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Sunburn first aid

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Prevention:

• Avoid sun exposure during hours of peak sun ray intensity.
• Apply generous amounts of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Pay special attention to your face, nose, ears, and shoulders. The higher the SPF, the greater the protection.
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to sun exposure to allow penetration. Re-apply after swimming and every 2 hours while you are outdoors.
• Wear sun hats. There is also SPF clothing and swimwear available.
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Use a lip balm with sunscreen.

References:

Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001.

Rakel P, ed. Conn ’s Current Therapy 2005 . 57th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2005.

• Review Date: 7/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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