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50 Times People Posted Their Embarrassing Sunbathing Fails So You Can Learn From Their Mistakes
The whiff of blossoming trees, sunshine on your skin, the cool refreshing water as you jump into a lake, and an increase in vitamin D levels—all of these things and many more are what makes summertime – a happy time. (Especially for those living in places with distinct four seasons and loooong dark winters.)
But one of the things that make summer the best time of the year for many, can also make it the worst; for a day or two, at least. I’m talking about said sunshine on your skin, which can get pretty harsh.
It’s safe to assume that most people have been sunburnt at least once or twice; chances are, you have been, too, so you might know just how painful and inconvenient it can be. But for some people, in addition to all that, it’s also embarrassing—or funny, depending on how you look at it—because of the tan they are left with.
Well, to make you feel better about your own tan, if you’ve already experienced a tanning session gone wrong, or to simply remind you to properly apply sunscreen, we’re coming to you today with some of the worst sunburns the internet has ever seen. Our team has combed the online world and found quite a few unfortunate cases, so scroll down to find them, and use this chance to learn from fellow netizens’ mistakes.
On the list below, you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with a Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Sherry Pagoto, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about sunburn and skin damage.
This post may include affiliate links.
When I Was A Teenager I Found Some Tanning Foam And Put A Stripe On My Wrist. Liked It So Much I Did My Arms And Legs. Nobody Was Amused But Me. It Lasted A Couple Months
My Son’s Sunburn Matches The Gradient Of His Shirt
Never Underestimate The Power Of The Sun. Fun Fact: The Sky Was Cloudy Almost The Entire Day. The Reflective Snow Alone Was Enough To Burn My Face Completely
Imagine yourself in a sunny spot near a body of water; you’re relaxing as you listen to the quiet fuss of the people around you when you slowly drift asleep. You wake up a couple of hours later to see that your body is a soft shade of red crab.
This scenario has likely happened to many of us, but for some reason, we often fail to learn from our mistakes – come next summer, we’ll likely do it again.
Husband's Summer Tan Looks Like A Stranger's Hand
Took My Boyfriend To The Beach Today, And He Fell Asleep In The Sun. This Is The Result
While the unfortunate tans on this list might look amusing, in reality, sunburn is far from funny. Not only does it usually hurt (and becomes itchy when healing later), according to Dr. Sherry Pagoto, it can increase one’s risk for melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
“Your risk is even worse if anyone in your family has had melanoma,” she said in an interview with Bored Panda. “Another thing to think about melanoma is that it is a very recurrent cancer. If you get it once, you are likely to get it again, so even if you beat it, you have to live with the fear of recurrence every day. That’s a worry you really don’t want, just ask someone who’s had melanoma!”
The Hair On The Pale Part Of My Watch Tan Is Black, But The Hair On The Tan Part Of My Arm Is White
Perks Of Having Red Hair: Free Cancer
My Sock Tan Looks Like I Have Socks On
The expert continued to point out that melanoma is the most prevalent form of cancer in the US, however, its risk can be minimized by wearing photoprotection, such as sunscreen, which can also prevent burns and skin damage.
I Was Working Inside, But Next To A Large Garage Door That I Had Open. I Was In "I'm Inside, Don't Need Sunscreen" Mode, Not Realizing That I Was Still Very Much In Direct Sunlight
My Husband Got Scalp Edema From A Severe Sunburn
During a trip to Dominican Republic my wife got cornrows for the first time and she is really pale white european. She always put a lot of sunscreen. Her scalp swollen between the cornrows and on the forehead, she looked like an alien or a Buffy vapire slayer vilain for the last days of the trip.
Awful Sunburn. It Hurts
Discussing the damage the sun causes to our skin, Dr. Pagoto emphasized that it doesn’t need to be burnt to be damaged. “When the skin tans, it is a sign it has had too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation and that the skin is attempting to protect itself from further damage. Some people like the tanned look, but tanning negatively impacts the integrity of your skin which leads to premature aging and cancer risk. If you like the tanned look, I highly recommend sunless tanning products because they cause no harm to the skin.”
Just A Friendly Public Service Announcement: Make Sure Your Sunblock Is Not Expired And You Actually Use It
I learned the hard way that sunblock expiration dates are real. At a waterpark. In the summer. In Arizona. Now the leftovers go on the trash and new is bought every year!
