Ultraviolet rays are not visible to the human eye due to their short wavelengths. There are two types of UV rays: A and B. UVA rays are more prevalent than UVB rays and penetrate the skin more deeply. Your skin tans in response to UVA exposure in an attempt to protect itself from further damage. Overexposure to UVA rays is correlated to skin cancer due to an excessive amount of DNA being mutated. UVA rays are also connected to skin aging and wrinkles. UVB rays are higher-frequency, shorter-wavelength rays that penetrate the skin on its surface levels, causing reddening and burning. These rays are more prevalent during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) from April to October. UVB rays do not penetrate glass.
Burned skin is red or pink, hot to the touch and sensitive. If the burn deeply penetrated the skin, blisters can form on the affected area. If the pain is too intense and you feel dizzy or are unable to stabilize your temperature, hospitalization may be necessary. Once the burn begins to heal and new skin forms under the damaged skin, the old skin peels off.
Slow healing is the only true treatment for a sunburn. Cooling lotions, aloe vera and staying in the shade certainly help the symptoms caused by a sunburn. Wearing loose fitting clothing to prevent excessive rubbing against your tender skin also helps ease the pain. Drink liquids with electrolytes to keep your body properly hydrated and ion-balanced.
Sunscreen blocks the sun from directly hitting your skin. The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) indicates the level of coverage the lotion provides, with the higher number corresponding to longer sun protection. Clothing, lip balm, hats and sunglasses also prevent your skin, eyes and lips from overexposure. Stay in the shade if you feel your skin becoming very hot to the touch or you feel dizzy in the heat. UV rays also burn the skin when there is cloud cover, so wearing sunscreen even on cloudy days protects the skin from overexposure.