SUNBURN Treatment

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Burning of the skin as a result of excessive exposure to the sun is best treated with calamine lotion, lead and zinc lotion or a local corticosteroid preparation. Local use of antihistamines is not recommended because of the risk of sensitization. It should be noted that cosmetic lotions, designed to imitate the colour of sunburn, offer little or no protection.

Adverse reactions to an apparently small dose of sunlight suggest that the skin has become photosensitive. This may be a drug reaction (antibiotics, pheno-thiazines, sulphonamides), contact with certain plants (such as hogweed), with a cosmetic (such as lipstick), with a local application (such as tar or oil of bergamot) or with soap. Alternatively there may be an inherent state of photosensitivity; this is often idiopathic but is sometimes associated with abnormalities of por-phyrin metabolism. Apart from the removal of any causative stimulus and avoidance of the sun, the application ofa" light screen " such as Uvistat, corticosteroids locally and chloroquine by mouth may be helpful.