Sunburn - symptoms and causes (2023)

FAQs

What causes sunburn and symptoms? ›

Sunburn is skin damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. It usually causes the skin to become red, sore, warm, tender and occasionally itchy for about a week.

It's the reason we tan and sunburn. It's why freckles, age spots, and skin cancers appear. Some people are born more sun sensitive than others. People who have an extreme sensitivity to sunlight are born with a rare disease known as xeroderma pigmentosum (XP).

Since the amount of melanin you can produce is determined by genetics, some people are more prone to burn, while others tan. Although any skin tone can burn, people with naturally darker skin are less likely to do so.

Too much ultraviolet radiation (UV) from sunlight is dangerous. Nearly half of UV radiation is received between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are the strongest. Even on a cloudy day, you can be sunburned by UV radiation.

Blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow and bring immune cells to the skin to help clean up the mess. All this causes the redness, swelling and inflammation we associate with a sunburn.”

Sunburn is caused by exposure to two types of ultraviolet rays from the sun: UVA rays and UVB rays. Both types of rays can burn your skin. Your chance of getting a sunburn increases depending on: Amount of time you spend in the sun.

The long-term effects of repeated bouts of sunburn include premature wrinkling and an increased risk of skin cancer, including melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer). DNA in cells may be damaged, and, if not repaired by the body repeatedly over time, abnormal cells may develop, leading to cancer.

Redness, blistering, and soreness are just three of the dreaded symptoms of sunburn.

What autoimmune disease is sun sickness? ›

Up to 60 percent of patients with the autoimmune disease have sensitivity to ultraviolet light, a condition called photosensitivity. It can result in skin inflammation or a flare-up of a wide range of lupus symptoms, such as joint pain and fatigue.

Symptoms of sun poisoning

It often mimics a flu bug or allergic reaction. As a result, you can find yourself shivering in bed with a headache, fever and chills — all wrapped up with the redness, pain and sensitivity of a sun-scorched skin patch. Sun poisoning can cause a range of symptoms (depending on the severity).

They develop from an increase in melanin as the skin's natural way to protect itself from the sun. People with freckles have skin that is more sensitive to light, and therefore more prone to sunburn. Moles or nevi are collections of pigment-producing cells or melanocytes in the skin.

If you do not get enough of some nutrients, your skin can become sensitive to sunlight. Pellagra, for example, is caused by a niacin deficiency and leads to photosensitivity. Other nutrients, particularly antioxidants and flavonoids, may help protect skin against sun damage in healthy people.

Vitamins and Herbs

Another pill that might put you at risk: niacin, a form of Vitamin B3 that's used to treat high cholesterol. It can cause skin reactions, Rech said, "so it could potentially cause [sun sensitivity]."

I've heard people call it an “emotional sunburn.” The idea is that when you have a sunburn, even a light pat on the shoulder is jarringly painful. An emotional sunburn completely disrupts your ability to self-regulate. It short-circuits your ability to produce a typical emotional response.

Causes of sun allergy include immune system reactions to sunlight, certain medications and chemicals that make the skin more sensitive to the sun. It isn't clear why some people have a sun allergy and others don't. Inherited traits may play a role.

Histamine, the chemical involved in most allergic reactions, is released in the skin, along with other inflammatory substances. Blood flow is increased and the skin turns red and warm to the touch. This occurs during sun exposure, but rapidly fades. It then comes back 2 to 6 hours later, with pain, as a sunburn.

Avoid putting ice on a sunburn, as this can make matters worse by causing intense vasoconstriction, where blood vessels narrow sharply and cut off local blood supply to already damaged skin. Moisturising lotions can also help soothe by keeping moisture in, but avoid skin-numbing creams unless prescribed by your doctor.

Even modest amounts of ultraviolet (UV) exposure (i.e. sun exposure) and excessive heat can aggravate symptoms of autoimmune diseases and, in some cases, even trigger a full-blown flare.

Why does sunburn make you tired? ›

As well as causing your skin to turn pink and sore, sunburn may also lead to fatigue. That's because it raises the body's temperature and we generally feel sleepier when warm. Sunburn may also contribute to dehydration which, as I've explained, is a leading cause of low energy levels.

