Sun screening with Domina Pharmaceuticals

Sun Screening         Educate and protect yourself and your children!
We all need some sun exposure. Sunlight and ultraviolet light photoisomerize provitamin D to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in the skin, which helps in absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. But it doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get the vitamin D they need, and unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and even cancer. Even people in their twenties can develop skin cancer.

Most kids rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime under sun exposure, so it's important that parents teach their children how to enjoy fun in the sun safely.

Facts About Sun Exposure:
UVA rays cause skin aging and wrinkling and contribute to skin cancer, such as melanoma.
UVB rays are also dangerous, causing sunburns, cataracts (clouding of the eye lens), and immune system damage. They also contribute to skin cancer. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is thought to be associated with severe UVB sunburns that occur before the age of 20 years.

Sunburn:
Sunburn can happen within 15 minutes of being in the sun, but the redness and discomfort may not be noticed for a few hours. Repeated sunburns can lead to skin cancer. 
Increased susceptibility can be expected in individuals with:

• Fair skin and light-colored hair
• History of sunburn with limited exposures to sunlight
• Use of photosensitizing medications: NSAIDs, quinolones, tetracyclines, psoralens, thiazides, furosemide, amiodarone, and the phenothiazines are relatively common causes of photosensitivity

Signs and Symptoms:
Mild: Skin redness, warmth, pain and itchiness.
Severe: Skin redness and blistering, pain, tingling, swilling, headache, nausea, fever and chills and dizziness.

What to do when sunburn occur?

• Remove the sunburned person from the sun right away.
• Place the sunburned person in a cool (not cold) shower or bath – or apply cool compresses as often as needed.
• Give extra fluids for the next 2 to 3 days.
• Give the person ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) as directed, if needed, to relieve pain.
• Use moisturizing creams or aloe gel to provide comfort.
• When going outside, all sunburned areas should be fully covered to protect the sunburned person from the sun until healed.

Seek Emergency Medical Care if:

• a sunburn forms blisters, covers a large area or is extremely painful.
• a sunburned person has facial swelling, headache, confusion, a feeling of faintness, fever, chills, or signs of dehydration (increased thirst or dry eyes and mouth).

Think Prevention!

• Minimize summer sun exposure between 10 AM and 4 PM.
• Wear protective clothing and sunglasses.
• Apply sunscreen that provides UV-A and UV-B protection.
• Apply sunscreen about 15 minutes before sun exposure, and then reapply frequently during the day.