Sunburn

Sunburn is skin that's red, sore, and feels hot. It usually shows up a few hours after spending too much time in the sun.

You can ease the pain and discomfort of sunburn with simple things you can do at home, like taking over-the-counter pain medication and applying cool compresses to the affected area. It might take a few days for the redness and soreness to go away.

Protecting your skin from sunburn is a good idea all year round. Using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, or finding shade are all ways to prevent sunburn. Even on cloudy or cool days, the sun's rays can still damage your skin, so it's important to protect yourself.

Sunburn happens when your skin gets too much sun. Symptoms can be tricky, as they might look different depending on your skin tone.

Common Sunburn Symptoms:

• Skin changes: Your skin might feel hot and look pink or red, especially on lighter skin. On darker skin tones, the redness might be less noticeable. The affected area might also feel rough or sore.
• Pain and discomfort: You might experience pain, tenderness, and itching in the sunburned area.
• Blisters: Small, fluid-filled blisters can develop. These blisters may break open.
• Other symptoms (severe sunburn): A severe sunburn can also cause a headache, fever, nausea, and fatigue. Your eyes might feel painful or scratchy. Remember, any exposed skin can burn, including your ears, scalp, lips, and even areas covered by loose-fitting clothing (because the sun's rays can still get through).
• Healing: Within a few days, your body usually starts to heal itself by shedding the top layer of damaged skin. This shedding process can cause the skin to peel. A bad sunburn may take several days to completely heal, and some temporary changes in skin color may fade over time.

When to See a Doctor:

It's important to monitor your sunburn and seek medical attention if:

• Severe blistering: Large blisters or blisters on sensitive areas like your face, hands, or genitals need medical attention.
• Significant swelling: If the sunburned area swells a lot, see a doctor.
• Signs of infection: If blisters have pus or show streaks, or if you have other signs of infection (like redness or warmth around the blisters), see a doctor.
• Increased pain, discomfort, or other symptoms: If the pain gets worse, or if you develop a headache, confusion, nausea, fever, or chills, seek medical attention.
• Not getting better: If your sunburn isn't improving with home remedies, a doctor can offer advice and care.
• Eye problems: If you have eye pain or changes in your vision, see a doctor.

Urgent Medical Care Needed:

Go to the emergency room immediately if you have a sunburn and any of these severe symptoms:

• High fever (over 103°F or 39.4°C) with vomiting: This is a serious sign.
• Confusion: This could indicate a more significant issue.
• Infection: If you have pus or streaks, redness, or warmth around the affected area, see a doctor right away.
• Dehydration: This can be dangerous, especially with a sunburn.
• Cold skin, dizziness, or fainting: These are all signs of a serious health concern.

Always protect your skin from the sun to avoid sunburn in the first place.

If you have a skin problem, see your doctor if:

• You get big blisters. This includes blisters that are large or widespread.
• You get blisters on sensitive areas. This includes your face, hands, genitals, or any place that is prone to irritation.
• The affected area swells a lot. If the area around the blisters or sore is significantly swollen, it's important to get checked out.
• You notice signs of infection. Look for blisters that have pus, yellowish liquid, or red streaks spreading from the blister. These are signs of infection.
• You're feeling worse. This means experiencing increased pain, a headache, confusion, nausea, fever, or chills.
• Your symptoms aren't getting better with home care. If you've tried home remedies and your condition isn't improving, it's time to see a doctor.
• You have eye pain or changes in vision. Eye pain or vision problems related to a skin condition should be evaluated by a doctor.

If you have a sunburn and are experiencing any of these serious problems, seek immediate medical attention:

• High fever and vomiting: A fever over 103°F (39.4°C) along with vomiting is a serious sign of a possible complication from sunburn.
• Confusion: Sunburns can sometimes lead to confusion, which requires immediate medical care.
• Signs of infection: If the sunburn area becomes infected, with pus or red streaks, this needs urgent attention.
• Dehydration: Sunburns can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if severe. Look for signs like feeling very thirsty, infrequent urination, and extreme tiredness.
• Cold skin, dizziness, or faintness: These are all signs of serious dehydration or other complications, requiring immediate medical attention.