The danger goes far beyond any short-term pain, redness and discomfort, because after the sunburn fades, lasting damage remains. Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

There's a myth that a hot shower can help ease sunburn pain. Definitely don't do that! The opposite is true: When you get indoors, take a cool shower or bath to start easing the burning sensation. “Cool water decreases excess blood flow to the skin, which will help reduce inflammation and redness,” Dr.

Most sunburn is a first-degree burn that turns the skin pink or red. Prolonged sun exposure can cause blistering and a second-degree burn. Rarely, severe sunburn can cause a third-degree burn or scarring.

Some of the immune cells start cleaning up skin cells in self-destruct mode, while others release chemicals that further damage weakened cells. Their actions may also trigger a kind of allergic reaction that makes the skin itchy. Within several hours, blisters form where whole layers of keratinocytes have been killed.

Moderate sunburns can leave skin red, swollen, and hot to the touch. This type of burn can take about a week to heal completely. Severe sunburns can cause painful blistering or very red skin and can take up to two weeks to fully recover.

"Most sunburns will lose their associated pain and red tone in three to five days. But if you have a more severe, blistering burn, this could last up to 10 days," Dr. Klein said. Pain from a sunburn usually starts within two to six hours of sun overexposure and peaks at about 24 hours.

Current research, however, shows that a high dose of vitamin D3, taken at the onset of sunburn can help diminish redness, cell damage, and inflammation.

Does vitamin C clear sunburn? ›

It generally helps boost wound healing. Given its effects on sunburn, it should be no surprise that topical vitamin C application can speed up overall wound healing. Healthy wound healing reduces your risk of inflammation, infection, and scarring.

In the article by Scott et al, a high dose of vitamin D attenuated the inflammatory response to UV radiation in a small group of normal volunteers. The best results were in those subjects who had the greatest increase in circulating 25hydroxyvitamin D.

Many experience an increase in lupus symptoms after being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays, either from the sun or from artificial light. Photosensitive people may develop a skin rash, known as a butterfly rash, which appears over the nose and cheeks after sun exposure. Other rashes might look like hives.

Photosensitivity is common in people with lupus: 40% to 70% of people with lupus will find that their disease is made worse by exposure to UV rays from sunlight or artificial light.

Sun rash is a very itchy, widespread red rash. Small bumps, resembling hives, also can develop. Blisters can also be a sign of sun poisoning. Typically, blisters are small, white bumps filled with fluid, with swollen red skin surrounding the area.

Less severe cases of sun poisoning can be treated at home with cool compresses and showers, aloe vera gel and over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment. Be sure to keep yourself well hydrated. Most people need between half an ounce and one ounce of water per day for every pound they weigh.

The symptoms of sun poisoning

severe redness and pain. fever and chills. dehydration. joint or muscle pain.

"Most sunburns will lose their associated pain and red tone in three to five days. But if you have a more severe, blistering burn, this could last up to 10 days," Dr. Klein said. Pain from a sunburn usually starts within two to six hours of sun overexposure and peaks at about 24 hours.

Mild sunburn will continue for approximately 3 days. Moderate sunburn lasts for around 5 days and is often followed by peeling skin. Severe sunburn can last for more than a week, and the affected person may need to seek medical advice.

What is the first stage of sunburn? ›

A person with first degree sunburn may notice the following skin symptoms, usually about 4 hours after exposure to sunlight: redness, which is more apparent on light skin. a warm or tight feeling. swelling or blistering.

Moderate sunburns are typically more painful. The skin will be red, swollen, and hot to the touch. Moderate sunburns typically take about a week to heal completely. The skin may then continue to peel for a few more days.

Does a hot shower help a sunburn? No, it is a myth that taking a hot shower can ease the pain of a sunburn. In fact, taking a hot shower will make sunburn hurt even worse. On the other hand, cold showers can help to soothe a sunburn.

If you don't want to wear a waterproof bandage, you should avoid swimming until the burn is fully healed and no blistered or broken skin remains, says Dana Ellis, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Newport Beach, Calif., who represented Canada in the pole vault at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Severity of Sunburn

Most sunburn is a first-degree burn that turns the skin pink or red. Prolonged sun exposure can cause blistering and a second-degree burn. Rarely, severe sunburn can cause a third-degree burn or scarring.