Summer is finally here! For many, the summer season is synonymous with long days at the beach, outdoor adventures, and exciting summer travel. Unfortunately, these fun summer days in the sun may also go hand in hand with painful sunburns and other seasonal skin concerns.
Read on to learn more about sunburns, how to enjoy the sun safely, and how to protect and repair your skin after damage inducing UV exposure.
What Is A Sunburn?
Sunburns can happen to the best of us. Even the most sun-savvy individuals may forget to reapply or get caught without shade for an extended period of time leaving us with a painful reminder in the form of a sunburn.
A sunburn is a type of skin damage that occurs due to overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation naturally from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds. Sunburns are a common condition that occurs when the skin's cells are damaged by UV rays. When the skin is exposed to excessive UV radiation, it triggers the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for giving the skin its color. Melanin acts as a natural defense mechanism in the skin and helps to absorb and disperse UV radiation, protecting the deeper layers of the skin.
When the amount of UV radiation exceeds the skin's ability to produce enough melanin, it can lead to an unwanted sunburn. UV rays damage the DNA in the skin cells, causing inflammation and an immune response.
What Are The Different Types Of Ultraviolet Rays And Their Damage To Skin?
When discussing sunburns and skin damage, there are two main types of UV rays most relevant to us that are harmful to your skin: UVA and UVB.
Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation has a lower amount of energy and the longest wavelength, meaning they affect the skin at a deeper level and can impact the dermis, i.e. the middle layer of your skin. UVA rays make up around 95% of the sun’s UV rays. These rays are mostly responsible for causing premature aging, loss of collagen and elasticity, and can cause indirect damage to DNA. UVA rays cause an immediate tan or burn reaction within the skin. If a delayed burn or tan of the skin occurs 24-48 hours after sun exposure, it is likely a combination of UVA and UVB damage to the skin.
Ultraviolet B (UVB) is a medium energy level UV radiation that affects cells in the top layer of skin and causes sunburn, darkening of the skin, and mutations within DNA that can cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer. This type of UV rays makes up around 5% of the sun's UV rays.
While not directly applicable to most people, it’s important to note the presence of another type of UV ray. Ultraviolet C (UVC) has the shortest wavelength and highest energy level out of the three types of UV rays, however, natural exposure to UVC is extremely unlikely for the everyday human. As it’s filtered out by the atmosphere, UVC makes up 0% of UV rays.
Common Sunburn Symptoms
The symptoms of a sunburn typically appear a few hours after sun exposure and may worsen over the next 24-48 hours. Common signs and symptoms of sunburn include:
In addition to these common symptoms, sunburns can also cause fatigue, headache, and sometimes fever in especially severe cases. Always seek the attention of a medical professional if you are experiencing severe symptoms after a sunburn.
*RescueMD customer submitted photos taken 12 hours apart. Treated with RescueMD DNA Repair Complex.
Team RescueMD’s Recommendation For Safe Sun & Post-Sun Recovery
When it comes to treating and preventing further skin damage from occurring, it is crucial that you practice sun safety! According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, “skin damage builds up over time starting with your very first sunburn. The more you burn, the greater your risk of skin cancer. Subsequent UV damage can occur even when there is no obvious burn.”
Here are Team RescueMD’s top tips to practice safe sun this summer and all year round.
Add DNA Repair Complex To Your Summer Skin Rescue Kit
Whether you forgot to apply or reapply your SPF, RescueMD DNA Repair Complex can help soothe angry skin and reduce visible redness and irritation after unprotected exposure to UVA + UVB rays.
In addition to our signature blend of antioxidants and soothing botanicals which provide relief to the skin upon application, our DNA Repair Complex’s ultra-soothing formula includes our proprietary lapachol which targets skin damage at the DNA level.
When external environmental stressors like harmful UVA and UVB rays damage healthy skin DNA, the body triggers the DNA replication process by sending signals to certain proteins. At times these proteins work quickly to replicate DNA—too quickly, often making mistakes, which manifest as visible skin damage.
Our proprietary lapachol decelerates and supports the skin DNA’s natural healing process, resulting in a reduction in irritation, redness, and hyperpigmentation after unprotected exposure to UV radiation.
*RescueMD customer submitted photos taken 10 hours apart. Treated overnight with RescueMD DNA Repair Complex.
In addition to supporting and refining the DNA replication process, our exclusive lapachol also has antioxidant properties. Antioxidant properties are particularly key in treating skin damage (including UV damage) naturally. Antioxidants fight back against free radicals, one of the leading causes of skin damage. Lapachol’s multifaceted benefits make it a powerful weapon in your arsenal against skin damage.
Repair visible signs of damaged skin and protect your skin from further damage with twice daily application of RescueMD, your favorite broad-spectrum SPF, and of course, lots of shade!
Check out more before & after cases of sunburn treatment with DNA Repair Complex.
Are you a skincare professional and interested in carrying RescueMD in your practice? Visit our professional page to make an inquiry!
