At the Temple Burn Center, we know many challenges await our patients on their road to healing. We work to support the physical and emotional health of burn survivors, including helping them adjust to life with new scars.
Take, for example, summertime. Heading into the warmer months can be a big step in the healing journey, both in terms of your adjustment to your burn injury appearance and the steps you may need to take to protect your sensitive skin.
During these hot, humid days, summer clothing styles may reveal more of your burn scars. You may worry about your burns getting attention when swimming or hanging out with friends.
Burn injuries also make skin more vulnerable to the sun. Even brief periods of sun exposure may cause damage to a healing scar. So, it’s crucial to take steps to protect your skin.
5 summer strategies for burn survivors
What follows are some of the strategies I share with patients that are particularly relevant to summertime. Learning them can be especially important if you’re still adjusting to your burn injuries.
Remember that no two people adjust to their burn injury at the same pace. While considering many of these tips, it’s important to do what feels right for you, wherever you may be in your journey.
1. Be safe in the sun
Having a burn injury or a skin graft makes skin sensitive to sun damage. The skin may remain sensitive to sun damage for two years or longer. Your doctor may advise you to stay out of the sun while your burn injury is healing. It is important to follow the advice you’re given.
When it is safe for my patients to be out in the sun, here are some precautions I give them:
- Apply sunscreen to exposed skin. Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Put on more sunscreen every two hours — sooner if you swim or sweat a lot.
- Seek shade whenever you can. This is especially important between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun are strongest and may damage your skin most. You can bring your own shade in the form of a beach umbrella or parasol.
- Wear sun-smart clothing. If they will be out in the sun, I recommend that burn survivors wear light, moisture-wicking clothing that helps them stay cooler. In most situations, I recommend choosing an outfit that covers your legs and arms since clothing will help protect the skin from UV damage—and unlike sunscreen, there’s no need to remember when to reapply. This is also helpful for those patients who are not quite ready for others to see their burn scars.
Some companies make clothing with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating designed to block harmful sun rays. An ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) listed on the label works similarly to the SPF rating on sunscreen. A UPF of at least 30 offers good protection.
Round your look with a wide-brimmed hat to protect your head and help shade your face.
2. Stay hydrated
- Many burn survivors face a higher risk of overheating in the sun since burns and their treatments sometimes damage sweat glands. These injured areas may sweat less, and sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling down.
- Drink extra water during summer activities to help regulate your body temperature and prevent dehydration.
- Avoid drinking alcohol when spending time outside in the heat, as this also causes dehydration.
3. Practice self-confidence
I encourage my patients to practice the following confidence-boosting steps in front of a mirror:
- Embody your confidence by putting your head up and your shoulders back.
- Smile warmly.
- Look the other person in the eye.
- Offer an enthusiastic greeting.
- Rehearse a response to questions about your burns.
People are naturally curious and may ask questions about your appearance, such as what happened. Many of my patients find that preparing and practicing answering these questions helps them feel more relaxed in social situations.
What you choose to say is up to you. Many of my patients prepare a few responses and choose which to use depending on the situation and their mood. In some cases, they may prefer to share some details of their story. Others opt for a brief explanation. For example, you could say, I was burned in an accident, and I’m getting treatment. I’m continuing to heal and get better. Thank you for asking.
If the person continues to ask about your injury and you don’t feel like sharing more details, it’s completely OK to say that. You might say, I prefer not to discuss it. I’m sure you understand.
Changing the subject of the conversation politely lets the other person know it’s time to move on. A friendly comment about the weather or location can get the point across clearly.
As with people who have questions about your burns, anyone who stares probably isn’t being intentionally rude. If it feels right to you, one way to respond to these looks is simply to smile!
4. Practice relaxation techniques
Relaxation exercises can help with the anxiety many survivors feel about their burn scars when they are anticipating or participating in social situations. Try this simple breathing exercise. As I tell my patients, you can do this exercise almost anywhere, whether lying down, sitting, or standing. It involves four basic steps:
- Get in a relaxed position.
- Breathe gently through your nose for 5 seconds. (Don’t force your breath.)
- Breathe out through your mouth for 5 seconds.
- Repeat these steps for a few minutes.
5. Seek support from other burn survivors
Burn survivors at Temple are never alone. Temple’s team provides support throughout the healing journey, and burn survivors at all stages of their recovery lean on each other in Temple’s Burn Survivor Support Group. The group meets monthly, is moderated by a psychologist, and often includes guest speakers. Topics covered in the meetings include wellness, self-care, and skin care. Wherever you are on your burn healing journey, you can join us.
Helpful Resources
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