a risk factor for the long-term development of skin cancer, especially if they occur more often and at a young age. As a short-term consequence of sunburn, there is a risk of dehydration, as the body's own fluid can no longer be held in the body through the skin in the affected areas.

Why is sunburn in a child more dangerous?

Sunburn damages the body's outer protective barrier, namely the skin. This not only protects against dangers such as environmental pathogens, but also against loss of body fluids. If this barrier is severely damaged, the loss of function can be compensated to a certain extent by the rest of the body - in an adult, however, at least 90% of the skin should still be intact, i.e. not more than 10% damaged. This limit is lower for children: Here, 5% damaged skin surface is sufficient to significantly increase the risk of dehydration. In addition, a child's body is much smaller than that of an adult and this critical limit of 5% is therefore reached much faster.
The risk of suffering a health-threatening loss of fluids due to skin damage from sunburn is therefore much higher in children than in adults.

In addition, sunburns in childhood significantly increase the risk of developing black skin cancer, as UV radiation causes lasting and profound damage to cells while the body is still growing. In addition, the symptoms that often accompany them, such as overheating, are more serious in children, as the compensation mechanisms are also less well developed than in adults.

Find out all about the topic here: The sunburn.

The reasons

The components responsible for sunburn are the so-called ultraviolet (UV) rays. Excessive exposure to these rays damages the top layer of skin, the so-called epidermis. The attacked skin cells now release inflammation-promoting messenger substances, which cause the typical symptoms such as reddening, overheating and sensitivity to touch in the affected areas.

UV rays are intercepted by melanin in the skin. People with a darker skin type are therefore at a lower risk of skin damage and resulting sunburn from exposure to sunlight. People with lighter skin should therefore take care to protect the skin from excessive sun exposure on sunny days. Sun protection measures include sunscreen with a sufficiently high sun protection factor, wearing a hat and avoiding the more intense midday sun between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Read more on the subject here: The causes of sunburn.

The accompanying symptoms

Symptoms of sunburn are typical of inflammation. These include redness, swelling, warming as well as itching, pain and increased sensitivity to touch on the affected area.

In more severe cases, blistering or even peeling of the top layer of skin can occur. Since sunburn is caused by excessive exposure to sunlight, other symptoms such as sunstroke or sun allergy can occur in the affected child.

Would you like more information about the symptoms that accompany sunburn? You may also be interested in our next article: Rash from sun

The redness of the skin

Reddening of the skin is a typical symptom that occurs early on and can also be observed in less pronounced sunburns. The development of the reddening of the skin can be compared to an inflammation: the blood vessels are opened up by messenger substances from the damaged cells.

This mechanism should ensure that more cells of the immune system reach the damaged part of the body and eliminate the trigger of the inflammatory reaction as quickly as possible. As a result of the increased blood flow, the skin on the area affected by the sunburn turns red.

The pain

Another typical symptom of sunburn is pain in the affected area. These can persist permanently or be triggered by actually not painful touch.

The cause of this are the inflammatory messenger substances that are released by damaged body cells. On the one hand, these ensure a widening of the blood vessels, but on the other hand they also sensitize the pain receptors of the skin. The pain stimulus can be triggered more easily. If this threshold drops that far, you no longer need a trigger. The result is, so to speak, a “continuous fire” that the person concerned perceives as persistent pain.

For more information, see: The pain of sunburn.

The bubbles

The damage to the skin cells caused by sunlight leads to the formation of blisters after a while. These are caused by the detachment of the top layer of skin under which fluid collects. This fluid, in turn, leaks out of small blood vessels as these have been dilated by the inflammatory reaction.

In the event of tissue damage, this mechanism should ensure that platelets and immune cells can enter the damaged tissue as quickly as possible from the blood vessel. With the cells, however, blood plasma also escapes, which collects as a liquid under the skin and lifts the top layer of skin off. Due to the blistering, the sunburn is comparable to a 2nd degree burn.

The peeling of the skin

Peeling of the skin is a common symptom of sunburn, which can be observed even with light burns. Due to the formation of blisters and damage to the skin's own binding proteins during sunburn, the layers of the skin separate from one another. The top layer of the skin cells lies separately on the underlying tissue and the skin looks as if it is peeling off.

Peeling of the skin is always associated with a deteriorated skin barrier. The areas burned in this way should therefore be kept clean in order to minimize the risk of infection.

The fever

In some cases, sunburn can also cause a fever. Fever refers to an increase in the core body temperature to over 38 ° C.

Fever caused by sunburn is caused by messenger substances that are released when cells are damaged. However, these messenger substances must be present in a very high concentration for a fever to be triggered. Such a greatly increased core body temperature as an accompanying symptom therefore only occurs when the affected area is very large and severely damaged.

The diagnosis

The detection of a sunburn is usually a visual diagnosis: Due to the typical appearance, the sunburn can be recognized directly when looking at it. In addition, there is usually the typical background story with a long exposure to the sun and few protective measures.

The symptoms of sunburn are usually itching or pain, redness, and in more severe cases blistering or peeling of the skin. Depending on the age of the child, painful complaints cannot be adequately expressed, but the other characteristics should provide a sufficient picture for the diagnosis.

The treatment

In the event of a sunburn, the affected area should be cooled and moisturized creams should be used. Any existing skin blisters should never be cut open or stabbed: After all, this is an aseptic process, so the contents of the blisters are free of pathogens. An injury would greatly increase the risk of infection.

In the case of severe pain, itching, or other unbearable symptoms of sunburn, a cortisone cream or the use of over-the-counter pain relievers can help. Active ingredients that are not only pain-relieving but also anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, are particularly suitable.

Furthermore, an absolute avoidance of sunlight should be observed for at least one, better two weeks. For future sun exposure, you should also ensure that there is sufficient sun protection!

What can you do about sunburn? Find out more here.

The home remedies

Mild sunburns can be treated well with home remedies to accelerate the healing and regeneration of the skin. In the case of a sunburn, cooling, moisture supply and support or reconstruction of the skin barrier should first be in the foreground. Yoghurt or quark compresses can, for example, cool and moisturize the skin, but should not be applied to the sunburn directly from the cold of the refrigerator! Direct application of quark or yoghurt to the affected areas is also not advisable, as washing off the dried milk products can further irritate the skin.

As a plant, Aloe Vera has moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and healing properties and is therefore also very suitable for use in sunbathing. The contents of the aloe leaves can be applied directly to the skin; alternatively, appropriate gels with a high proportion of plant extracts can be selected.

Diluted apple cider vinegar, which has a disinfecting and anti-itch effect, and coconut oil, which helps to regenerate the skin with a number of vitamins, can also help. In general, however, no home remedies should be applied to open blisters or areas of skin that have become sore due to peeling, as otherwise there would be an increased risk of infection.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic medicines are said to be able to contribute to better regeneration of the area affected by the sunburn. The selection of the right drug depends on the symptoms and the overall appearance of the person concerned, which is often summarized under the term "drug picture".

Often mentioned homeopathic remedies for use in sunburn include Causticum, Cantharis and Belladonna. Various information can be found on dosage and potency. A dose of 2-3 globules up to four times a day in potency C12 seems to be recommended most often for self-treatment.

The duration

After a sunburn, the skin needs a certain amount of time to regenerate. The healing time can vary depending on how severely damaged the skin is from the sunburn: It usually takes a few days to a week for complete regeneration to take place.

The time depends on the severity of the sunburn and the skin type and the child's pre-existing tan.

Also read the article: Preventing sunburn.