Someone Didn’t Want To Ask For Help With Their Sunscreen
The Difference Between My And My Brother's Tan
You might think that you’ve heard of other ways, other than sunless tanning products, to achieve a tanned look without having to cook in the sun like a potato in a fire. But chances are, the information you heard is not much more than a myth.
“The most common misconception is that a tan protects you from skin cancer,” Dr. Pagoto told Bored Panda, discussing popular sun- or tan-based myths. “Prolonged sun exposure damages the skin and can lead to DNA mutations that lead to cancer. We have to remember that the sun is emitting radiation, and radiation exposure is not healthy.”
Well, It's Official, I'm An Idiot, And Summer Has Just Begun
Love My New Slip-On Vans, Hate The Tan Lines
My Cousin's Neat Tan
It’s unclear if being more aware of the damage the sun can cause deters people from sunbathing, but statistics from nearly a decade between 2011 and 2020 show that interest in sunbathing seems to be shrinking.
According to Statista, the number of people in the US who went tanning—be it once, a couple, or more than four times—in the last six months in 2020 was lower than the years before. For instance, while in 2012, close to four million people went sunbathing more than four times within the span of half-a-year, in 2020 the number dropped to roughly two million.
Day In The Sun + Backwards Cap = Awkward Sunburn. Top Effort Dom
I Forgot To Put Sun Block On My Legs During A Kayak Trip On The Lake
My Sunburn From A Few Days Ago Started To Peel. I Went For A Run Today And All The Sweat Got Caught Underneath The Dead Skin And Formed A Lot Of Sweat Bubbles
If you’ve enjoyed browsing these pictures of some of the most unfortunate tans there are—or if you’re still not convinced that sunscreen is a good idea—continue to Bored Panda’s previous edition on tans-gone-wrong for more.
Oh Yeah. Now That's Different
I Work Outdoors, This Is The Color Difference Of My Hand And My Foot
I Went Kayaking In Florida Six Days Ago And Got The Worst Sunburn (Yes, I Put Sunscreen On). I Typically Don't Use The Spray Kind, So I Thought I Had Applied It Well, But Apparently Not
New Rule: No Matter How Much The Sunscreen Costs (After You Drunkenly Lose The One You Brought) You Buy It
The price of sunscreen is a lot less than the price of skin cancer.
My Friend's Crazy Tan Lines
What Do You Think Of My Tan?
After All These Years, Still Trying To Figure Out How Much Sunscreen To Use 🥵😬 Usually I Don’t Get A Lot Of Sun Under My Hair. Well You Can Clearly See That Theory Didn’t Work For Me This Time
My Sunburn Line Perfectly Follows My Vein
That's interesting, does anyone who know why? Or was it just that the shirt/cover lined up perfectly?
Husker Day Burns. Ouch
I've Put Sunscreen On My Face And Wiped My Fingers On My Arm
I Think I Missed Some Spots
Thought I Would Get A Nice Base Tan Helping Out At My Customer's Farm For A Couple Hours
We had a client where I work years ago who was working outside and took his shirt off around lunchtime one day. Several people told him he should put it back on, but he said "It will be fine. I go outside without a shirt all the time back home in New York." Buddy, you aren't in New York anymore. The next day he was wishing he had listened.
The After Effects Of Spending All Weekend In The Pool Wearing Sunglasses
I Came Across This Picture Of A Sunburn I Got When I Was 17 Years Old At A NASCAR Race
My Tanned And Untanned Skin Tones Are Drastically Different
Missed Sunscreen
Ooo - I did that exact thing on my honeymoon. Fluorescent burning legs!
Spent Two Days In The Glorious Sunshine Working Outside And Did Not Anticipate Getting A Tan. Guess I’ll Keep The Thumb Splint On A Bit Longer
She was obviously working in the garden - do you all have perfectly clean hands after that?
Sunburn On Vacation
The Duality Of Pale, Strongest Sunscreen, Most Time On The Shade, Avoiding Strongest Hours And Still This Happened
I am burning so much. I have 2 fans against me, and it's still not enough.
Dude, Look At My Tan Lines
I Recently Went To Hawaii And Got A Gnarly Sunburn As Seen Here. Ended Up Getting A Case Of “Hell’s Itch”, Which Was Genuinely The Worst Pain I’ve Ever Experienced
My Burn From A Few Years Ago. Still Remember The Horrific Pain, Worst Sunburn I've Ever Experienced
Today I Got A Raccoon Sunburn And My Chain Around My Neck Tan Too
Oh, Your Shoulder Is Sore? You Should Get It Taped, They Said. It Will Help With The Pain, They Said. Except No One Mentioned To Maybe Put On More Sunscreen
So it's their fault because they didn't tell a grown woman to put on sunscreen.
