Why sunburns are red

Exposure to the sun during daily activities and play causes the most sun damage. Overexposure to sunlight before age 18 is most damaging to the skin.

UV rays are strongest during summer months when the sun is directly overhead—normally between a. The symptoms of sunburn may look like other skin conditions. Always see your child's healthcare provider for a diagnosis if you are unsure. Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for discomfort and fever. Be sure to follow the directions on the container. Never use aspirin in children. Apply a topical moisturizer, aloe gel, hydrocortisone cream, or a topical pain reliever to sunburned skin.

Specific treatment for sunburn will be determined by your child's healthcare provider and may depend on the severity of the sunburn. In general, call your child's healthcare provider if:. Your child has symptoms of heat stress such as fever see Fever and children, below , chills, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, or feeling faint. Never use a mercury thermometer. For infants and toddlers, be sure to use a rectal thermometer correctly.

A rectal thermometer may accidentally poke a hole in perforate the rectum. It may also pass on germs from the stool. Some swelling may also occur. In severe cases, the person may experience headache, fever, fatigue and chills, according to the Mayo Clinic. In second-degree burns, the skin may form liquid-filled boils as a way to cool down the area. Delphine J. Symptoms of sunburn can last for days as the skin repairs. The worse the burn, the longer the healing will take. Typically, a sign that the end is near is the damaged areas peeling and falling off.

Sunburn doesn't only happen to skin, though. Eyes can also be sunburned. Sunburned eyes often feel gritty or painful, according to the Mayo Clinic. Treatment should start as soon as the person realizes they are burnt. Staying out of the sun while the burn heals is also important. Of course, this process is imperfect and with more UV exposure, there is more chance of cells becoming cancerous.

Gallo said it's still not known how gender, skin pigmentation and individual genetics may affect the mechanism of sunburn. Humans have similar genes, but it is not known if people have mutations in these genes that affect their sun response. Jamie J. Borkowski and Benjamin D. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. Find out how to keep your skin safe from damage by stopping sunburn from happening in the first place: Your Daily Sun Protection Guide.

The Facts. The Risks. What You Can Do. What is sunburn? What you need to know about sunburn Sunburn risks to you If you get sunburn Sunburn treatment and relief Sunburn prevention. What you need to know about sunburn. Some people are more prone to sunburn: Skin type determines your susceptibility; people with fair skin run the greatest risk. But anyone can get burned. Even without a burn, sun exposure raises skin cancer risk. Even if you are tan or your skin type is dark and your skin does not redden, the sun can cause cellular damage that can lead to cancer.

The UV index is a factor: The sun varies in intensity by season, time of day and geographic location. A high UV index means that unprotected skin will burn faster or more severely. Be careful, especially when the sun is strongest. But even when the index is low, the risk remains. Protect yourself every day of the year. Up to 80 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds. Light pink is still bad: No matter how mild, every burn is a sign of injury to your skin that can result in premature aging and skin cancer.

Sunburn risks to you. Repeated sunburns raise your risk. For fair-skinned people, especially those with genetic predisposition, sunburn plays a clear role in developing melanoma.