7 Steps to Soothe Sunburn Symptoms

It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re having fun outside. If you find yourself with a sunburn, there are simple ways to relieve the pain.

7:00 AM

Author | Haley Otman

This summer, remember to practice good sun safety. Protect your skin; seek shade; wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher and broad spectrum, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays). You'll also need to reapply sunscreen every two hours to stay protected — or more often if you're swimming or sweating.

SEE ALSO: Need-to-Know Guidelines to Spot Skin Cancer

Without these precautions, you can get a sunburn as your skin receives too much exposure from the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Although it may seem like a temporary annoyance, sunburns can cause long-lasting damage to the skin, spurring signs of premature aging and increasing the risk of skin cancer.

If your skin starts getting red out in the sun, try these techniques to feel better fast.


More Articles About: Preventative health and wellness Skin Cancer Cancer Risk Factors Skin Conditions
Health Lab word mark overlaying blue cells
Health Lab

Explore a variety of health care news & stories by visiting the Health Lab home page for more articles.

Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

Stay Informed

Want top health & research news weekly? Sign up for Health Lab’s newsletters today!

Subscribe
Featured News & Stories man outside blue shirt headphones watch
Health Lab
Physical activity improves early with customized text messages in patients with heart problems
A study found personalized text messages effectively promoted increased physical activity for patients after significant heart events — such as a heart attack or surgery — but those effects later diminished.
shoes red and yellow and blue background and feet emerging out of them looking too big - this image moves so feet go in and out from behind shoes
Health Lab
Are your kids wearing the right shoes?
In a national poll some parents acknowledged a lack of confidence in ensuring their children are wearing properly fitting shoes – which experts say is necessary to support growth and prevent injuries. One in seven parents also say they’ve had concerns about their child’s feet or the way they walk while one in 10 parents report their child has complained of foot pain, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
sunscreen blue people outside
Health Lab
Sunscreen dispensers make skin cancer prevention easier
Medical students have worked to place dispensers at parks, pools and golf courses around Washtenaw County to give people easy access to sunscreen.
mom sitting at end of bed with child laying down moon outside purple bedroom green covers tan pillow
Health Lab
Bedtime battles: 1 in 4 parents say their child can’t go to sleep because they’re worried or anxious
Many bedtime battles stem from children’s after dark worries, suggests a national poll.
heart drawing
Health Lab
New risk equation could mean preventive statins for far fewer Americans
The tool, based on updated information about atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, could mean fewer people would be recommended to take statin medications
man in white coat standing in front of flag and another photo merged next to it of a man in checkered shirt blue and white in front of a huge white building in background with blue sky and greenery before it in the distance
Health Lab
Dermatology goes “global”
A program at Michigan Medicine gives dermatology residents a chance to work internationally.