Sunburn happens when your skin gets too much ultraviolet (UV) light. This light comes from the sun, but also from things like tanning beds and sunlamps. There are two main types of UV light:

• UVA: This type of light goes deep into your skin, causing damage over time. Think of it like long-term damage. This can lead to premature aging and an increased risk of skin cancer.

• UVB: This type of light only penetrates the top layers of skin. This is the kind of light that mainly causes sunburn.

When you get too much UV light, your skin cells get damaged. Your body's immune system responds by sending more blood to the affected area. This extra blood flow makes the skin red and inflamed. That redness is what we call sunburn.

It's important to remember that you can get sunburn even on days that seem cool or cloudy. This is because surfaces like snow, sand, and water can reflect UV light. So, even on a partly cloudy day, you can still get burned if you're exposed for too long.

Sunburns are a common problem, and several things can make you more likely to get one. Here are some key risk factors:

• Skin type: People with fair skin (light complexion) and red hair are more susceptible to sunburn. This is because their skin has less melanin, a natural pigment that protects against the sun's harmful UV rays.

• Past sunburns: If you've had sunburns before, you're more prone to them in the future. Your skin may have developed some damage that makes it more sensitive to the sun.

• Sun exposure: Living or vacationing in sunny, warm areas, or at high altitudes, significantly increases your sun exposure. Higher altitudes mean less atmosphere to filter the sun's rays, leading to a higher UV intensity.

• Outdoor work: People who work outdoors are exposed to the sun for longer periods and are at a higher risk of sunburn.

• Wet skin: Water and oils like baby oil can make your skin more likely to burn. Wet skin is less protected than dry skin. This is because the moisture can act as a magnifying glass, increasing the sun's effect.

• Alcohol and sun: Mixing alcohol with outdoor activities can increase your risk of sunburn. Alcohol can impair your judgment and ability to protect yourself from the sun.

• Frequent unprotected sun exposure: Regularly exposing your skin to UV light from the sun or tanning beds, without protection, significantly raises your risk of sunburn. Tanning beds emit intense UV rays, damaging your skin even more quickly.

• Medications: Certain medications, known as photosensitizing medications, make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. These drugs can increase your risk of sunburn, sometimes dramatically. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist about any potential interactions with sunlight if you are taking any new medication.

Too much sun can harm your skin and eyes. Getting sunburned, or having a lot of sun exposure, even without burning, increases your risk of serious problems.

Sun Damage to Your Skin:

Frequent sun exposure, especially with sunburns, speeds up the aging process of your skin, called photoaging. This leads to several changes:

• Weakened skin: The supportive tissues in your skin become less strong and stretchy.
• Wrinkles: Deep wrinkles develop.
• Dry and rough skin: Your skin feels dry and rough.
• Visible blood vessels: Small red veins might become more noticeable, especially on your cheeks, nose, and ears.
• Freckles: These small, brown spots appear, often on your face and shoulders.
• Dark spots: Patches of dark or discolored skin (called solar lentigines) can form on your face, hands, arms, chest, and upper back.

Sun damage can also lead to precancerous skin problems. These are rough or scaly patches that appear in sun-exposed areas like the head, face, neck, and hands. These patches are sometimes called actinic keratoses or solar keratoses. Left untreated, they can develop into skin cancer.

Skin Cancer Risk:

Even without sunburn, too much sun exposure increases your risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays damage the DNA in your skin cells. Sunburns during childhood and adolescence can make you more likely to get melanoma later in life. Skin cancer often appears on areas of the body that get the most sun, such as the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, hands, legs, and back. Some skin cancers look like small growths or sores that bleed easily, crust over, heal, and then re-open. Melanoma can involve changes in existing moles or the appearance of new, unusual moles.

What to Watch For:

If you notice any of the following, see a doctor:

• A new growth on your skin.
• A change in the appearance or texture of a mole.
• A sore that isn't healing.
• Any unusual skin changes that concern you.

Sun Damage to Your Eyes:

Too much UV light can harm your eyes. This can lead to:

• Eye irritation: Sunburned eyes can be painful or feel gritty.
• Cataracts: Sun damage to the lens of your eye can cause it to cloud over (cataracts).
• Snow blindness: Severe sunburn to the cornea (the front part of the eye) is also known as snow blindness.

