Sunburn blisters? (Full Version)

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fiery -> Sunburn blisters? (4/10/2009 1:07:27 PM)

I managed to get so sunburned the other day when clearing up the yard that I'm all blistered up all over my shoulders and the back of my neck. Stupid me assumed it was the heat of the fire and with a chill breeze that day, didn't notice until that night how bad it was. I'd been out in it for 8 hours with a sleeveless tshirt on and have spent the last three days in strappy tops unable to even bear the weight of a cotton shirt on my skin.  I can't sleep either for lying on it no matter how I turn and keeping everyone awake moaning in my sleep. I'm putting aloe gel on it now and that seems to be helping but it's still radiating heat even now. Any more ideas?



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/10/2009 3:20:29 PM)

ouch!!  I had a sunburn that left permanent scars on my chest, back and shoulders .. if you can, get to a dermatologist quick!  they can give you some hydrocortisone with a pain reliever in it - don't try OTC sunburn sprays because if you are blistered then the skin will burn when you put that stuff on it.  the aloe should help some, but I would really recommend a derm guy.  I wish I had gone to mine when I was still burned, I went to him after it had healed up because I was concerned about some new freckles left by the burn ... he told me he could have helped a lot.



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/12/2009 12:17:07 PM)

Thanks for the advice, diane. The aloe gel was a miracle worker and it's all calmed right down now and the tiny blisters have gone. I only have two other ones left. I'll not bother with the derm since it's so much better. Geesh, I'm glad I didn't get the sprays now you told me that! I'd never heard that. Someone gave me the aloe gel years ago when I did this once before (it's a Fruits of the Earth 100% aloe gel) and I'd remembered that's what had helped. Honestly, you'd think I'd not have got caught with it twice. I'm usually so careful about covering up and having lotion on if I'm outside any length of time but I just didn't think. [:-]

That gel's great too for holding the curl in your hair and takes the itch and swelling out of mosquito bites right away. I'd forgot about being able to use it for that too. You just need to remember to smooth it on like a layer of icing on top of a cake and let it dry rather than rubbing it in like a lotion.



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/12/2009 9:10:12 PM)

rubbing is BAAAAADDD!  lol  I am glad it is better now ... I remember the pain of my major burn - days of laying in bed, the pain and the itch!  ugh, nightmare!

the derm told me that the solarcaine and other sunburn sprays I used may have increased the scarring, but you live and learn.  I take a medication that makes me sensitive to the sun.  I am olive toned and have rarely burned in my life, so it has taken me a few years to really build the habit of sunscreen and such.  fortunately, it has also prepared me for a fair skinned child.  my middle girl burns easily and is so fair skinned that even a 50 SPF will not help.  I have found some "friendlier" sunscreens at health food stores that are AMAZING!  I can use a low SPF and still keep her protected, and with a house full of soccer girls, we GOTTA have sunscreen!  lol



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/13/2009 7:55:39 PM)

Wow, she must be very sensitive if the 50 SPF doesn't help! I've built up from "look at the sun and fry" to "get a nice golden tone in a day or two of sun" over the years - still brings out my freckles on my face though! That's why I felt so dumb. I know I know better.

And how could you possibly have known about those sprays anyway, geesh. You'd think the last thing they'd be bad for would be anything remotely related to over exposure to the sun.

What do you get now for the girls, these friendlier ones you're talking about? I'm nosy. But you knew that LOL. [:D]



ChristineB -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/14/2009 2:50:32 PM)

Ugh, that stinks.  I have had my share of sun poisoning and it is NO fun.  I have made a few mistakes to get it and been stupid and gotten it.  No matter what, blisters hurt and a sure sign that your skin is literally cooking, yuck and big ouch.

I have gotten to be much more careful these days but still worry...of course I say this as I just came in from the deck with no sunblock, oy.



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/14/2009 7:34:45 PM)

yeah, this girl made me WORK to find her a good quality sunscreen.  I couldn't find any sunscreen regarded as absolutely safe to use, but NOT using it is not an option.  I found 2 that worked well, and were less harmful than others, but only 1 is easily found ... http://albabotanica.com/?title=Sun+Care



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/15/2009 6:48:49 PM)

Cheers, diane, thanks for that. I thought I'd saved myself from peeling but some started yesterday. [>:]Still, better than the blisters lol. 



