Feel the (Sun)burn?: How to Save Your Skin from Too Much Sun

It starts out innocently enough. You tan a little too much, sunscreen slips your mind or you figure it’s not the end of the world if you don’t bother reapplying. Next thing you know, the gorgeous skin you’ve been prepping all year to show off this summer has transformed into a dry and inflamed hot mess, and you more closely resemble a lobster than a bikini model.
We all know that we shouldn’t have fun in the sun without protecting our skin, but the truth is, sunburns happen. Luckily, HC consulted a panel of dermatologists and real-life collegiettes™ to bring you the best in sunburn treatment and prevention tips.

What is Sunburn?
So how exactly does skin go from smooth and sunkissed to rough, overheated and peeling, anyway?
“Ultraviolet light, which is radiation, damages skin cells, causing them to die,” Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, a dermatologist and skincare blogger, says. Sunlight consists of ultraviolet radiation, often referred to as UV rays.
Dermatologist Dr. Rachel Herschenfeld says that exposure to the sun’s rays happens even when we aren’t thinking about being in the sun. “UV exposure occurs when people go outside, and even inside through window glass and while driving,” she explains.
Skin cell-destroying UV exposure triggers an inflammatory response in the skin, which causes sunburn. The inflammation is evident in symptoms like redness, tenderness, swelling and peeling of the skin.