HealthInfo Canterbury

Sunburn

Sunburn is damage to your skin caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, which come from the sun or artificial sources such as sun beds and lamps.

Sunburn causes your skin to become red, sore and tender. This can last for about a week. After a few days, the skin will usually flake and peel. In severe cases it can blister.

Although sunburn only lasts a short time, it can increase your risks of serious problems such as skin cancer in later life. Sunburn just once every two years can triple your risk of getting melanoma.

Everyone who is exposed to UV light is at risk, but some people are at much greater risk of sunburn than others, such as people who:

• have pale white skin, blue or hazel eyes, blond or red hair
• have lots of moles or freckles
• have a history of sunburn
• have a personal or family history of skin cancer
• take medicines that make them more likely to burn.

Other factors that increase the risk of sunburn include:

• living in New Zealand where the sun is particularly powerful
• living close to the equator where UV rays are strong all year round
• clear skies. Clouds and environmental pollution reduce some UV rays, though more than 90% of UV rays can still pass through light cloud
• skin exposure between 10am and 2pm
• being at high altitude. The sun is stronger at high altitudes
• exposure to snow, sand and water because they all reflect UV rays onto your skin.

Preventing sunburn

The best way to protect yourself from sunburn is to avoid it. There are several apps that tell you when you need to protect your skin and eyes.

Treating sunburn

You can usually treat mild sunburn at home by:

• taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain, if necessary
• cooling your skin. A cool bath or shower or applying a cold compress (such as a cold flannel) to the affected area may help
• applying a soothing lotion or spray. Aloe vera is known to have a soothing effect
• drinking lots of non-alcoholic fluid to cool yourself down and prevent dehydration
• sometimes applying a mild, over-the-counter corticosteroid cream to the affected area. Talk to your pharmacist for advice
• staying out of the sun until the pain and skin redness go away.

Getting help for sunburn

See your doctor for sunburn if:

• a young child or baby has sunburn
• your sunburn covers a large area
• your skin is blistering or swelling
• you have a high temperature
• you're feeling dizzy, sick and have a headache (these may be signs of heat exhaustion).

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• DermNet NZ – Sun protective clothing

  Description of what sun protective clothing is and what fabrics provide good protection against the harmful effects of the sun.

• Patient.info – Sun and sunburn

  Information about sun safety, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, sunstroke and skin cancer.

• SunSmart – Be SunSmart

  Learn about how to protect yourself using the sun protection system "Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap".

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2022.

Sources

Page reference: 892774

Review key: HIFAD-141030