30% of skin burns occur during the December holidays

Injuries from Fireworks They are a public health problem and in December the incidence is higher, said Dr. Rossana Janina Llergo Valdez, president of the Mexican Foundation for Dermatology. He explains that 30% of the total cases occur in this month, which is why it becomes relevant to talk about the subject. “It is sometimes complicated because it conflicts with some traditions, but the risk must definitely be discussed and awareness among the population, in addition to seeking regulations in this regard.”

Share that the main recommendation would be to avoid this practice; it is known that the most affected group is between 5 and 14 years old, therefore, if it is not prevented, at least all these minors should be strictly supervised by an adult.

In this sense, the specialist said that in case of carrying out this practice, it is important to be careful where the fireworks are stored, not to keep them in your pockets, not to put them in your mouth, not to throw them at people, animals, houses or trees. , do not burn them in large quantities and let it be one by one. She still emphasizes that all this is a risk that should not be taken.

The dermatologist It complements that burns of this type can range from redness and burning at the moment, to severe internal injuries. “If we analyze the reported cases, they are mainly fingers, hands, and face, so a scar in these areas can delimit the function of the anatomical part.”

What to do in case of burn?

Llergo Valdez explains that the first thing is to get away from what is causing the burn, you also have to remove the burned clothing from the skin and wash the area due to the remains of gunpowder that could appear, this should be with warm water, never cold because the sensitivity of the area is altered, if you can count on a cream that contains hydrocortisone you can apply or, failing that, a Vaseline and cover the affected area and immediately go to a dermatologist.

He said that it is important to consider that a burn It must be evaluated, to know if it is superficial, of the papillary dermis (superficial, thin connective tissue rich in cells and vessels), or of second degree, where the reticular dermis is already involved (the deepest and thickest layer, rich in fibers, that provides firmness of the cutaneous connective tissue and is deeply confused with the subcutaneous tissue), this can only be done by a specialist, so it is important to go with them for faster wound healing and reduce the possibility of a scar.

skin and cold

But not only burns is the only problem that increases in the skin on these dates, regularly during the winter season we see more cases of significant dryness, in dermatology it is known as xerosis. Although we all have much drier skin, there are people who have sensitive skin, called atopic, and who already have problems with chronic inflammatory disease, this will exacerbate their outbreaks. Therefore it is important to recognize that the skin needs care and we need to improve skin care habits.

Llergo Valdez explains that at this time of year the climate changes, that is to say, that it is colder favors dry skin, also using heating causes adverse conditions. All this sensitizes the skin for the development of inflammatory diseases. This is a problem because we don’t see the skin as part of our health care, yet it is the largest organ in the body. Faced with this phenomenon, the specialist offers the public of El Economista three key tips for skin care.

1. Generate a gentle cleansing, that is, cleaning the skin with some bar or liquid soap, dermo-cleanser or cleanser that contains a quality moisturizer,
2. A second step will be to use a cream with the same characteristics. For this we can check the labels and look for ceramides, urea, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, these are suitable ingredients for purchase. It is important that this is used every day, mainly after bathing.
3. Finally, a sunscreen, this is a step that should not be eliminated even if we see less sun or feel less hot. This is important even indoors, so that ultraviolet or electronic device protection is achieved.

He recalled that this is part of prevention, but if there is already a skin lesion, or just because you do not have these cares, a problem is exhibited, it is important to go to the dermatologist, the health professional who will be able to make an adequate assessment and determine the best products to serve such purposes.

nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx