Scout Skills

First Aid · UV

Sunburn & Sun

Sunburn is a burn of the skin from UV light — red, hot, painful skin that shows up hours after too much sun. Cool it, soothe it, and stay out of the sun. Better yet, prevent it with sunscreen, shade, a hat, and covering clothing.

Category
UV skin injury
Care
Cool + soothe
Prevent
Sunscreen, shade, hat
Don't
Pop blisters

What to do

Treat a sunburn

  1. 1Cool the skin — a cool, damp towel for about 10 minutes several times a day, or a cool bath.
  2. 2Soothe and moisturize — a moisturizer, aloe vera gel, or calamine lotion (chilling it first feels better); avoid products with alcohol.
  3. 3Leave blisters alone. If one breaks on its own, clean gently with mild soap and water, cover with ointment and a nonstick bandage.
  4. 4Stay out of the sun until it heals, and protect the burned skin if you must go out.
  5. 5Drink extra fluids — sunburn pulls fluid to the skin and can contribute to dehydration.
  6. 6Get medical care for severe cases (see safety).

Protect against sun

  1. 1Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen (UVA and UVB), SPF at least 15; apply generously and reapply regularly, especially after sweating or swimming.
  2. 2Cover up — a wide-brim hat, sunglasses, and lightweight long sleeves; seek shade.
  3. 3Avoid the strongest sun in the middle of the day.
  4. 4Hit the missed spots — ears, lips (SPF lip balm), the back of the neck, the tops of feet, and the part in your hair.

When to use it

  • Every sunny outing — hikes, water activities, snow (which reflects UV), and high altitude (stronger UV).
  • Recognizing that a bad sunburn is a real burn injury, not just discomfort.
  • Building sun protection into trip planning the way you plan for water and food.

Common mistakes & safety

  • Sunburn is a burn. A severe one can blister and, over a large area, cause fever, chills, and dehydration — those need medical care.
  • Get medical care if it blisters over a large area, comes with a high fever or severe pain, shows infection, or comes with dehydration, cold skin, dizziness, or faintness — or if a severe burn doesn't improve in a few days.
  • Don't pop blisters — they protect against infection; let them heal.
  • UV is stronger than it feels. Clouds, water, snow, and altitude all let you burn without feeling hot, and you can burn on a cool day.
  • Skip alcohol-based lotions and "remedies" like butter — they can irritate or trap heat.
  • Sun damage adds up. Repeated burns raise long-term skin-cancer risk — the real reason prevention matters.

Going deeper

  • Sunburn is delayed. It usually peaks hours after exposure, so "I don't feel burned yet" is not proof you're fine — by the time it hurts, the damage is done.
  • Reflected and high-altitude UV burns harder. Snow, water, and sand bounce UV up at you, and thinner air filters less — snow blindness (sunburned eyes) is the same idea, which is why sunglasses matter.
  • "Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide" — shirt, sunscreen, hat, shade, sunglasses — a common teaching mnemonic for sun protection.

Official source

Sunburn: first aid — Mayo Clinic →

This is general first-aid information, not a substitute for professional care. A large blistered burn or one with a high fever needs evaluation.

Related skills

First AidBurns First AidHeat Exhaustion First AidDehydration First AidAltitude Illness First AidObject in the Eye First AidFirst Aid Kit