Sunburn at High Altitude

Springtime in the Rockies has long been a wonderful sounding adventure – with the blooming of new plants and flowers and all the beautiful and warm spring days coming back. However, springtime can be a particularly dangerous time for sunburn. Because a lot of people have had minimal contact with the sun over the long, darker days of winter, their skin is not quite ready for the dramatic exposure to full sun. High altitude only makes this problem worse, because the rays of the sun aren’t filtered out as well through the thinner atmosphere. When you have a cool, light breeze and warm sun on your skin – you may not even be aware that the intensity of the sun’s rays can burn you. In the mountains, at a higher altitude, the ultraviolet rays (UV) can be at a dangerous level 10+ even when the temperature is not extreme. Studies have shown that the UV radiation increases by about 4 percent for every 1000 foot increase in altitude.

Duration of Sun Exposure

At lower altitude, you may notice the redness or surface skin irritation much faster than at high altitude. By the time you become aware of a burn at high altitude, the process has already been going on for some time. Unprotected fair skin can begin to burn in the first 10 minutes of high altitude exposure, and if ignored can continue burning for hours. Merely getting out of the sun is not enough. The suns rays get underneath the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and continue to overheat and damage the dermis (under layers of skin). Gently washing with cool water and light soap to stop the burning process will help keep the damage under control. Think of it as “washing away the rays”. It’s similar to a burn from touching a hot stove – cool water will help bring the temperature back to normal, stop the “cooking” and soothe the pain from a burn. While water can’t reverse the damage already done from a burn – Aloe Vera is amazing in providing soothing burn relief and will help the skin regenerate and heal quickly. It also helps to prevent peeling. Be sure to allow the skin to cool after washing before applying the Aloe Vera for maximum relief.

People Most at Risk for Sunburn

Sensitive skin: People with red hair, green or blue eyes and freckled skin, fair skinned people, white haired people, or bald people have the highest risk of contracting skin damage.
People with certain medical conditions such as albinism, lots of moles or a previous skin cancer.
People taking medications, certain antibiotics, Tetracycline, contraceptives, tranquillizers, diuretics and malaria prophylaxis or homeopathic supplements like St. John’s Wort which provoke over-sensitivity to sunshine. Benzoyl Peroxide, a common anti-acne treatment also comes with a warning against direct sun exposure while using the product.
People who use the juice of lemons or other citrus fruit on the skin (which will increase the rapidity and intensity of a burn).
People with certain skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo need to take special care when they are in the sun.
The elderly, babies and young children are particularly sensitive. Babies under 9 months should be kept out of direct sunlight.

Types of Rays

The sun emits two kinds of ultraviolet rays:

UVA – which penetrate deeply into the skin and can trigger allergies and cause premature ageing and wrinkling.
UVB – these affect the upper layers of the skin and trigger the production of melanin which causes tanning. Too much causes burning, freckling and thickening of the skin. They can also cause skin cancers.
They are both present when the sun shines and can both penetrate through cloud. Sun damage can also occur when sunlight is ‘reflected’ from water, sand or snow.

Protect Yourself

Learn about the “UV Index” and what the risks are. More and more weather stations and local newspapers include a report of current conditions and a prediction of the UV values for the days following. As much as possible, use high SPF sunscreen or sunblock on exposed skin and reapply every two hours. Try and stay out of harms way by limiting direct sun exposure from noon till 2:00 pm. Don’t allow yourself to become dehydrated. Keep a hat on to protect your head, face and neck from burning. And, only use sunglasses which have a high UV protection rating to protect your eyes. These are a few ideas to stay healthy and safe at high altitude (or anywhere in the sun).