Summer Holiday Slipups: What To Do When You Get Sunburn?

~This post contains affiliate links ~

Hello, I hope you are all having a good day.

Ah, for someone it’s the summer holiday here in the UK. It’s time when you can hopefully leave the daily grind – escape from work or school for a while – and also if you are lucky, able to take time to relax and get to enjoy yourself with family and friends.

Around this time of year, it’s very natural for families to flock to countries that offer warmer weather and beautiful blue sea, but they might still find themselves unprepared for the intense UV [Ultraviolet] rays that accompany that dreamy landscape.

Of course, sun protection accidents do happen, even those who are usually vigilant about wearing sun protection can also suffer from sun damage. When you don’t take the proper steps to protect yourself, your chances of getting sunburn increase the longer your skin expose to extreme temperatures, UV rays and elements; especially if you are near sand and/or water. Both of these reflect the sun’s rays to you, which intensifies your UV exposure.

So if you are heading to the beach this summer (or even if you just spending time in your back garden), please ensure that you know how to avoid sunburn in the first place – but also what to do if you sustain one.

Prevention: The best way to avoid getting sunburn

Remember, before hitting the beach, you should first make sure to pack not only sunscreen but also a hat, clothes to cover up with and sunglasses. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, they recommend that you use broad-spectrum products with an SPF of 30 or higher when your spend extended long lengths of time outdoors. It’s especially important for kids and young adults to have adquate sun protection, as sun damage is cumulative.

You may realise that preventing sunburn altogether is the best way to avoid a skin condition that a lot of us think will never happen to us and that’s skin cancer. It is a very annoying and painful skin condition and getting sunburn can increase your risk of developing skin care.

Stop sunburn in it’s tracks

Okay, so applying sunscreen is important and yes it’s the first step to avoiding getting sunburn. But forgetting to reapply your sunscreen can be just as bad as not applying sunscreen in the first place. You might be surprised you know that sunscreen generally lasts for only two hours, so it’s strongly recommended that you reapplied your suncreen after every two hours, especially after swimming or sweating.

Also, have you ever left your sun hat at home for the day? Your answer most probably be ‘YES’! And you tell yourself that next time you’ll do better. Well probably already gotten a sunburn.

So, whether you are heading on your summer, to the beach or just relaxing in your back garden, please remember;

1. Apply your sunscreen before heading out for day
2. Wear a sunhat and sunglasses [your eye needs protection too]
3. After every two hours, reapply the sunscreen. You might need to apply it more frequently if you are spending time in the water, like going swimming or doing water sports.
4. If your skin either feels or start looking a little red then keep out of the direct sun and seek shade immediately.
5. And lastly, don’t spend a large amount of time outside during the hottest part of the day.

Identifying potential sunburn early can help to lessen the ultimate damage and in the long run, can seriously decrease your chances of developing skin cancer. You may think that it won’t happen to you, but it can. It can happen to anyone whether you are young or older.

In addition, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids like; water – soda drink or any drink that contain high amounts of sugar aren’t the best way to keep hydrated, as they can dehydrate you much faster, than actually keeping you well hydrated – and wear loose, breathable clothing.

When is it time to see a doctor for burns?

Although over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, moisturising and hydration will gradually take care and help to heal minor burns, however sometimes the damage can be so serious, that a trip to the doctor might be needed.

While you are recovering from sunburn, it is important to think about how you can prevent getting sunburnt again in the future, like seeking shade if you feel your skin getting hot and wearing loose clothing to cover up – all of these things will help to keep your skin protected, as well as keeping you feeling comfortable during your holiday/day trip to the beach or just hanging out your back garden.

I hope you found this blog post to be helpful for you. Please remember, I’m no expert so anything that is mentioned in this blog, is all my personal opinions. But I hope it’s still offered you some insight into how you can avoid getting sunburn as well as how to deal if you do find yourself in a situation where you’ve got sunburn!

Love ya,

Leanne x

Here are some sun protections that you can buy: