When you play outside in the sun too long, your skin can turn red and hurt. 🌞 That's called a sunburn! The sun sends out tiny rays of light that can be too strong for your skin. Just like how too many candies can make your tummy hurt, too much sun can make your skin hurt.
To stay safe, wear a hat and put on sunscreen before going outside! 🧴
Sunburns happen when your skin gets too much sunlight. 🌞 The sun gives off invisible rays called ultraviolet (UV) rays. These rays can damage your skin cells, making them red, hot, and painful.
Your skin has a special pigment called melanin that tries to protect you by making your skin darker (a tan). But if there's too much sun, even melanin can't stop a sunburn!
Always wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and try to stay in the shade when the sun is strongest (usually between 10 AM and 4 PM). ⏰
Sunburns are caused by overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. There are two types of UV rays that reach Earth—UVA and UVB. UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn, while UVA rays can age the skin over time.
When UV rays hit your skin, they damage the DNA in your skin cells. Your body responds by increasing blood flow to the area (causing redness) and triggering inflammation (pain and heat). This is your body's way of repairing the damage.
Repeated sunburns can increase the risk of skin cancer later in life. That's why it's important to: