Skin cancers and sunburn - Sunburn

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Skin cancers and sunburn home

The Cancer Council Australia’s National Sun Survey 2004 found almost one in five Australian adults are sunburnt on summer weekends. Of those sunburnt, 28% were burnt while gardening or working around the home, 20% were burnt at the beach or in the water, with a further 18% burnt while enjoying outdoor activities. In Australia, sunburn can occur in as little as 15 minutes on a fine January day.

The most likely place on the body for adults to get sunburnt is the arms and hands, closely followed by the head and face. The least likely body parts for sunburn are the legs and feet.

It is the UV radiation in the sunshine that causes our skin to burn. UV can't be seen or felt and it isn’t related to temperature. UV levels can be very high even on cool or cloudy days, when we least expect to get burnt.

When UV radiation reaches our skin, the epidermis releases chemicals that cause the blood vessels to swell and leak fluids, causing inflammation, pain and redness, otherwise known as sunburn. This type of damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes and will continue to develop for 24 to 72 hours after exposure to the sun.

Damaged skin cells self-destruct and peel off. Although peeling is unpleasant, it is actually your body’s way of getting rid of damaged skin cells.

Both UVA and UVB cause skin damage and increase the risk of developing common skin cancer and melanoma. UVA penetrates deepest into the skin.

All types of sunburn, whether serious or mild, can cause permanent and irreversible skin damage and can lay the groundwork of skin cancer later in life. Further sunburn only increases your risk of developing skin cancer.

Most people get sunburnt when the temperature is between 18 and 27 degrees, due to the misunderstanding that UV radiation isn’t as strong on a cooler day. This misunderstanding is caused because people tend to confuse heat with UV radiation intensity. The heat is in fact infrared radiation, not UV radiation. UV radiation can't be seen or felt.

A mild sunburn, which reddens and inflames the skin mildly, is known as first degree sunburn. Second degree sunburn occurs with more serious reddening of the skin and water blisters. Third degree sunburn needs medical attention.

For further information call the Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20