Sunburn
Sunburn is hot and sore skin caused by too much sun. It may flake and peel after a few days. You can treat it yourself. It usually gets better within 7 days.
Check if you have sunburn. If you have sunburn, your skin may:
feel hot to touch
feel sore or painful
flake or peel - this usually happens a few days after you get sunburn
Your skin may also blister if your sunburn is severe.
If you have white skin, your skin will usually be red or pink. If you have black or brown skin, you may not notice a change in the colour of your skin.
You might need to have a doctor's appointment if you've been out in the sun and:
your skin is blistered or swollen
your temperature is very high, or you feel hot and shivery
you feel very tired, dizzy and sick
you have a headache and muscle cramps
your baby or young child has sunburn
Severe sunburn can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which can be very serious.
How to ease sunburn yourself
Do
get out of the sun as soon as possible
cool your skin with a cool shower, bath or damp towel (take care not to let a baby or young child get too cold)
apply aftersun cream or spray
drink plenty of water to cool down and prevent dehydration
take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for any pain
cover sunburnt skin from direct sunlight until skin has fully healed
Don’t
do not use petroleum jelly on sunburnt skin
do not put ice or ice packs on sunburnt skin
do not pop any blisters
do not scratch or try to remove peeling skin
do not wear tight-fitting clothes over sunburnt skin
⚠️ Important: Skin cancer risk
Getting sunburnt can increase your risk of skin cancer.