Sunburn – how to avoid it plus self-care tips 

Sunburn can be painful and it also increases your risk for certain health conditions. Here we take a look at some of the common myths surrounding sunburn, how long it lasts and the best tips for sunburn relief. 

What are the symptoms?

What are the long-term effects of sunburn?

Who is at risk of sunburn? 

Self-care tips for sunburn relief

When to see a doctor about your sunburn

What’s the treatment for severe sunburn?

How to prevent sunburn

An occasional bout of sunburn might not feel like much to worry about, but it’s a sign that your skin is damaged and your body’s way of trying to repair that damage. While the symptoms usually pass in a week, there are longer-term health consequences you need to know about. The good news? It’s never too late to put a stop to sunburn. 

Being out in the sunshine can make us feel good, but spending too long in the sun means paying for it later with painful, red skin, meaning you have sunburn. 

It can be easy to get sunburned as the symptoms don’t usually come on for several hours after sun exposure.

The sun gives off ultraviolet (UV) rays and too much exposure to this UV light can make your skin hot, red, painful, and sometimes itchy.

You can also get sunburn from other UV light sources, such as tanning beds.
How bad your sunburn is can vary depending on your skin type, color, and how long you’re exposed to UV rays – your skin may turn pink or red, or blister in the case of more severe sunburn.


## What are the symptoms?
Most sunburn is mild and is known as 1st-degree sunburn. Symptoms can include:

- skin that turns red, pink or even purple in some cases 
- tenderness
- irritation and itching
- skin that feels warm or hot when touched
- pain
- swelling.

These symptoms usually develop between 2 and 6 hours after you’ve been exposed to UV rays, but your skin might keep changing color for up to 72 hours.

If you have darker skin, sunburn might feel tender or itchy, rather than your skin changing color. 

There isn’t usually any blistering with mild sunburn. Your skin might peel and flake off after a few days, and get better within a week. 

Severe sunburn can develop if you’re exposed to UV rays for long enough. This causes a 2nd-degree burn and symptoms can include: 

- blisters – these can be filled with fluid and might break or pop
- swelling of the skin
- fever or chills 
- headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness (these can be signs of [heat exhaustion or heatstroke](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/heat-exhaustion-and-heatstroke)). 

If you have 2nd degree sunburn, you may also feel very thirsty (dehydrated), especially if you’ve been sick. 

__See your doctor urgently if you have symptoms of severe sunburn.__

It’s rare to get 3rd degree sunburn – if this happens, nerve endings may become damaged, which can make it painless in parts, and you need urgent medical help.


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## What are the long-term effects of sunburn?

Red or painful skin is an immediate result of sunburn but it can also cause skin cancer – particularly if you get sunburned regularly or it happened as a child. 

One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of getting skin cancer. Getting sunburned once every two years triples your chances of getting melanoma, the most serious type of [skin cancer](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/malignant-melanoma). 

Other things can increase your risk of skin cancer, like someone else in your family with skin cancer, but the more times you get sunburned the higher your risk for melanoma. 

Sunburn can also increase your risk of:

- actinic keratoses – scaly spots of skin that can lead to a type of skin cancer called [squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/cancer-of-the-skin)
- wrinkles and premature aging 
- brown spots and freckles

People who get sunburned a lot can also be at higher risk of getting [cataracts](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/cataracts) which can cause trouble with your eyesight.


## Who is at risk of sunburn? 
Everybody is at risk of getting sunburn, but it’s more likely to happen in some people than others. You should be extra careful in the sun if:

- you have a family history of skin cancer or you’ve had skin cancer 
- you’ve been sunburned in the past
- you have pale, white or light brown skin 
- you live in or travel to hot and sunny countries
- you’re only exposed to hot sun in short busts ie on holiday. 

Did you know that certain conditions and medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun? Read more here about [photosensitivity.](https://www.livehealthily.com/self-care/photosensitivity)

However, even if you’re at a lower risk of sunburn, you should stay vigilant and follow protective measures.

For example, if you have darker skin you can still get sunburned and it may be harder to see  – your skin might feel itchy or tender rather than changing color. 

## Self-care tips for sunburn relief

Sunburn can be extremely painful, but there are lots of ways you can help relieve your symptoms at home: 

- bathe the area with cool water in a shower or bath  (some research has shown adding oatmeal to a bath may soothe burned skin), or use a damp towel 
- moisturize your skin to help stop it drying out with an aftersun cream or spray. Avoid perfumed moisturizers, which could irritate your skin. Try aloe vera gel, which has been found to soothe sunburned skin
- drink extra water to cool you down and stop you from becoming dehydrated 
- take painkillers, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen.

Try to avoid being in direct sunlight until your skin has healed completely.

If you do need to go outside, stay in the shade when the sun is at its strongest (between the hours of 10am-4pm in most countries), and make sure your skin is covered completely. 

Avoid putting ice or ice-packs directly onto sunburnt skin.


## When to see a doctor about your sunburn

See your doctor urgently if you have any of the following: 

- blisters or bad swelling of your skin or a large area on your body (try not to scratch or pop them)
- a fever or feeling hot and shivery
- feeling very tired, dizzy, confused or sick 
- a bad headache and muscle cramps. 

If you've had a lot of sun exposure you could also be at risk of [heat exhaustion or heatstroke](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/heat-exhaustion-and-heatstroke). Heatstroke needs emergency medical attention so get help immediately.   


## What’s the treatment for severe sunburn?

If you go to your doctor about your sunburn, they might recommend using a steroid cream for a few days to help reduce inflammation.

They also may prescribe antibiotic ointment and suggest special non–stick bandages to help prevent infection.

If you have severe sunburn, you may be admitted to hospital and be referred to a specialist.


## How to prevent sunburn

The good news is you can reduce your risk of sunburn and the damage it can cause, with these tips: 

- wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect against UVB rays and at least 4 star UVA protection. Find out more about [sunscreen](https://www.livehealthily.com/self-care/sunscreen-how-to-apply-it-and-how-often)
- cover up with protective clothing, wear a hat to shade your face, neck and head, and sunglasses to protect your eyes 
- stay in the shade, particularly in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest. Note that shade alone doesn’t stop you from burning so follow the steps above
- remember it doesn’t need to be sunny for you to get sunburned – when the UV index is above 3 it can damage your skin, so you can still burn when it’s cloudy or cool. 

Learn about [sun safety and how to get the benefits of the sunshine without the risks.](https://www.livehealthily.com/self-care/safety-in-the-sun-how-to-get-the-health-benefits-without-the-risks)

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References

Rosa Bowden

Wendy Davies

Jo Wheatley

Dr Tamer T Malak

Dr Ann Nainan

Dr Adiele Hoffman

Article information

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