SUNBURN

Signs and symptoms of sunburn usually appear within a few hours of exposure, bringing pain, redness, swelling and occasional blistering. Because exposure often affects a large area of your skin, sunburn can cause headache, fever and fatigue.

If you have a sunburn:

1. Take a cool bath or shower.

2. Apply an aloe vera lotion several times a day.

3. Leave blisters intact to speed healing and avoid infection.

4. If needed, take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Don't give children or teenagers aspirin. It may cause Reye's syndrome, a rare, but potentially fatal, disease.

If your sunburn begins to blister or if you experience immediate complications, such as rash, itching or fever, see your doctor.

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The City of Ashland Division of Fire does not present this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training. Do not use this information to diagnose or develop a treatment plan for a health problem or disease without consulting a qualified health care provider. If ever you're in a life-threatening or emergency medical situation, seek medical assistance immediately.