What is Windburn?
Many describe windburn as a winter version of a sunburn. This is accurate because windburn is really not a burn from the wind at all. It's a burn from the sun, but the cold conditions provide a false sense that the sun's harmful UV rays are not effecting the skin.
What causes Windburn?
This condition is triggered by the increased or sudden gush of wind on the face which causes the skins natural oil barrier diminish over time causing susceptibility to UV light. In the end, sun burnt is the result of phenomenon.
In a situation where there is low temperature outside, a person becomes susceptible to wind burn as he continues his or her daily run routine. This is because of the easy drying of the skin after running, making the skin unprotected from the UV light which is penetrable even without the visibility of the sun.
How is windburn treated?
The aim or goal of treatment for windburn is to relieve the discomfort and keep the skin well hydrated with effective moisturiziers to avoid the aggravating the skin problem. Furthermore during the healing process its very important not to scratch.
Pain relievers like ibuprofen can help in the reduction of the soreness and discomfort from windburn. However these oral anti-inflammatory drugs which reduce the swelling can cause upset stomach and don’t help with skin hydration.
Natural topical creams with antioxidants and moisturizing action including ingredients like niacinamide, aloe and pine bark found can help.