Forgot Sunscreen
Cook Until It Stings
Went To An Amusement Park And Forgot Sunscreen But The Paint They Marked Me With Left A Tan Line
Well, yeah. The paint would block the sunlight, acting as sunscreen.
The Way My Bracelet Created This Tan Line
Wolfgang Petry, is that you? (German singer who wore dozens of friendship bracelets)
The Sun Is My Greatest Nemesis
Went To A Music Festival, Got This Gnarly Sunburn
The problem is not that they look like dorks. The problem is that if they do not protect themselves with cream and are burned like this several times, skin cancer can develop.
!! I'm worried. you're talking about the sun right? SUN burns only cause cancer?
Load More Replies...The worst burn I ever saw in person was when I was on holiday in Darwin. A tourist was leaving the hotel in an open shirt and the receptionist asked him if he had sunscreen. "I don't need sunscreen, I never burn". Sir, this is Australia. You will burn. Anyway he did, I saw him later that night with a belly so red it was glowing. Protip: Listen to the locals.
Lol so common in Australia with people from warm sunny places overseas thinking they're immune to our sunlight here.
Load More Replies...Seeing this is one of the things that makes me grateful for my highly-melanated skin. While we folks of African descent still need protection from the sun and are not immune to sun damage; in my nearly 60 years of life I have had 3 or 4 sunburns total, and only once was it bad enough for my skin to peel (Thank you Disney World).
It's all fun and games until your dermatologist calls with that phone call. I got one two weeks ago for stage one melanoma. One surgery later I'm very sore but in the clear, except now I worry about every other mole on my skin. Is that one melanoma too, or is it okay? Could I have melanoma somewhere else and not know it? Are my lymph nodes affected or are they still safe? I will be wondering and worrying for many years to come, and hopefully the doctor will keep catching things early enough that I'll still be here to worry about it. Wear your sunscreen. You don't want to be where I am.
At 18, I decided SPF 10 was enough for a day at the beach in Southern Texas. Friends, I'm descended from the two whitest European species. I am so white, I was born holding pumpkin spice. I have red hair and my skin tone is vampire-who-has-been-too-long-in-the-crypt. By noon, I was the color of coca-cola can. The next day I was in ER because I learned you CAN get third degree burns from the sun.
yes. when people say "fake tan" I ask why they want to pretend to have sun damage. and don't get me started on people referring to it as a "healthy glow"
Load More Replies...I am going to be critical here. These pictures just show irresponsible behavior. It is pretty easy to use sunscreen wear proper clothing or manage your time in the sun. I am outside a lot and haven't had sunburn in a very long time.
Talked to a roofer trainee a few weeks ago. He complained a bit about his constant sunburns. I suggested since he couldn't avoid the sun every day he could protect himself with his clothes. A light long sleeved shirt could work wonders. He reacted as if I said something against his honor as a roofer. Okay, then. Enjoy your sunburns ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Load More Replies...During the summer going into my junior year of high school, I almost died and then spent 2 months in the hospital. Needless to say, I got pale AF. So what's one of the first things I did when I was finally able to leave the hospital? Go to a Naval Air Show. That's held on a Naval Air Base. Where they just put the planes on the open runways and when the air show starts, you stand out in the open, under the sun. During the summer. In Southern Cliafornia. Where you're also looking up most of the time. So did my pale a*s put on sunscreen or at least wear a hat? NOPE. I burned my nose and under my eyes so bad I destroyed my skin cells. I learned soon after that when I get sunburned in those areas my skin no longer peels. It festers and gets infected and scabs. It's gross. I've only gotten sunburned there a couple of times since then and have lived the very pale life ever since. Don't f**k with the sun, people.
I haven’t had sunburn in a long time, I remember peeling big pieces of skin off when I was a kid😳 I try to avoid being outside when it’s too hot. I just can’t handle the heat. I keep a tube of aloe Vera gel in the fridge for anyone else who may need it.
I try not to get burnt, but I recently went out in a medical bootie with a sneaker on my other foot and now have toes on one foot only that are two shades darker than the rest of my feet. Didn't think I'd have to sunscreen my toes.
Cover up folks. Sunscreen works but protective clothing works better.
