Well, the summer is here and is making its presence felt, now more than ever. With temperatures soaring to the mid-forties, it takes its toll on people’s health and skin. It is crucial to take care of your skin in these times. Staying hydrated is one thing, but to prevent tanning and sunburn, you need to apply sunscreen every day, even if you are indoors!! Yes, you read that right, even indoors.

Dr. Archit Agarwal explains why and how you need to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays.

He is among the very best dermatologists in Faridabad and is the founder of KDCClinic, where he expertly administers all the skin treatments. You will also be able to address your hair loss problems in his clinic.

What is sunburn, and how is it caused?

Sunburn is the inflammation of the skin due to over-exposure to the sun, or even minimal exposure if the sun is harsh in your region.

The skin becomes extremely sensitive to touch and may take days to heal.

The sunlight, the very much dreaded UVA and UVB rays penetrate through your skin layers even when you are indoors. Not just that, the blue light too is capable of damaging your skin. Bet you didn’t know that now. Did you?

Yes, blue light, the light-emitting from your TV, Laptop, and mobiles, can also penetrate your skin and damage it.

Not just that, even the heat from the stove can cause damage to your skin.

Initially, the light passes through the top layers, and you don’t see the effects, but gradually, it starts penetrating your middle layer of the dermis. This is where the pigment cells are present.

The cells gain color, causing tanning of your skin. But that is not all; it breaks down the elastin present in the dermis. This causes the skin to sag and wrinkle as it loses its suppleness and fails to contract after being stretched. It is also the leading source of skin cancer.

The scorching sun will not just tan your skin, but it will cause sunburn, which is a severe condition as you may not be able to bear any contact with your skin and will need to apply a lot of cooling lotions to keep the burning sensation away.

How do you prevent your skin from sunburn and other effects of light?

Instead of suffering so much, would you not rather apply sunscreen to stay safe?

Indian weather conditions demand that you use at least an SPF 40 with triple protection even when out of direct sunlight. Apply the sunscreen for at least 30 minutes before stepping out into the sun.

These sunscreens are available in different bases. Pick one depending on your skin type. If you have oily skin, pick water-based or foam-based. Similarly, if you have dry skin, choose moisturizer-based.

That brings us to the alternative that if you run out of sunscreen, do make good use of the moisturizer.

Eat plenty of water-based fruits and yogurt.

Drink plenty of water.

Types of Sunburn:

Depending on how long you have been exposed to the sun, your degree of sunburn varies.

The first degree:

Only the outer layer of your skin is affected, and it heals on its own most of the time.

The second-degree sunburn:

The sunrays penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. It may cause blisters. Visit a doctor because it will need medical treatment.

The third-degree sunburn:

It damages all three layers of your skin, which means the fat cells too. The deepest layer of your skin also has nerves and blood vessels that may get destroyed too.

This is when you may need to get hospitalized.

How is Sunburn Treated?

Despite all this care routine, if you still have damaged skin, please visit your dermatologist, Dr. Archit Agarwal, if you reside in Faridabad because that is where he practices.

He is one of the best dermatologists in Faridabad that you will come across in references.

Upon consultancy, if the doctor feels that you have a severe case of sunburn, he may recommend hospitalization. Still, a moderate sunburn will be treated with a pain killer and corticosteroid cream in addition to other lotions and gels.

Be very gentle to your skin and avoid the urge to itch and peel your skin. It may take several days to heal.

Please do not expose yourself to the sun again for a few days while healing.

Third-degree burns may need surgical intervention where skin from other parts of your body is taken and grafted to the affected area.