The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
Weather in the capital is set to hit a scorching 39C this afternoon as a three-day heatwave comes to a climax today.
So with temperatures forecast to hit record levels, get ready for the barbecues, beer gardens and pictures for the ‘gram because hot weather comes around of often as Christmas in the UK.
But just because you’re in the UK doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect yourself from the sun’s rays -because not only does sunburn make you resemble a lobster, but it can also be extremely painful and increase your risk of skin cancer.
So to make sure you don’t get caught out this summer, here are the best ways to protect yourself from, and treat, sunburn according to a dermatologist.
What is sunburn?
“Sunburn is redness and swelling caused from excessive exposure to the sun’s rays,” Dr Sunil Chopra, Clinic Director and Consultant Dermatologist at the London Dermatology Centre told the Standard.
“The component of the sun’s rays that mainly cause the burn is ultraviolet radiation, although sunburn may also happen after exposure to other UV light sources such as tanning machines.”
Can you still burn if you’re wearing fake tan?
Slathering on the fake tan may be safer for you than tanning in the sun, but it’s not protective.
“You can most certainly burn if you are wearing fake tan,” says Dr Chopra.
The ES guide to the best summer holiday reads – in pictures
1/44
Click through the gallery to see our picks for the best books to take on holiday this summer …
2/44 Golden Child by Claire Adam
3/44 Days in the Caucasus by Banine
4/44 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
5/44 Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
6/44 Will by Will Self
7/44 Throw Me to the Wolves by Patrick McGuinness
8/44 This is Happiness by Niall Williams
9/44 The Twice-Born: Life and Death on the Ganges by Aatish Taseer
10/44 The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
11/44 The Making of Poetry by Adam Nicolson
12/44 The Last Leonardo by Ben Lewis
13/44 The End by Karl Ove Knausgaard
14/44 Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
15/44 Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls
16/44 Sérotonine by Michel Houellebecq’s
17/44 Our Man Down in Havana: The Story Behind Graham Greene’s Cold War Spy Novel by Christopher Hull
18/44 Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza
19/44 One Across, Two Down by Ruth Rendell
20/44 On Chapel Sands by Laura Cumming
21/44 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
22/44 Nicholas Hilliard: Life of an Artist by Elizabeth Goldring
23/44 Lost Dog by Kate Spicer
24/44 Let’s Hope for the Best by Carolina Setterwall
25/44 For the Record by David Cameron
26/44 Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich
27/44 L.E.L. by Lucasta Miller
28/44 In Our Mad, Furious City by Guy Gunaratne
29/44 How to be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century by Frank Dikötter
30/44 Goliath: Why the West Doesn’t Win Wars by Sean McFate
31/44 Chaucer, A European Life by Marion Turner
32/44 Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds
33/44 Blue Moon by Lee Child
34/44 Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
35/44 A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths by John Barton
36/44 A Hero for High Times by Ian Marchant
37/44 The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
38/44 Milkman by Anna Burns
39/44 Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré
40/44 Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
41/44 The Human Tide: How Population Shaped the Modern World by Paul Morland
42/44 Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
43/44 Thomas Cromwell: A Life by Diarmaid MacCulloch
44/44 The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
1/44
Click through the gallery to see our picks for the best books to take on holiday this summer …
2/44 Golden Child by Claire Adam
3/44 Days in the Caucasus by Banine
4/44 An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
5/44 Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
6/44 Will by Will Self
7/44 Throw Me to the Wolves by Patrick McGuinness
8/44 This is Happiness by Niall Williams
9/44 The Twice-Born: Life and Death on the Ganges by Aatish Taseer
10/44 The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
11/44 The Making of Poetry by Adam Nicolson
12/44 The Last Leonardo by Ben Lewis
13/44 The End by Karl Ove Knausgaard
14/44 Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
15/44 Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls
16/44 Sérotonine by Michel Houellebecq’s
17/44 Our Man Down in Havana: The Story Behind Graham Greene’s Cold War Spy Novel by Christopher Hull
18/44 Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza
19/44 One Across, Two Down by Ruth Rendell
20/44 On Chapel Sands by Laura Cumming
21/44 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
22/44 Nicholas Hilliard: Life of an Artist by Elizabeth Goldring
23/44 Lost Dog by Kate Spicer
24/44 Let’s Hope for the Best by Carolina Setterwall
25/44 For the Record by David Cameron
26/44 Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich
27/44 L.E.L. by Lucasta Miller
28/44 In Our Mad, Furious City by Guy Gunaratne
29/44 How to be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century by Frank Dikötter
30/44 Goliath: Why the West Doesn’t Win Wars by Sean McFate
31/44 Chaucer, A European Life by Marion Turner
32/44 Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds
33/44 Blue Moon by Lee Child
34/44 Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
35/44 A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths by John Barton
36/44 A Hero for High Times by Ian Marchant
37/44 The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
38/44 Milkman by Anna Burns
39/44 Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré
40/44 Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan
41/44 The Human Tide: How Population Shaped the Modern World by Paul Morland
42/44 Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
43/44 Thomas Cromwell: A Life by Diarmaid MacCulloch
44/44 The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
Does sunburn turn into a tan?
If you’re unlucky enough to get sunburn and are quietly praying it turns into a tan, you’d be sadly mistaken.
Dr Chopra explains that sunburn can turn into a tan in some people but not all. “If you are very pale, sunburn does not necessarily turn into a tan.”
How long does sunburn last?
A sunburn can last as long as 5-7 days.
How to reduce redness of sunburn
Dr Chopra said: “If you do get sunburnt, take two aspirins immediately and then two every four hours.
“You can buy a topical steroid over the counter which is 1% Hydrocortisone cream and apply this twice daily for three days and keep your skin well moisturised.”
How to treat peeling skin
Another nasty side effect of sunburn? Dry, peeling skin.
To best treat this, Dr Chopra says you should use 1% Hydrocortisone and moisturise, which will help reduce redness as well as treat the peeling skin.
How to treat sunburn blisters
If blisters begin to appear on the skin as a result of sunburn, it’s important to seek medical help as soon as you can.
“Once you have blistered when exposed to sun, this is a severe and serious form of sunburn and is best managed by a doctor or preferably a dermatologist,” encourages Dr Chopra.
“The blisters would need to be burst and drained and a potent topical steroid applied.”
What are the best products to use to treat sunburn?
Anything that has moisturising properties will help sunburn.
Dr Chopra recommends using Aloe Vera gel, Sudocrem or E45 cream.
How long should you avoid exposure to the sun after getting burnt?
“You should avoid exposure to the sun at least a week after getting burnt,” instructs Dr Chopra.
Is there anything you can take to help with sunburn pain?
There are a number of over-the-counter treatments you can buy to help treat painful sunburn.
Dr Chopra says: “You can take nonsteroidal or anti-inflammatory drugs for sunburn pains such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.”
Top tips for preventing sunburn
Here are some of Dr Chopra’s top tips for preventing sunburn:
- Avoid sun exposure between 12-3pm
- Wear protective clothing including a hat
- Regularly apply a sunscreen with SPF of between 30 and 50