We went on a cruise a few years ago and somehow we lost our bottles of sunscreen (we always bring two everywhere). At the store, it was international, and they were selling 80 SFP (oops, SPF 80). I don't know where it came from but it was the best sunscreen EVER. We couldn't bring the original bottle back home because we were not checking in our suitcases and filled-up shampoo bottles the best we could, but we should have taken a picture of that bottle. Can't find it here; we only go up to 50 I think.
UVA is what makes us tan and UVB is what makes us burn. You need a broad spectrum sunblock to be properly protected.
Some of us do not tan, we burn. 15 minutes is how long it takes for me to burn. Never put anything greasy on a sunburn. It holds in the heat and increases the pain and healing time. Put vinegar on the sunburn. It cools it and it heals faster. And do not forget your sunscreen. It's your best friend.
Aloe Vera gel is great for sunburn, too. It's available in most drugstores.
Load More Replies...You know guys, i love sunburns and i apply it only around my body so i can have free blush on my face
I met my husband through a sunburn. Long story short, I was at a party and saw a guy with a bad sunburn on his back. I felt bad, he was sitting there hurting, so I coaxed him to a bedroom and put lotion on his back. He fell asleep and I went back to the party. When he woke up he hunted me up and we started talking. We married four years later, we were married for 44 years. I lost him two and a half years ago.
When I was young a long time ago us kids used to get horrible sunburns every holiday and it was considered normal.... Nobody cared. Now, the last sunburn I had was when I fell asleep on the beach in a tropical country. The back of my legs was burnt so badly I had to lie flat on my stomach for two days.
I tan really easily, even when I put on sunscreen. Few weeks ago I went paddle boarding and had a dramatic tan line where my shorts were. Can still kinda see it right now, lol.
Yikes! I have olive skin tone, yet I always put SPF at least on my face and also on other areas if I am to stay out in the sun for long. I don’t understand how the super pale people in these photos haven’t learned about these risks .
I went to zoo yesterday and forgot sunscreen. I did not get sunburned, only tanned, but ended with awkward white stripes on my shoulder from dress straps. And just like every year,I end with stripes on my feet from sandals, and on my wrist from watches.
Anybody planning a trip to New Zealand should know that we have a hole above us in the ozone layer so please wear SPF50 and reapply often. Check the UV index before you go outside. Most kiwis have experienced horrible sunburns so we want to protect tourists from having their holidays ruined by the same mistakes.
A BRILLIANT cream for instantly taking the burn and pain out and soothing greatly (especially if children have been caught) is called Conotrane but is only available through the doctor NHS be sure to get some before you go. Giant tubs so have a smaller screw top jar handy you can put some in before you go. (Airport regulations.)
I'm mostly pretty good at sun protection (why I still occasionally get I.D.d for alcohol in my 40s. I don't think I look under 18, but it's flattering to be checked. I will say I've barely got a wrinkle on me, but I don't think I look especially young apart from that) but I have had a few incidents of catching the sun. one that means I am wary about any marks on my shoulders, after burning when we were on holiday in Kenya when I was about 10, and in the pool all day. it blistered badly. and another in my late teens/early 20s when I went to a music festival and was wearing a vest top. I'd used a biro to put the logo of one of the bands latest albums under my collarbone, and when it washed off, I had it in white against my tan. I actually tan really easily, and rarely properly burn (maybe from being part Spanish) but I've always tried to keep my skin as pale as I can, because I just prefer the look of it that way. I use my factor 50+, my parasols, wraps to cover my arms and shoulders
and I tend to stick to the shade as much as I can. my favourite way to enjoy the sun is to find a warm but shady spot to chill out in.
Load More Replies...Some of these pictures felt like physical hurt to look at. And nobody mentions sun rash, which is not as dangerous, but in my experience never go away. At least I can still feel the little blisters on my arms from 20 years ago. It feels and looks like I have goosebumps, whatever the temperature.
That was the most painful list I've seen in a long time. So glad I don't go out in the sun anymore (I have a doctor's note).
I drew my initial on my friends arm when I was applying sunscreen. He had a "B"on his arm for a month.
Worst burn I ever got was on the top of my ear. I was biking along the coast for a few days, and on the second day, fed up with helmet hair, I braided it back. But then I forgot that it was no longer covering my ears. Somehow, despite having had short hair for years without ever putting on adequate sunscreen, I never had been burnt like that before. My ears were swollen and had blisters that faded to peeling skin for a week. Not fun. Same trip I knew I would be in the sun, so I wore long sleeves and pants despite the heat before taking a nap in the shade... but I neglected to account for the shade moving and my shirt riding up while I slept so I had a stripe across my belly.