Eye damage from excessive sun exposure can also be caused by other sources, such as welding, tanning lamps, and broken mercury vapor lamps.

In short: Protect your skin and eyes from the sun to prevent these problems. Use sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during peak sun hours. Regular skin checks are crucial for early detection of any issues.

Protecting Yourself from Sunburn, Even on Cloudy Days

Sunburn can happen even when the sun isn't shining brightly, like on cloudy or hazy days. Sunlight is still reduced by about 20% on cloudy days, so it's important to take precautions. Water, snow, concrete, and sand reflect the sun's rays, making these areas particularly risky. High altitudes also increase the intensity of UV light.

Here are some simple ways to protect yourself:

Timing is Key: Avoid direct sunlight between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest. If you must be outside during these hours, limit your time in the sun and seek shade whenever possible.

Don't Rely on a Tan: Getting a tan, either naturally or from tanning beds, doesn't protect you from sunburn. If you want a tan-like look, use a self-tanning product, but always apply sunscreen before going outside.

Sunscreen is Essential: Use a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, even on cloudy days. "Broad-spectrum" means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays. No sunscreen blocks 100% of UVB rays.

Proper Application: Apply sunscreen generously to all exposed skin, except your eyelids, about 30 minutes before going outside. Use enough – about two tablespoons, or one ounce – to cover your entire exposed body. For spray sunscreen, spray it into your hands and rub it in to avoid inhaling it. Don't use spray sunscreen while smoking or near an open flame. If you're using a sunscreen with physical blockers (like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide), apply it over any other products, except insect repellent (apply insect repellent last). Physical blockers are especially helpful for sensitive skin.

Reapplication is Crucial: Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating. If you wear makeup, you can use an SPF-containing powder to reapply sunscreen without completely redoing your face.

Sunscreen Storage and Expiration: Sunscreen should stay effective for at least three years. Always check the product label for storage instructions and expiration dates. Discard expired or outdated sunscreen.

Protecting Children: Protect babies and toddlers from sunburn with wide-brimmed hats and clothing that covers their arms and legs. Keep them hydrated and cool, and avoid direct sunlight whenever possible. If necessary, apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) to the face and backs of hands. The FDA and American Academy of Dermatology do not recommend sunscreen for children under 6 months old. If sun-protective clothing and shade aren't options, use sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Other Protective Measures: Utilize other protective measures like umbrellas or wide-brimmed hats. Dark, tightly woven clothing offers more protection. Look for outdoor gear with a high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating. Higher UPF numbers mean better sun protection. Wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection. Check the UV rating on the label when buying new sunglasses. Darker lenses don't always mean better protection. Choose sunglasses that fit close to your face or have wraparound frames for best coverage.

Medication Considerations: Some medications and cosmetics can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you're taking, as they may affect your sun sensitivity. Also, be aware that cosmetics containing alpha-hydroxy acids can increase sun sensitivity.

Understanding SPF: SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It measures how long you can stay in the sun with sunscreen compared to without it. For example, if it takes 10 minutes for your skin to burn without sunscreen, an SPF 50 sunscreen would theoretically allow you to stay in the sun 500 minutes (50 times longer) before burning. A minimum SPF of 30 is generally recommended.

To figure out if you have sunburn, a doctor will usually look at your skin. They'll also ask you questions about your symptoms, any medicines you're taking, how long you were in the sun, and if you've had sunburn before.

If you get sunburn or a skin problem quickly after being in the sun, your doctor might suggest a test called phototesting. This test exposes small parts of your skin to specific amounts of ultraviolet (UV) light, like the kind that causes sunburns. This helps them see how your skin reacts to different levels of sunlight. If your skin reacts to the test, it means you're sensitive to sunlight, which is called photosensitivity.

Sunburn doesn't fix the damage to your skin, but it can help reduce the pain, redness, and discomfort. Treating sunburn at home usually works for mild cases. However, if home care isn't enough, or if your sunburn is very serious, a doctor might recommend a special cream containing a medicine called a corticosteroid. This is usually only needed for really bad sunburns. In the most extreme cases, a hospital stay might be necessary. If you're concerned about a sunburn, it's important to see a doctor. Schedule an appointment today.