As its name suggests, sunburn is a condition characterized the skin becoming red, painful and hot to the touch as a result of being burned by the sun. Sunburn typically appears within a few hours after exposure to the sun and may last from several days to several weeks.

Over exposure to the sun, which results in numerous cases of sunburn increases risk of certain complications and related skin diseases including dry, wrinkled skin, liver spots, actinic keratoses and skin cancer.

Signs and symptoms of sunburn which usually begin to appear within 4-6 hours after the sun exposure include:

- Pinkness or redness

- Skin that feels warm or hot to the touch

- Pain or tenderness

- Swelling

- Small fluid-filled blisters, which may break

- Headache, fever and fatigue if sunburn covers a large area

The sun can burn any part of the body. Even the eyes, which are extremely sensitive to the sun's ultraviolet light, can burn. A painful or gritty feeling is common in eyes that have been sunburned.

Sunburn pain usually peaks six hours to 48 hours after exposure to ultraviolet light. After a few days, the body's natural healing process begins to take place, which is characterized by the top layer of skin "peeling". Once the peeling process has finished, a temporary, irregular color and pattern on the skin may appear. It may take several days or up to three weeks for the sunburn to heal, depending on the severity.

Sunburns are caused by exposure to too much ultraviolet (UV) light. UV radiation is a wavelength of sunlight in a range too short to be seen by the human eye. UV light is divided into three wavelength bands which are known as ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet C (UVC) but UVC rays never actually reach the earth.

During exposure to UV light, the skin protects the deeper layers of skin by producing extra melanin, the dark pigment in the epidermis that gives the skin its normal color. The result is what we call a "tan". A suntan is actually the body's defense mechanism against sunburn and other damage to the skin. This protection however, has its limits as the amount of melanin produced in one's body is determined by one's genetics. Once the production of melanin stops, the burning begins. Some people don't produce as much melanin as others which is why some people burn easily and some do not.

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