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Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Sunburn Treatment
- In cases of sunburn, cover the exposed skin and get out of the sun.
- Treat heat exhaustion or heat stroke appropriately.
- Cool showers may decrease skin pain. Do not apply ice, as this can cause further skin damage. Also, acetaminophen ( Tylenol) or ibuprofen may be used for pain.
- Topical lotions to keep the skin moist can reduce pain and reduce dehydration . (The normal barrier to water loss through the skin may be disrupted.) Aloe plants are a good source of soothing salve and can decrease the pain from the burn significantly.
- Drink plenty of fluids (several liters per day), especially in cases of large areas of burn (entire trunk or legs, for example). Water loss across larger burns can be significant.
more information from eMedicineHealth
WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth
Reviewed by
Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD on May 24, 2006
© 2003-2006 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
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