Sunburn, Sunstroke, and Heatstroke

It’s a bluebird day with sparkling fresh powder, and because of the cold temperatures you won’t feel the power of the sun. But right now, the ultraviolet rays of the sun are particularly strong. Throughout late spring and summer camps, the strength of the ultraviolet light reaches its maximum peak and can do serious harm to your skin. The effect is called sunburn and it’s what makes you look like a lobster.

What exactly is ultraviolet light?

Sunlight is a blend of different kinds of light and light colors. Everyone knows the colors of the rainbow. Rainbows occur when the sun’s light is refracted in drops of water in the atmosphere. Beyond this color spectrum of visible light, which begins with violet, lies ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light (UV-light) is a short-wave radiation that transmits its relatively high energy to the cellular structures of the regeneration layer of the skin. When light energy becomes too strong, UV-light can destroy skin cells and you get sunburned.

What can I do to protect my skin against sunburn effectively?

Unfortunately, this is not enough. Excessive UV-radiation without proper protection causes sunburn, which is what damages your skin the most. Sunburn manifests itself by means of redness and swelling of the skin, pain, and eventually even blisters. With many sunburns, the risk of skin cancer increases. This is why sun protection is also long-term protection against skin cancer in one’s old age.

Certain skin areas are more exposed to light than others, therefore they should be especially protected:

Protection Against Too Much Sun

The most effective protection against the damaging effects of sunlight is to wear clothes. However, textile material does not protect our skin completely against the sun. Cotton is better than synthetic fibers, but cotton also lets around six percent of the radiation through and if wet, can allow up to twenty percent. Whether sun-protection garments are in light or dark colors seems to be all but a matter of taste. If the fabric is not too thin, it will keep enough sun off your skin regardless of the fabric’s color. Another very important thing to remember is to shade your head.

Sunscreen

Due to the high level of UV-radiation in mountain areas, sunblock with a minimum sun protection factor of 25 is recommended. It should also be waterproof.

The so-called sun protection factor indicates the time it takes under constant sun exposure before normal skin turns red from UV-radiation. For instance, use of a sunscreen with sun protection factor ten (SPF 10) protects your skin from turning red ten times longer than without any sunscreen.

What can I do in case of serious sunburn?

High altitude and snowboarding causes your body to lose water. This loss is further increased by sun radiation. All this can lead to heat injuries like sunstroke or heatstroke if neglected.

Direct sun radiation to the unprotected head.

Symptoms:

Help:

Prevention:

Causes Of A Heatstroke:
Excessive transpiration and insufficient liquid supply during physical strain.

Symptoms:

Help:

Prevention:
Drink enough liquid. Without physical strain, the human body needs two-and-a-half liters per day. During physical strain, the body produces evaporation cooling by sweating as a protection against overheating. The loss of liquid through transpiration must be compensated by natural supply in the form of drinking. During intensive sport activity, liquid requirements increase up to five or six liters per day.

Cover your head, drink a lot (we’re talking water or something comparable), and don’t forget to wear sunscreen with a sufficient sun protection factor. Have fun boarding.