Sunburn: How to Cool It, Warning Signs of a Serious Burn and Prevention

What it involves

MedlinePlus defines sunburn as reddening of the skin after overexposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light. The first signs may take a few hours to appear and the full effect up to a day or longer. Pain is usually worst between 6 and 48 hours after the exposure.

Who this is for

• Patients with a blistering sunburn, or a burn that covers a large part of the body
• Patients with fever, chills, nausea, or a rash after a long day in the sun
• Patients who take a medicine that makes skin easier to burn and want to know what to do
• Patients who burn often and want a sensible skin check and prevention plan

What to expect

• Questions about when the burn happened, how much of the body is affected, and whether there are blisters
• A look at the skin and a check of temperature, pulse, and hydration
• A review of your medicines and any condition that makes you sensitive to the sun
• Advice on cooling, pain relief, skin care, fluids, and when to come back

What a sunburn does

MedlinePlus says symptoms are red, tender, warm skin, blisters that may form hours to days later, and peeling a few days afterward. The discomfort passes, but it says the damage to skin cells is often permanent and can contribute to skin cancer and early aging of the skin. There is no such thing as a healthy tan, in its words.

Why some people burn faster

Sunburn happens when exposure outruns the protection of melanin, the skin's pigment. Very fair skin can burn in under 15 minutes of midday sun, while darker skin may tolerate hours, though it says dark skin can still burn and needs protection. Other factors listed:

• Midday sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and reflection off water or sand
• Infants and children, who are especially sensitive
• Medicines such as the antibiotics doxycycline and tetracycline
• Conditions such as lupus that make skin sensitive to light

Cooling and soothing at home

MedlinePlus suggests a cool bath or shower or cool wet cloths. If the skin is not blistered, a moisturizing cream can help, but it says not to use butter, petroleum jelly, or other oil-based products, which can trap heat. It also says to avoid products containing benzocaine or lidocaine, and to leave blisters alone rather than picking or peeling them. Dry bandages can protect blisters.

Pain, fluids and clothing

Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can ease pain according to MedlinePlus, which warns not to give aspirin to children. It also suggests loose cotton clothing and drinking lots of water. Heat-related illness can follow a long day outside, which the heat exhaustion and heat stroke guide explains in more detail.

Signs that need prompt care

MedlinePlus says to contact a provider right away for fever with sunburn, and for signs of shock, heat exhaustion, or dehydration: feeling faint or dizzy, a rapid pulse or breathing, extreme thirst with little urine, pale clammy skin, nausea, chills, a rash, eye pain with light sensitivity, or severe painful blisters. Fever in general is discussed in the fever in adults guide.

Prevention that actually works

MedlinePlus recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, applied generously and reapplied every two hours, after swimming or sweating, and even on cloudy days. It also lists lip balm with sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, light-colored protective clothing, UV-blocking sunglasses, and staying out of the sun when it is strongest. Skin checks for spots that change belong in a regular visit, as the skin conditions page describes.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Sunburn
• MedlinePlus — Skin Cancer health topic