Here in California, there is an area known as the Russian River. Everyone I have ever seen sporting the worst sunburns got them from there. I recall one girl who was a natural platinum blonde ending up in the hospital because her burn was so bad. I have made a commitment to NEVER visit the Russian River.
The problem is not that they look like dorks. The problem is that if they do not protect themselves with cream and are burned like this several times, skin cancer can develop.
!! I'm worried. you're talking about the sun right? SUN burns only cause cancer?
Load More Replies...The worst burn I ever saw in person was when I was on holiday in Darwin. A tourist was leaving the hotel in an open shirt and the receptionist asked him if he had sunscreen. "I don't need sunscreen, I never burn". Sir, this is Australia. You will burn. Anyway he did, I saw him later that night with a belly so red it was glowing. Protip: Listen to the locals.
Lol so common in Australia with people from warm sunny places overseas thinking they're immune to our sunlight here.
Load More Replies...Seeing this is one of the things that makes me grateful for my highly-melanated skin. While we folks of African descent still need protection from the sun and are not immune to sun damage; in my nearly 60 years of life I have had 3 or 4 sunburns total, and only once was it bad enough for my skin to peel (Thank you Disney World).
It's all fun and games until your dermatologist calls with that phone call. I got one two weeks ago for stage one melanoma. One surgery later I'm very sore but in the clear, except now I worry about every other mole on my skin. Is that one melanoma too, or is it okay? Could I have melanoma somewhere else and not know it? Are my lymph nodes affected or are they still safe? I will be wondering and worrying for many years to come, and hopefully the doctor will keep catching things early enough that I'll still be here to worry about it. Wear your sunscreen. You don't want to be where I am.
At 18, I decided SPF 10 was enough for a day at the beach in Southern Texas. Friends, I'm descended from the two whitest European species. I am so white, I was born holding pumpkin spice. I have red hair and my skin tone is vampire-who-has-been-too-long-in-the-crypt. By noon, I was the color of coca-cola can. The next day I was in ER because I learned you CAN get third degree burns from the sun.
yes. when people say "fake tan" I ask why they want to pretend to have sun damage. and don't get me started on people referring to it as a "healthy glow"
Load More Replies...I am going to be critical here. These pictures just show irresponsible behavior. It is pretty easy to use sunscreen wear proper clothing or manage your time in the sun. I am outside a lot and haven't had sunburn in a very long time.
Talked to a roofer trainee a few weeks ago. He complained a bit about his constant sunburns. I suggested since he couldn't avoid the sun every day he could protect himself with his clothes. A light long sleeved shirt could work wonders. He reacted as if I said something against his honor as a roofer. Okay, then. Enjoy your sunburns ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Load More Replies...During the summer going into my junior year of high school, I almost died and then spent 2 months in the hospital. Needless to say, I got pale AF. So what's one of the first things I did when I was finally able to leave the hospital? Go to a Naval Air Show. That's held on a Naval Air Base. Where they just put the planes on the open runways and when the air show starts, you stand out in the open, under the sun. During the summer. In Southern Cliafornia. Where you're also looking up most of the time. So did my pale a*s put on sunscreen or at least wear a hat? NOPE. I burned my nose and under my eyes so bad I destroyed my skin cells. I learned soon after that when I get sunburned in those areas my skin no longer peels. It festers and gets infected and scabs. It's gross. I've only gotten sunburned there a couple of times since then and have lived the very pale life ever since. Don't f**k with the sun, people.
I haven’t had sunburn in a long time, I remember peeling big pieces of skin off when I was a kid😳 I try to avoid being outside when it’s too hot. I just can’t handle the heat. I keep a tube of aloe Vera gel in the fridge for anyone else who may need it.
I try not to get burnt, but I recently went out in a medical bootie with a sneaker on my other foot and now have toes on one foot only that are two shades darker than the rest of my feet. Didn't think I'd have to sunscreen my toes.
Cover up folks. Sunscreen works but protective clothing works better.
We went on a cruise a few years ago and somehow we lost our bottles of sunscreen (we always bring two everywhere). At the store, it was international, and they were selling 80 SFP (oops, SPF 80). I don't know where it came from but it was the best sunscreen EVER. We couldn't bring the original bottle back home because we were not checking in our suitcases and filled-up shampoo bottles the best we could, but we should have taken a picture of that bottle. Can't find it here; we only go up to 50 I think.
