Tips to protect yourself from sunburn and how to reduce pain if a sunburn does occur.

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Health tips: Sunburn

Dear Reader,

You know a sunburn when it happens — red, painful skin that feels hot to the touch. A sunburn usually appears within a few hours after sun exposure and may take from several days to several weeks to fade. A severe sunburn may include swelling and small fluid-filled blisters. It can also cause a headache, fever and fatigue.

To protect yourself from a sunburn:

Try to avoid being outdoors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun’s ultraviolet radiation is at its peak.
Cover exposed areas, wear a broad-brimmed hat and use an ample amount of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Reapply sunscreen after swimming and every two hours while out in the sun.
Protect your eyes. Choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of ultraviolet rays. For more protection, choose wraparound sunglasses or ones that fit close to your face.

Once a sunburn occurs, you can’t do much to limit skin damage. However, the following tips may help reduce your pain and discomfort:

Take anti-inflammatory medication. Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen (Aleve) or aspirin until redness and soreness subside. Aspirin shouldn’t be given to children or teens under age 18.
Apply cold compresses. Apply a towel dampened with cool tap water to the affected skin, or take a cool bath or shower.
Apply moisturizers. A moisturizing cream, aloe vera lotion or low dose (0.5% to 1%) hydrocortisone cream may decrease pain and swelling and speed up healing.
If blisters form, don’t break them. Blisters form a protective layer for damaged skin. Breaking them slows the healing process and increases the risk of infection. If needed, lightly cover blisters with gauze. If blisters break on their own, apply an antibacterial cream.
Drink plenty of fluids. Exposure to sun and heat causes fluid loss through your skin. Be sure to replenish those fluids to prevent dehydration — when your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out normal functions.
Treat peeling skin gently. Peeling is simply your body’s way of getting rid of the top layer of damaged skin. While your skin is peeling, continue to use moisturizing cream.
Beware of topical “-caine” products. Some of these products, such as benzocaine, claim to relieve sunburn pain. But some dermatologists warn against using such products because they can irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction.

Seek medical attention if the sunburn:

Blisters and covers a large portion of your body.
Is accompanied by a high fever, extreme pain, confusion or nausea.
Doesn’t respond to self-care within a few days.

Also, seek medical care if you notice:

Increasing pain, tenderness or swelling.
Yellow drainage (pus) from an open blister.
Red streaks, leading away from the open blister, which may extend in a line upward along an arm or leg.

Effective self-care solutions

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