Easing the Burn: Erin Finds GERD Relief at UF Health
Erin woke up and felt a sunburn in her throat. However, the source of her discomfort was not visible and had little to do with the beating Florida sun. Still,…
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A sunburn is reddening of the skin that occurs after you are overexposed to the sun or other ultraviolet light.
Solar erythema; Burn from the sun
The first signs of a sunburn may not appear for a few hours. The full effect to your skin may not appear for 24 hours or longer. Possible symptoms include:
Symptoms of sunburn are usually temporary. But the damage to skin cells is often permanent, which can have serious long-term effects. These include skin cancer and early aging of the skin. By the time the skin starts to become painful and red, the damage has been done. Pain is worst between 6 to 48 hours after sun exposure.
Sunburn results when the amount of exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light source exceeds the ability of melanin to protect the skin. Melanin is the skin's protective coloring (pigment). Sunburn in a very light-skinned person may occur in less than 15 minutes of midday sun exposure, while a dark-skinned person may tolerate the same exposure for hours.
Keep in mind:
Factors that make sunburn more likely:
If you do get a sunburn:
Ways to prevent sunburn include:
Call a health care provider right away if you have a fever with sunburn. Also call if there are signs of shock, heat exhaustion, dehydration, or other serious reactions. These signs include:
The provider will perform a physical exam and look at your skin. You may be asked about your medical history and current symptoms, including:
American Academy of Dermatology website. Sunscreen FAQs. www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs. Accessed July 22, 2021.
Dinulos JGH. Light-related diseases and disorders of pigmentation. In: Dinulos JGH, ed. Habif's Clinical Dermatology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 19.
Sherman KS. Sunburn. In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2021. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:1081-1083.
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