Why you should be aware of burn injuries

One of the great things about the summer is being able get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. There are countless lakes and river recreation areas for people to do just that. Especially with the harsh winters in our region, it behooves people to enjoy the summer time. However, the hot summer weather could leave people vulnerable to burns.

Indeed, there are a number of safety steps that should be taken to avoid burns from grills and fires (for cooking) however, the possibility for sunburns should not be overlooked. With that, this post will focus on what people should do if they are sunburned.

Take sun exposure seriously – Believe it or not, a person can become sunburned in as little as 15 minutes. So it is important to take exposure to the sun very seriously. This means that sunscreen is a must; especially given how sunburns can occur even on a cloudy day.

Keep things cool – For those who become sunburned, it is okay to keep cool compresses on the burned area several times per day. Taking a cool bath can also help if a compress is not large enough to treat a burn.

Avoid ointments – It may be tempting to use petroleum jelly or an ointment of some type to treat a sunburn. However, this may just make things worse. They do not allow air to assist in healing the injured area.

Use pain relievers – It is okay to use over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to temporarily ease the pain of a sunburn.

These statements should not be construed as legal or medical advice.