UVA is what makes us tan and UVB is what makes us burn. You need a broad spectrum sunblock to be properly protected.
Some of us do not tan, we burn. 15 minutes is how long it takes for me to burn. Never put anything greasy on a sunburn. It holds in the heat and increases the pain and healing time. Put vinegar on the sunburn. It cools it and it heals faster. And do not forget your sunscreen. It's your best friend.
Aloe Vera gel is great for sunburn, too. It's available in most drugstores.
Load More Replies...You know guys, i love sunburns and i apply it only around my body so i can have free blush on my face
I met my husband through a sunburn. Long story short, I was at a party and saw a guy with a bad sunburn on his back. I felt bad, he was sitting there hurting, so I coaxed him to a bedroom and put lotion on his back. He fell asleep and I went back to the party. When he woke up he hunted me up and we started talking. We married four years later, we were married for 44 years. I lost him two and a half years ago.
When I was young a long time ago us kids used to get horrible sunburns every holiday and it was considered normal.... Nobody cared. Now, the last sunburn I had was when I fell asleep on the beach in a tropical country. The back of my legs was burnt so badly I had to lie flat on my stomach for two days.
I tan really easily, even when I put on sunscreen. Few weeks ago I went paddle boarding and had a dramatic tan line where my shorts were. Can still kinda see it right now, lol.
Yikes! I have olive skin tone, yet I always put SPF at least on my face and also on other areas if I am to stay out in the sun for long. I don’t understand how the super pale people in these photos haven’t learned about these risks .
I went to zoo yesterday and forgot sunscreen. I did not get sunburned, only tanned, but ended with awkward white stripes on my shoulder from dress straps. And just like every year,I end with stripes on my feet from sandals, and on my wrist from watches.
Anybody planning a trip to New Zealand should know that we have a hole above us in the ozone layer so please wear SPF50 and reapply often. Check the UV index before you go outside. Most kiwis have experienced horrible sunburns so we want to protect tourists from having their holidays ruined by the same mistakes.
A BRILLIANT cream for instantly taking the burn and pain out and soothing greatly (especially if children have been caught) is called Conotrane but is only available through the doctor NHS be sure to get some before you go. Giant tubs so have a smaller screw top jar handy you can put some in before you go. (Airport regulations.)
I'm mostly pretty good at sun protection (why I still occasionally get I.D.d for alcohol in my 40s. I don't think I look under 18, but it's flattering to be checked. I will say I've barely got a wrinkle on me, but I don't think I look especially young apart from that) but I have had a few incidents of catching the sun. one that means I am wary about any marks on my shoulders, after burning when we were on holiday in Kenya when I was about 10, and in the pool all day. it blistered badly. and another in my late teens/early 20s when I went to a music festival and was wearing a vest top. I'd used a biro to put the logo of one of the bands latest albums under my collarbone, and when it washed off, I had it in white against my tan. I actually tan really easily, and rarely properly burn (maybe from being part Spanish) but I've always tried to keep my skin as pale as I can, because I just prefer the look of it that way. I use my factor 50+, my parasols, wraps to cover my arms and shoulders
and I tend to stick to the shade as much as I can. my favourite way to enjoy the sun is to find a warm but shady spot to chill out in.
Load More Replies...Some of these pictures felt like physical hurt to look at. And nobody mentions sun rash, which is not as dangerous, but in my experience never go away. At least I can still feel the little blisters on my arms from 20 years ago. It feels and looks like I have goosebumps, whatever the temperature.
That was the most painful list I've seen in a long time. So glad I don't go out in the sun anymore (I have a doctor's note).
I drew my initial on my friends arm when I was applying sunscreen. He had a "B"on his arm for a month.
Worst burn I ever got was on the top of my ear. I was biking along the coast for a few days, and on the second day, fed up with helmet hair, I braided it back. But then I forgot that it was no longer covering my ears. Somehow, despite having had short hair for years without ever putting on adequate sunscreen, I never had been burnt like that before. My ears were swollen and had blisters that faded to peeling skin for a week. Not fun. Same trip I knew I would be in the sun, so I wore long sleeves and pants despite the heat before taking a nap in the shade... but I neglected to account for the shade moving and my shirt riding up while I slept so I had a stripe across my belly.
Here in California, there is an area known as the Russian River. Everyone I have ever seen sporting the worst sunburns got them from there. I recall one girl who was a natural platinum blonde ending up in the hospital because her burn was so bad. I have made a commitment to NEVER visit the Russian River.