Sunburn cases have witnessed a spike across north Kerala owing to poor awareness about measures to counter overexposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Expatriates who are back home for vacation unaware of the extreme weather condition and manual labourers who are into outdoor works unmindful of safety instructions are among the worst-hit as rising mercury levels sizzle the State.
“I am in a state to undergo medication now as sunburn severely hit my face during my recent trip to Kerala. I was least prepared to meet such a hot climate as there was no proper communication from anywhere on the situation,” said Linson Mathew, a Kannur native who was recently in Kozhikode.
Mr. Mathew, a sales manager with a Doha-based firm, said several expatriates could not tolerate the “alarmingly rising temperature” in Kerala, thanks to their long years of living in air-conditioned facilities. “Such people, who often ignore the adverse climatic conditions in the mirth of homecoming, are sure to get shock treatment during their return journey with swollen and painful skin with blisters,” he added.
Despite instructions from the Labour department, there are manual labourers who claim immunity to extreme heat citing their long years’ of exposure to the sun and finally end up suffering sunburns. Only a very few of them seek treatment fearing criticism for ignoring warnings.
P. Sudheesh Kumar, a woodcutter from Edakkad, said he had experienced sunburn multiple times this summer. “For me, there is no choice to re-schedule the work as it purely depends upon the convenience of the job provider,” he added.
According to Health officials, the mercury has officially crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark in Kerala with Palakkad recording the season’s top temperature last month, which is a clear indication to adopt appropriate safety measures. There should not be any lapse in treating sunburns as such negligence can lead to further complications, they said.
“It is important to check the type of skin burn before initiating any medication. Self-medication will only worsen the condition as it may lead to severe infection with permanent scar or pigmentation of the skin,” said M.K. Sribiju, consultant dermatologist at the Government Hospital for Dermatology, Chevayur. It has to be treated like a burn, and the doctor may even prescribe antibiotics based on the skin condition, he added.
According to Dr. Sribiju, who is also the secretary of Malabar Dermatology Club, the selection of sunscreen, which is usually suggested as an easiest option to prevent sunburn, will also have to be done with the help of a medical practitioner. Physical and chemical sunscreens are available in the market, but they should be applied only after assessing the skin condition of the user, he warned.
