Bad sunburn help!

[Anonymous]

Feeling like the worst mom in the world this evening. Spent the day at the pool and forgot to reapply sunscreen. My oldest is fine but my 3yr old got sunburnt on her back. She doesn’t seem to notice, and says it doesn’t hurt but it’s very red. I put aloe on it before bed, anything else I can do to keep her comfortable? I don’t sunburn, ever, so I don’t know the proper way to take care of one. I feel horrible and will set a timer from now on.

[Anonymous]

Benadryl. Helps if it gets itchy. Keep her hydrated.

[Anonymous]

Sunburn is DNA damage to skin cells that kills them.

No treatment will do anything to address the dead and damaged cells. Aloe helps it feel better. Benadryl helps spread out the inflammatory reaction that is the body clearing out the dead cells so new ones can grow back.

[Anonymous]

Relax OP it’s not a big deal. We have all gotten sunburned several times. Not ideal, but it happens. My middle child is very very pale and has gotten red a few times... I would not even call that sunburned since it was gone the following day.

[Anonymous]

Ibuprofen. It is anti inflammatory, and that is what sunburn is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relax OP it’s not a big deal. We have all gotten sunburned several times. Not ideal, but it happens. My middle child is very very pale and has gotten red a few times... I would not even call that sunburned since it was gone the following day.

I was a place child, and I would burn, now I have skin cancer. My mom thought it wasn't a big deal., But, one time won't cause cancer. I burn, peel, never tan, if your kid isn't like me, oh well, but if your child has type I skin, burn, never tan, be very careful. It is excruciating getting burned.

[Anonymous]

^^ pale child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relax OP it’s not a big deal. We have all gotten sunburned several times. Not ideal, but it happens. My middle child is very very pale and has gotten red a few times... I would not even call that sunburned since it was gone the following day.

+1 She’ll be ok, it happens to the best of us. Give her some ibuprofen to help swelling and any pain.

[Anonymous]

Not a big deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax OP it’s not a big deal. We have all gotten sunburned several times. Not ideal, but it happens. My middle child is very very pale and has gotten red a few times... I would not even call that sunburned since it was gone the following day.

I was a place child, and I would burn, now I have skin cancer. My mom thought it wasn't a big deal., But, one time won't cause cancer. I burn, peel, never tan, if your kid isn't like me, oh well, but if your child has type I skin, burn, never tan, be very careful. It is excruciating getting burned.

I am really sorry. My kids all tan (Italian and South American heritage), but while my oldest and youngest haves olive skin and never even become red, my second is very pale (by our standards) and becomes red easily. She never got burned (never peeled, never was red for more than 24 hours after, etc.) but even with the strongest sun screen, she doesn’t tan right away... but eventually she does... it just takes longer

[Anonymous]

If she says it dies not hurt, I would not worry about making her comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Pale-skinned red-haired person checking in here. I'm so fair that I wear sunscreen and a rash guard while I'm sitting under my beach umbrella.

Agree that if it doesn't hurt, it's not so bad. Check again in the morning. A cool shower and aloe will help to take the sting out.

[Anonymous]

Also, consider putting her in a rash guard. My son doesn't swim in the hottest hours of the day without a swim shirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax OP it’s not a big deal. We have all gotten sunburned several times. Not ideal, but it happens. My middle child is very very pale and has gotten red a few times... I would not even call that sunburned since it was gone the following day.

I was a place child, and I would burn, now I have skin cancer. My mom thought it wasn't a big deal., But, one time won't cause cancer. I burn, peel, never tan, if your kid isn't like me, oh well, but if your child has type I skin, burn, never tan, be very careful. It is excruciating getting burned.

I don't see how helpful this is to OP who already feels terrible about this. I'm another pale kid who occasionally got sunburned and I luckily don't have skin cancer (yet?).

The reality is that it is pretty tough to get to adulthood without a sunburn. I am pretty anal about sunscreen and my 3 yr old dd got a little pink yesterday. We were only at the beach for about 2.5 hours. Sat under an umbrella when we weren't in the water but we were in the water a lot. I didn't reapply because we started out slathered in thick babyganics which usually lasts all day. But we are pale people and a couple of hours swimming was enough to make us vulnerable.

I'm going to take it as a lesson learned. I'm not happy about it. But I'm not immediately placing the guilt of her future potential cancer on my shoulders. These things happen, its life, just use it as a reminder to set a timer for reapplication next time.

[Anonymous]

Sun burns happen, but I don't see a little pink as being a "bad" burn. If it doesn't hurt, then it is a gentle reminder to put on sun screen more frequently. DS forgot to put sun screen on his body when he went swimming at camp and he forgot his rash guard at home that day. His shoulder was a little burned, it hurt in the shower a bit. He remembered his rash guard the next day and we remembered to remind him to bring the rash guard the next time he forgot it.

I have had 2nd degree sun burns, those hurt. I have had family members with third degree sun burns, blisters and the like. Those really suck and require monitoring, quiet time inside, and lots of extra hydration.

I feel bad about a little pink because it means O forgot to reapply sun screen on DS. But I don't get too worried about it.