Symptoms

Sunburn signs and symptoms can include:

• Changes in skin tone, such as pinkness or redness
• Skin that feels warm or hot to the touch
• Pain and tenderness
• Swelling
• Small fluid-filled blisters, which may break
• Headache, fever, nausea and fatigue, if the sunburn is severe
• Eyes that feel painful or gritty

Any exposed part of your body — including your earlobes, scalp and lips — can burn. Even covered areas can burn if, for example, your clothing has a loose weave that allows ultraviolet (UV) light through. Your eyes, which are extremely sensitive to the sun's UV light, also can burn.

Sunburn signs and symptoms usually appear within a few hours after sun exposure. But it may take a day or more to know how severe the sunburn is.

Within a few days, your body may start to heal itself by peeling the damaged skin's top layer. After peeling, your skin may temporarily have an irregular color and pattern. A bad sunburn may take several days to heal.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if the sunburn:

• Is blistering and covers a large portion of your body
• Develops blisters on the face, hands or genitals
• Is causing severe swelling
• Shows signs of infection, such as pain, pus or red streaks leading away from an open blister
• Doesn't improve within a few days

Seek emergency medical care if you are sunburned and experience

• A fever over 103 degrees
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Dehydration