Woman wakes up with ‘plastic’ forehead after sleeping in the sun for 30 minutes; dermatologist explains why

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The next day, her face became completely sore and tight. Not giving it much thought, she didn’t seek any medical assistance and the following day, her face began peeling leaving her with patches of tanned and pink skin.

“At first it really didn’t feel like anything – it just felt a bit sore when I put pressure on it. It really hurt the next day but I actually got some relief when it started peeling. It didn’t hurt and I felt much better,” she said.

Sirin said that now her skin feels better than before. “Almost like it’s renewed,” she added.

However, she emphasised the importance of wearing sunscreen to prevent such harsh damage to your skin. “No matter how much you think your that you’ll be fine or that your skin will not burn, always apply sunscreen! It’s definitely worth it!”

Sirin, who got this sunburn over a month back, revealed that her skin has now cleared with only a few patches of discolouration on her cheeks.

She emphasised the importance of wearing sunscreen to prevent such harsh damage to your skin (Source: Pexels)

Explaining how sun exposure could lead to a ‘plastic’ forehead, Dr Oshin Agrawal, Consultant Dermatology, Fortis Hospital Noida, said, “This happened because of sun damage which we call ‘sunburn’. It is caused due to excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays. It is a radiation burn to your skin involving ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B. It affects our skin in three ways – first-degree sunburn, second-degree sunburn or third-degree sunburn.”

What are these different kinds of sunburns? “Usually when the outer layer of the skin is involved, it heals on its own and we call it first-degree sunburn. When it involves the inner layer of the skin leading to some blistering disorders and you need to take medical treatment, then it’s second-degree sunburn. When it involves all the layers and leads to severe damage it is third degree. The latter one is rare and mostly happens because of fire burn,” she explained.

Sunburn can happen due to various reasons such as “spending too much time in the sun or consuming some medications which are believed to increase sun sensitivity,” the expert told indianexpress.com. “The time of the day also plays a crucial role. If you are sitting between 10 am to 4 pm when the sun is at its strongest, the damage will be more. Your skin type, too, matters. If you have type 1 or 2, which are fairer skin types, there are more chances of sunburn.”

Symptoms of sunburn

*Skin becomes red.
*It feels hot and tight.
*There might be some pain and tenderness.
*In case of second-degree sunburn, you may experience blisters and swelling followed by peeling of your skin.

To prevent the severe effects of a sunburn, Dr Agrawal suggested: “Put cold water on your skin, stay hydrated, don’t peel off your skin, take a cool shower, take a painkiller if it’s paining and try using some topical cooling and hydrating cream.”

As they say, ‘Prevention is better than cure’. To avoid sunburn, here are some tips from the dermatologist.

*Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from both kinds of ultraviolet rays. Reapply it after every two hours.
*Limit your sun exposure between 10 am and 4 pm.
*Visit a dermatologist and get an annual skin checkup done.
*Wear physical protectants like long sleeve shirts, pants, hats and sunglasses.
*Get your dose of vitamin D through your diet or supplements.
*Use an SPF lip balm for your lips.

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