Sunburn care: cooling skin without making irritation worse

Sunburn damages skin and may cause heat and pain without obvious redness on darker skin. Leave the sun and cool skin gently with a cool shower or damp towel, taking care not to overcool a young child.

Avoid direct ice, bursting blisters or pulling peeling skin. Ask a pharmacist about an unperfumed moisturiser and protect the area from sunlight while it heals; peeling is not a reason to remove skin yourself.

Blistering, swelling, dizziness or high temperature need urgent advice, as does sunburn in a baby or young child. Burning is not a safe tanning method: it increases skin-cancer risk.