With beautiful summer weather comes lots of time outdoors! And that leads to several common but unpleasant skin ailments. Good news- when it comes to skin- we can help!
Sunburns:
It’s always best to prevent a sunburn. To do that, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater. Additionally, reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes while you are out. This is the step most people miss.
If you do get a sunburn, apply cool compresses and try an after-burn treatment. If the sunburn is severe and you feel ill with it, seek treatment with your dermatology provider.
Bites:
Mosquito bites should be cleaned with soap and water. cool compresses and over the counter hydrocortisone cream or antihistamine creams can be applied to help with the itching.
Most of the ticks in our area are common dog ticks and are not associated with Lyme disease. Lyme disease is carried by a smaller tick called a deer tick. A tick must be embedded in an individual for 36+ hours to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. 80 percent of people with Lyme disease develop a salmon-colored circular rash that may look like a bull’s eye target. Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics.
Stings:
Most bee and wasp stings can be treated at home. Wash the area with soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointment. Take an antihistamine to help reduce itching and swelling. Acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen and cool compresses can help alleviate pain.
Seek emergency treatment if you develop hives, severe itching, swelling of the tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or dizziness. These are signs of an allergic reaction.
Rashes:
Heat rash is best treated with a cool shower, followed by air drying or standing by a fan or air conditioner. Antihistamines may help with the itching. Additionally, it’s best to wear light, loose clothing. Most heat rash eases rather quickly.
Poison plant dermatitis, whether it’s poison ivy, oak or sumac is treated the same. If you know you have been exposed, wash the area immediately with soap. This may prevent you from developing a rash. Urushiol is the oil found in poison plants that cause a rash in approximately 85 percent of people. This oil can stick to anything: clothes, shoes, gloves, jackets, even cellphones. Until the oil is removed either by washing or with alcohol, it can continue to cause a rash to those that touch it. Poison plant dermatitis isn’t contagious from person to person once they’ve had a shower and washed away the urushiol.
Once the rash has developed, manage it with cool compresses, hydrocortisone, antihistamine creams, and calamine lotion. Oral antihistamines may be helpful with itching, too. You may be tempted to scratch the affected area until it hurts so good! Resist that temptation. Scratching can lead to infection and scarring. If the rash covers a large area, or you have it on your face or groin, seek treatment from your dermatologist.
Let Apex help you with any skincare needs this summer! Schedule a same-day appointment at
833-279-SKIN (7546) or go to apexskin.com
