I accidentally got sunburnt - what should I do?
If you're glowing lobster-red, don't reach for the toothpaste or butter — here's what the experts recommend to help heal your skin.
As more of us head outdoors for beach days, hikes and barbecues, experts are reminding us that sunburn isn't just uncomfortable — it can cause long-term damage.
Dr Sharad Paul from Skin Surgery Clinic says it can speed up ageing, cause pigmentation, and increase your risk of skin cancer.
Dermatology Society spokesperson Dr AJ Seine adds sun damage often starts young.
Dermatology Society's spokesperson AJ Seine is based in Tauranga at Skin Centre.
Supplied / Wayne Tait Photography
"The more you protect yourself early on and through your life, the less damage is going to accumulate in your DNA."
Blistering sunburns, especially, can significantly increase your risk of all skin cancers — not just melanoma, he says.
While melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms, Seine notes that basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are more common.
"It's estimated that about 40 to 50 percent of fair skin New Zealanders will get at least one basal cell in their lifetime."
How often do you need to apply sunscreen?
Skin Surgery Clinic Dr Sharad Paul.
Supplied
Paul suggests a rule of thumb: divide your maximum sun-safe time by the UV index of the day.
- Pale, skin type one: 67 minutes / UV index.
- Fair, skin type two: 100 minutes / UV index.
- Darker white, skin type three: 200 minutes / UV index.
- Light brown, skin type four: 300 minutes / UV index.
On a typical Kiwi summer day, the UV index sits at about 12 — that's considered extreme. In the Far North, it can hit 13 or more.
So if you've got fair skin and today's UV index is 12, that's just 8 minutes before your skin starts to burn. Add sunscreen SPF 30, and you might get about 249 minutes — in theory.
But in reality, people don't apply enough sunscreen, forget to reapply, or sweat it off, Paul says.
Seine adds it's about smart protection. Cover up, wear a hat, and avoid the sun during midday.
"You need to use like a teaspoon of sunscreen on your face. I mean, how many people are using that amount, let alone on the rest of your body? You'll go through a bottle in a week easily if you're using it properly, if not more than that."
Sun protection is more than just sunscreen. Seine recommends covering up when going outdoors because of the hard-to-reach areas. (file image)
Unsplash / Getty Images
Where are we likely to get sunburnt?
Paul's research, which screened more than 30,000 people, found non-melanoma skin cancers were more likely to occur on the legs for women and on the back for men.
At Dr Seine's Tauranga clinic, about a quarter of all Mohs micrographic surgeries for skin cancers over the past 20 years have been on the ears and nose.
How do I treat sunburn?
If you've overdone it, here's how to help your skin recover:
- Cool it down using a cold bath or cold towel – but never ice, Paul warns.
- Moisturise. Once your skin burns, the barrier weakens. Apply aloe vera or a gentle glycerin-based lotion three or four times a day. Seine advises going for fragrance free, alcohol free options.
- Ease the pain. Take a painkiller if it’s a large area. Seine says it can also help reduce inflammation.
- Avoid trends of applying toothpaste, butter or petroleum jelly on sun burn, Seine says. They can either irritate or trap the heat.
- Hydrate. Drink plenty of water and skip dehydrating drinks like alcohol.
- Keep it covered. Stay out of the sun until the area’s healed.
Sunburn can range from mild redness (first-degree burns) to more severe, blistering second-degree burns.
Don't poke or peel blisters, warns Paul. Let them come off naturally.
If they're tense and fluid-filled, use an antibacterial ointment, Paul says. Keep the area clean and dry and don’t go swimming until it heals, Seine adds.
