Summer Skin Hazards

Sunburn

Red and painful skin. Blisters. Peeling. Sunburn is uncomfortable, to be sure. But it can also cause premature aging and lead to skin cancer.

Your best protection against sunburn is to limit the time your skin is exposed to the sun. Here are some ways to protect your skin from sun damage:

• Apply sunscreen generously to all exposed areas of skin about 30 minutes before you go outside. Look for a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours while you’re in the sun, or after swimming or sweating.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Using a lip balm with an SPF 30 or higher.
• Limit your sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

If you do get a sunburn, a cool shower or bath and a moisturizer or an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream may help relieve the discomfort.  

Bug Bites

From mosquitoes to chiggers, summer pests can cause itching, swelling, and pain. Here are some ways to keep insects from ruining your outdoor fun:

• Avoid brushy areas and high grass. If you must go into these areas, wear long pants and sleeves and tuck your pant legs into your socks.
• Avoid wearing bright colors and perfume or other strong scents when you go outside.
• Use insect repellent when you’re in wooded or brushy areas. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), those with DEET or picaridin as active ingredients typically provide protection that lasts longer than others. Studies have also found that oil of lemon eucalyptus provides protection similar to products with low concentrations of DEET.  
• Make it a habit to check for ticks after you’ve been outdoors.

If you do get bitten, prompt treatment will help ease discomfort. A cold compress or ice pack will help reduce the swelling.

For help with itchy bites, use calamine lotion, an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream, or antihistamine

Poisonous Plants

Step in the wrong patch of greenery this summer and you’ll pay the price. Whether the culprit is poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, the symptoms are the same: itchy skin, a red rash, and blisters. The reaction is caused when oil from these plants gets onto your skin.
The best way to prevent a rash is to learn what these plants look like and avoid them. If you do come in contact with a poisonous plant, wash your skin in cool water right away. Be sure to scrub under your fingernails so you won’t spread the oil to other parts of your body. And wash your clothes in hot water to remove the oil.
When preventive measures haven’t worked, use these tips to find relief from the itch of poisonous plants:

• Apply cool compresses to your skin.
• Take a lukewarm bath using an oatmeal bath product or aluminum acetate.
• Use calamine lotion, an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream, or antihistamine.

Call your doctor if you have a fever, the rash looks infected, the rash is severe, or if the rash is on your lips, eyes, face, or genital area.

Summer Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes can happen year-round. But they are more likely during the summer, when you’re enjoying outdoor activities.
Follow these tips to treat minor cuts or abrasions:

• Use cool, running water and soap to clean a minor cut or scrape.
• To stop a cut from bleeding, use a clean cloth or tissue to apply firm pressure to the cut. You may need to apply pressure for up to 20 minutes to get the bleeding to stop.
• If your cut is in an area that won’t get dirty, you may decide to leave it uncovered. If your cut is on a place that requires a bandage, be sure to change the bandage every day.
• As your cut is healing, it will form a scab. Be sure not to pick at it. The scab will fall off on its own when the wound has healed.

See your doctor if the edges of the wound don’t close, the cut is inflamed or tender, the cut won’t stop bleeding, the cut looks infected, or if you have a fever.
Major skin wounds that are deep, bleed heavily, or have objects deeply embedded in them need medical attention.