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Sunburn and Broken Blood Vessels

By John Russell

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 07Aug2009 Word count: 581 Viewed: 650 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Summer is just around the corner and we are all starting to think of lazy days on the beach getting a tan. Sadly, however, what a lot of us don't think about is the damage done to our skin from doing this. So many of us mistake sunburn as tanning and, as a result, don't understand just what we are actually doing to our skin and the fact that sunburn destroys collagen.

A lot of us are under the impression that once sunburn fades it turns into a tan. This, however, isn't the case. Sunburn will cause your skin to turn red then as it starts to fade your skin will peel as a way of shedding the dead skin cells. The new skin underneath won't be tanned, in fact it will more than likely just be the same color your skin was before you went out in the sun. So what exactly is sunburn if it's not the start of a tan?

Sunburn is actually a group of broken blood vessels that end up forming on top of a tan. Sunburned skin turns red and feels warm due to the fact numerous tiny blood vessels under the skin expand as a way of rushing more blood to the sun-damaged area to aid in healing. Unfortunately, however, unlike other burns, sunburn is not immediately apparent. The symptoms of a sunburn are something that usually start about four hours after sun exposure and will then go on to worsen within the 24 to 36 hours that follow. The symptoms usually last for three to five days, after which they will start to resolve. The symptoms that are associated with sunburn are broken blood vessels where the skin actually burns down below the skin's surface and blisters. In more serious cases of sunburn, the symptoms could also possibly include headaches, fever, nausea, and fatigue.

Suffering from a sunburn is the main cause of permanent skin damage. The tiny blood vessels within your skin will start to burst, which is a direct result of too much sun exposure. This is especially dangerous if the sunburn occurs before the age of 21 and with continued years of sun exposure. All of these aspects have the potential of leading to dry, wrinkled, and premature aging of the skin.

When your sunburn gets to the stage of causing blood vessels to burst, it is a sign that the burn has gone deeper into the skin's layers, which is a demonstration of second degree burns. You are actually damaging the elastic fibers within the skin. Sunburn to this extent can cause chills, fever, nausea and, in some cases, even delirium.

As well as the long term effects such as the above there are also a number of short term effects, which include a loss of skin moisture, loss of elasticity, and the formation of sunspots on the skins surface. It is because of these aspects and, of course, the damage you are doing to your blood vessels, that when you are in the sun you should be taking precautions. Dermatologists recommend using a full-spectrum sunscreen that blocks or absorbs all UV rays. The type that you choose is a personal choice, just make sure that you use them regularly throughout the day.

Prevention is the best cure when it comes to sunburn, so make sure you take precautions in the form of sunscreen, and even protective clothing, when you are out in the sun.

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