Sun

I read a question very simiular to the problem I am having with the sun.  Last Sept., I got really sunburned and the next day I noticed my forhead had swelled up.  It looked like it was full of liquid.  Each day the liquid seemed to fall down my face, into my eyelids, usually stopping at the cheeks.  The second time I got it, was a mild sunburn, but it still did the same thing.  It dosent itch or burn, it just swells.  You look horrific!  So is this sun poisoning or something else?  Will I have it forever now, since its happend everytime I've gotten sunburned?


This discussion is related to Could the sun cause a swollen face?.

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
Swelling could be part of the sunburn which is a burn to living tissue such as skin produced by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, commonly from the sun's rays.

Typically there is initial redness (erythema), followed by varying degrees of pain, proportional in severity to both the duration and intensity of exposure.

Other symptoms are edema(swelling), itching, red and/or peeling skin, rash, nausea and fever. Also, a small amount of heat is given off from the burn caused by the concentration of blood in the healing process, giving a warm feeling to the affected area. Sunburns may be first- or second-degree burns.

Sunburn can occur in less than 15 minutes, the inflicted harm is often not immediately obvious.
After the exposure, skin may turn red in as little as 30 minutes but most often takes 2 to 6 hours. Pain is usually most extreme 6 to 48 hours after exposure. The burn continues to develop for 24 to 72 hours occasionally followed by peeling skin in 3 to 8 days. Some peeling and itching may continue for several weeks.

The most important aspect of sunburn care is to avoid exposure to the sun while healing and to take precautions to prevent future burns. In all likelihood you will keep having the reactions every time you are exposed to the sun.

The best treatment for most sunburns is time.  They will heal in a few weeks'  time.The skin can be hydrated by applying topical products containing Aloe vera and/or vitamin E, which reduce inflammation and facilitate the healing process.

ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunburn