YOU’RE never to old to get sunburn.
With the days getting longer and the UV index creeping higher, that’s the message the Pharmacy Guild of Australia wants seniors to know,
Guild president George Tambassis said if a person hasn’t taken precautions and is suffering sunburn there are a number of steps they can take.
"First of all talk to your pharmacist about the range of creams and remedies available to ease the pain and to reduce the damage caused by the sunburn," Mr Tambassis said.
"You also need to act quickly to cool down and this can take the form of a quick dip in the ocean or a pool to cool your skin - but only for a few seconds so you don’t prolong your exposure.
"Alternatively a cool shower or bath may help. You then need to continue cooling the burn with cold compresses”.
He stressed, however, that while the use of ice to make iced water for a cold compress is fine, you should never apply ice directly to the burnt area.
Mr Tambassis said that while the skin was still damp, a gentle moisturising lotion should be applied.
But petroleum or oil-based ointments should be avoided as they can trap the heat and make the burn worse.
Mr Tambassis said pharmacies have a full range of products to prevent sunburn, including sunscreens and sun-safe hats and clothing.