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/15/2009 8:12:09 PM)

oooh!  yikes, the peeling is itchy!!
when I got my really bad sunburn, I peeled twice!  the first time it was nasty and itched so badly I made my husband peel it all off (TMI??), the second tome was just flakey peeling.



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/15/2009 11:58:05 PM)

Ohhhh, don't tell me that! LOL. I don't want to peel twice! My son's been wanting to peel mine too. Every time he walks by and catches a glimpse of my neck he says "you know, you'd be better taking that skin off." NO!!! I'll hang on to it, thanks LOL. I grew up being told you shouldn't peel it off because it'll fall off when the skin under it's ready to be exposed and not before, but of course that could be an old wive's tale. Mine's is just the flakey kind. (Don't say it suits me then.)

How did you get such a bad burn anyway? That sounds terrible.



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/16/2009 12:32:31 AM)

if it's flaking, then you should be okay.  my burn was deep ... horrible!  it was a reaction to new medication that made me sensitive to the sun.  I had never used sunscreen before that, and I spent a weekend in 90+ temps and no smog to filter the sun.  the first peeling was thick and hard pieces of skin.  those are the ones you shouldn't peel, but the itching was insane and the only relief I had was to peel it.  the flakey skin is fine to peel because it doesn't expose under developed skin ... the issue with peeling is exposing 'wet' skin that can become infected. 

gross, huh?  lol [:@]



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/24/2009 10:30:25 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dianerene

if it's flaking, then you should be okay.  my burn was deep ... horrible!  it was a reaction to new medication that made me sensitive to the sun.  I had never used sunscreen before that, and I spent a weekend in 90+ temps and no smog to filter the sun.  the first peeling was thick and hard pieces of skin.  those are the ones you shouldn't peel, but the itching was insane and the only relief I had was to peel it.  the flakey skin is fine to peel because it doesn't expose under developed skin ... the issue with peeling is exposing 'wet' skin that can become infected. 

gross, huh?  lol [:@]


Sounds extremely painful, not gross. How long did it all take to heal? My son had a reaction to acne cream where his face was swollen up like a balloon and that was why. He'd went out in the sun with it on. I'd never heard of those kinds of side effects before.



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (4/27/2009 12:54:03 PM)

it seemed like forever to heal, but realistically it was probably a week or two.  I still have scars from it and my chest, upperback and shoulders are now covered in large, dark freckles (I had only a couple before the burn).  I went in to the derm to make sure they all looked okay and he told me that I am fortunate to have the type of skin I do, very rarely will my skin type come up with skin cancer, unless I burn like that again and again.

I need to go back and see him again though.  I am finding now that when I am out in the sun, even protected, that I get hard bumps under my skin, mostly on my chest and shoulders.  they look like acne, but they are very painful.  I have one from this weekend and the area it showed up in was concealed with clothing, so I don't know what is going on.



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/9/2009 11:51:41 PM)

Diane, sorry I missed your post there. Did you make the appt to see the derm? That sounds strange indeed. Any update?



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/20/2009 11:49:06 PM)

no, I havent been back to the derm.  I have been busy trying to get my thyroid issues underway. the bump is still there, but it doesn't hurt anymore.  I will get around to it eventually - lol



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/22/2009 2:29:23 PM)

Ah right. My aunt and gran both had thyroid problems. They had hyperthyroidism.  I don't know if that's something I'll need to be aware of as I get older as well since they didn't find out until they were in their sixties. Keep us posted on how it's going. 



dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/23/2009 10:56:27 PM)

there are some pretty insane issues that revolve around that little gland.  it can cause anything from extreme weight loss/gain to shedding hair.  my mother had thyroid cancer 24 years ago, and I will have mine removed at the same age she was when they found her cancer.  we have been looking after it since last December and it will be completely removed July 7th.



fiery -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/24/2009 12:25:48 PM)

My aunt had hers removed too if I remember right, diane. It was many years ago now. Best of luck when the time comes with the surgery.

There's a site run by Mary Shomon, a thyroid patient advocate. She's well known and respected by thyroid writers (I've worked with some) for her lack of bias and knowledge. You might want to check it out. She also runs the about.com one on thyroid.

This is her own one: http://www.thyroid-info.com/

http://thyroid.about.com/







dianerene -> RE: Sunburn blisters? (5/26/2009 1:11:38 PM)

thank you!  I am finding this isn't going to be a simple transition - my friend has had a non-working throid since she was 5 months old and is spewing all kinds of info I have NEVER heard of, and my mother has been without one for 24 years!!  should be interesting



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