Once a child suffers from sunburn blistering, it can be a reason for concern. It is important to note that children can end up with sunburn before they reach 18 years old. Since the skin of children are tender and they do not observe the necessary precautions such as staying in shaded areas, getting out of the sun if they burned or re-application of sunscreen during outdoors as well as after swimming or exercise, the risk for sunburn is high.
How sunburn blistering develops
Children have different levels of melanin or protective pigmentation in the skin. There are some children who can stay under the sun for long hours without getting a burn yet others who have fair skin might only be able to endure a few minutes without causing any damage on the skin.
Sunburn is basically the reaction of the skin to overexposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. These rays are capable of causing damage to the skin which causes the blood to rush to the skin, resulting to the reddened appearance of sunburn. The blistering is simply an indication that the sunburn is severe.
What are the effects of sunburn?
The effect of sunburn and excessive exposure to the sun during childhood can be serious. In a short term basis, sunburn blistering can make the sun susceptible to infections if the blisters prematurely break. The child might also experience severe pain, especially if he/she goes outdoors or close to a heat source. Aside from the short-term effects of sunburns, sunburn sustained during childhood can lead to skin cancer as an adult.
Management of sunburn
There are a few effective measures to manage sunburn. An initial measure is to apply aloe vera to keep the skin well hydrated as well as minimize the peeling. In case the child is old enough to be given a pain medication, you can provide a suitable dosage of pain medication.
If there are blisters, cover in a gentle manner using gauze to prevent them from breaking in order to reduce the risk for infection. In case the child attempts to peel the skin from the sunburned area, cover the affected area with gauze so that he/she cannot get to it easily. On the next visit with the doctor, it is best to ask about preventive and treatment options for sunburn.
Prevention of sunburn
It is recommended for all children to utilize a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. If the child has fair skin, you can use sunscreens with SPF of up to 100.
The sunscreen used must be suitable for the activity that the child engages in. The sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours. If possible, the child should not go outdoors during the peak intensity of the sun, usually between 10 AM – 4 PM and keep the child in shaded areas as much as possible.