Burned? You don't have to go to the doctor for a remedy, writes Shadia El-Dardiry When the first signs of summer appeared, only one thought came to my mind: to acquire the most beautiful golden tan possible. With my heart set on the goal, I dragged my sister to the beach and waited for the sun to work its magic on my skin. Two hours later, I found myself red as a tomato, my skin boiling hot and hurting with any physical contact. I was not overly concerned, knowing the red would eventually turn brown. All was well, until I learned that the red colour of my skin was actually the early sign of a first-degree burn. But if tanning aficionados are at risk of first-degree burns, children are even more so. All too often, I've seen mothers trying to cover their child with sunscreen while the child in question strives to wriggle away. Alia Badr noted that her six-year- old daughter always complained that sunscreen was "white and sticky" and that she "wanted to go play with her friends instead" -- even though it only takes a few minutes to apply the cream. Children are the most vulnerable to indoors burns, too, which make for a very similar set of circumstances. "Don't touch that pot" -- the warning seems to have the opposite of the effect intended; instead of heeding it, indeed, the child will go right ahead, let out a cry and start wailing. There is evidently no way to guarantee avoiding a minor burn, but steps can be taken to reduce the probability of one. According to GP Beatrice Provinciali: "On children, lotion should be applied before going out into the sun by about 15 minutes or even half an hour, so that the cream is well penetrated before the child runs off to play." If you hate sunblock, like my friend Farah, you can replace it with a straw hat or cap to ward off the evil rays. Indoors, keep children out of the kitchen, at least away from the stove; if they are to "cook" with you, they should wear heat-resistant gloves; as my father has been telling me for many years now, "Always buy metal pots with heat-resistant handles, because metal handles are just as hot as the pot itself. When you cook with boiling water, remember to stay away from the steam, which is hot enough to burn you." Say everything failed and you end up with a burn. According to Senior Representative for Bayer HealthCare Middle East Gamal Mikhail, "95 per cent of all skin wounds are first-degree burns." Here is what you do in that unfortunate case: Recognise the wound as a first-degree burn. First-degree burns affect the epidermis, the upper layer of skin; they are superficial and, though painful, do not leave long-term scars or require medical assistance. Such a burn will cover no more than five per cent of the body's skin; it drains the skin of cutaneous lipids, disturbing the protective skin barrier giving way to reddened, sometimes swollen skin that will feel hot, dry, and tight. Don't succumb to old wives' tales. In such cases, expertise is in no short supply. A four-year-old relative of mine accidentally touched the stove, and what did his knowing nanny do, other than uttering a shrill cry, except cover it with ice -- something that, with an extremely low temperature, is far more likely to worsen the condition of the skin. A friend of mine recounted, "My daughter spilled boiling water on her face and legs. The maid proceeded to put egg yoke all over her face, but I wouldn't let her do the same to her legs, and instead put cold water on them. Weeks later, her face had completely recovered and her legs still showed signs of burns." And rightly so, as Mikhail noted, "When a child gets burned, the mother usually doesn't know how to react, and there is no consensus on what to do" -- with the result that the wrong remedy is just as frequently applied as the right one, leaving people clueless as ever. Apply the correct remedy. As Nader Fouad Ragab, professor at the dermatology department in Ain Shams University Hospital said, "The most important thing to do as a first-aid measure in case of burn is to provide the patient's skin with enough moisture elements to ease the pain and ensure the best conditions for damaged skin healing." Two steps are crucial to treat a minor burn, he went on to explain: cooling the affected skin area, and moisturising. Cooling is best achieved under cool running water, since this way further cell damage is avoided and the pain ameliorated. "I found that with a burn, my skin becomes irritated and itchy. My doctor recommended cold compresses to cool the burn and decrease the irritation," Salma El-Masry, a woman with a fairly white, delicate complexion reported. But moisturising is equally vital -- and it should be done with a non-fragranced cream containing no antiseptics, because with loss of moisture the skin loses its elasticity and so the natural healing process is impaired. Our body is our temple, and our skin reflects how healthy and happy we feel inside. This is nowhere more evident than on the sight of a mother-to-be with a healthy glow on her cheeks. While skin reflects inner happiness, it can also affect it. Marred skin, even in children, makes people feel self-conscious, while beautiful, healthy and moisturised skin makes them refreshed and confident. As Ragab noted, "Few things are as beautiful as healthy human skin." It is difficult to dispute his claim. Skin is the mask through which we present ourselves to the world. As adults, it is imperative to preserve our own skin and that of our children, so that they are able to face the world feeling confident and happy, inside and out. Helpful Do's ... * Do put on sunblock 15 minutes before going into the sun, and after swimming * Do find a fan to cool your skin after a sunburn * Do drink a lot of water in case of a sunburn * Do put cool running water on a burn immediately after it occurs * Do keep the minor burn cooled and moisturised for a couple of hours after it occurs * Do seek medical assistance if the burn is larger than a postage stamp and shows signs of blistering ...and Don'ts! * Don't stay in the sun from 10am to 2pm, when the sun's rays are hottest * Don't put flour or ice on a minor burn * Don't put any oily substance, including Vaseline or oil, on a burn * Don't cover the burn with any chemical substance, or any medication used to treat severe burns
