Generally, when our skin is exposed to the sun, the skin produces a melanin, a pigment which helps in protecting the skin against the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun and also gives us a tan. However, in albino humans, the skin is unable to manufacture
melanin
. The lack of melanin makes the skin more susceptible to sunburns. Moreover, in black albino people, the chances of
skin cancer
also increase manifold due to the absence of melanin. In albinism, the eyes too get affected as well. Generally, the iris has a pigment which prevents the sunlight from coming inside the eyes except through the pupil. However, the absence of this pigment in people with albinism causes the iris to become translucent. As a result, the light also finds an entry point through the iris which can be quite irritating to the eyes.
Albino people can protect themselves from sunburn in many ways. Of course,
a good sunburn prevention
is generally better than cure. Keeping out of the sun is the best way to prevent sunburn! However, if you really need to go into the sun, then you can use some
natural remedies for sunburn.
Most sunburn creams and lotions in the market use these very natural ingredients. Hence, you don't need to spend money on these, rather just use some of these remedies.
When you do get a sun burn, then the first thing to do is to wash the skin with ice cold water. Take a shower and then pat the skin dry with a soft towel. Don't make the mistake of rubbing it since it will worsen the problem. Once that's done, you can use some of these remedies to
relieve your sunburn
. Most of these
sunburn remedies
work well with albino people; however a better thing to do is to try a patch test before you apply it to see if the remedy suits you.
1. Yogurt: You can apply some yogurt on the affected area. Once it dries up, you can rinse it with cold water. You can repeat it more than once if you want. Yogurt is quite gentle on the skin and has enzymes which can relieve the sting of the sunburn. You can even combine it with a few drops of lavender oil which can help in easing the pain and redness.
2. Tea Tree oil and olive oil: You can add 10 drops of olive oil to 1 drop of tea tree oil and apply it on the affected area. Since tea tree is quite soothing, it's a perfect way to ease the
pain of the sunburn
.
Many people even suggest
vinegar for sunburn.
However, it can be irritating to sensitive skin hence not recommended for albino people. Moreover, in case you happen to get
severe sunburn
or
blisters
, then you need medical attention. You can cover the sunburn with clean light bandages to prevent infections. Sunburns can be nasty and the best thing to do is consult your doctor and apply the right kind of sun block cream before stepping out in the sun!