Severe Sunburn

The lighter the complexion, the higher the chances to get sun burned even on a cloudy day; other special circumstances that could lead to the appearance of severe sunburn include the reflection of the sunlight by the snow, the water and even the sand. Moreover, a bright or dark piece of clothing could also lead to a severe sunburn, and these are all factors little known by people. Most of them expect sunburn to occur only when they expose themselves to the sun directly, and all the other factors seem unlikely or improbable until they actually happen. A severe sunburn could take up to three weeks to heal which is quite a long time.

The symptoms that accompany a severe sunburn form are more intense and definitely more serious than those of superficial or first degree sunburn. Thus, besides the common redness and itching of the skin, you can develop blisters and a variety of digestive and neuro-vegetative symptoms. Hence, you can come to suffer from dizziness, headaches, fever, blurred vision, vomiting and an upset stomach. It is advisable not to wait for the sickness to just go away and contact a health care provider immediately in order to get professional help.

The treatment of a severe camping sunburn includes the administration of some pain relievers such as anti-inflammatory drugs as well as the topical use of hydrocortisone cream or spray. The concentration of the latter needs to be 50% in order to be effective; the use of such a treatment will not only reduce the discomfort but will decrease the chances of itching and peeling. For severe sunburn that is incredibly painful hydrocortisone application should not overpass three doses per day. In case you are just aiming at itching relief, using the product twice is the maximum allowed.Camping safety should always be observed.

For severe sunburn with lots of blisters, the application of petroleum jelly may be necessary as a form of preventing the damaged skin to stick to the clothes and become even more painful. It is inadvisable to break the blisters since the serum inside protects the new tissues that are under formation. Exposure to the open environment will only increase the risk of infections. Nevertheless, if the severe sunburn blisters are already broken, keep the skin clean by washing it at least twice a day with water and gentle soap. For the rest of the time you can cover the burns with sterile gauze in order to keep infections away.