Sunscreen protects your skin from the UV rays of the sun. So even when the sun hides behind the clouds or plays tango with the rains, as long as it is day time, your skin needs protection from its UV rays.

India being a tropical country, we need to be especially mindful of the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. While fairer skin is generally more susceptible to sunlight, dark skinned people are not entirely immune to its ill effects. The harsh sunlight to which we are exposed can cause severe burns and skin damage to the skin if we are not careful. In the long term they can lead to skin cancer.

Risks of overexposure to the sun

Sunburn: Exposure to sunlight increases production of a pigment called melanin as a form of protection. Overtime, increased melanin levels lead to darkening of the skin, called tan. When exposure exceeds the body's capacity to fight it with melanin, the result is a sunburn. Sunburn is usually not felt immediately upon exposure. Typically, the skin develops painful and red patches or blisters in the affected area 6 - 48 hours after exposure. Severe sunburn can even cause fever, nausea and chills. The blisters eventually peel off, causing itching and affected areas remain sensitive to sunlight for a while.

Photosensitivity: Some people are naturally photosensitive, meaning that they tend to get more sunburn upon relatively shorter exposure. Photosensitivity may be caused or aggravated by certain drugs like antibiotics or conditions such as porphyria and lupus. It is characterized by rashes and blisters and there may also be intense burning and itching.

Wrinkles: Long exposure to sunlight ages the skin by hastening formation of wrinkles and age spots. This happens because prolonged exposure to the sun damages fibers in the skin that help maintain its suppleness and allow it to bounce back after stretching. The skin loses its elasticity and sags, resulting in wrinkles. Sunlight also makes skin more prone to tears and bruises which then don't heal easily.

Pigmentation: Prolonged sunlight causes different types of pigmentation, ranging from small brown spots or freckles to patches of deep pigmentation around the nose and cheeks and yellow patches over the face.

Tumors and cancer: Prolonged tanning can cause benign or non-cancerous tumors. It can also cause lesions that have a risk of turning cancerous. These are known as pre-cancerous lesions. Cancerous lesions lead to basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer (which are the more common and treatable types of skin cancer) or melanoma (which is less common and more difficult to treat). In India skin cancers range from 0.5 to 2 cases per 100000 people - which is a seemingly low 1 - 2 percent of the population. But given the huge population of our country this actually translates into a huge numbers of cases.

How to prevent sunburn?
Avoid exposure to the sun between 10 am and 4 pm, hours when the sunlight is harshest.
If you do need to step outdoors at these times, wear protective sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat or carry an umbrella to protect your eyes, face and neck.
Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. Also avoid light or thin fabrics which can allow sunlight to penetrate.
Use sunscreen of an adequate Sun Protection Factor (SPF) value. For children and darker skinned children and adults, an SPF of over 15 is usually suitable. For fairer skinned people or pregnant women - who are more severely affected by sunlight an SPF of 30 and above is advised as these people are more prone to the damaging effects of the sun. Remember to apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out and reapply after every two hours. This is also true for sunscreens which are are water-resistant or specially formulated for swimming. Reflection of sun rays off surfaces such as water, sand or snow can increase their propensity to burn. So use suitable protection when you are on a beach or snow-capped mountains.

Home remedies for sunburn:
Prevent further sun exposure.
Bathe with cold water and apply it to the affected areas.
Apply a moisturizer or a cream containing aloe vera to the area.
Do not apply ointments containing local anesthetics like lidocaine, petroleum jelly or butter as these delay healing and aggravate the condition.
Use dry bandages over the blisters to prevent infection.
Take a pain killer, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, as prescribed dosage for pain relief.
If you experience severe dehydration, reduced urine output, fever, chills, nausea, dizziness, severe blisters or loss of consciousness after sunburn, contact your physician immediately.

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