[MWPDX]

So long story short, I spent last weekend on a mountain and apparently didn't use enough sunscreen and now my face feels like it's gonna fall off.

I've had some pretty bad sunburns before, but this one seems worse. The main things that are worrying me are my eyes and my nose. Basically, it seems like the skin around my eyes is leathery/tight enough now that there's sort of a gap between the outer corner part of my eye and my eyelid. AFAIK, that's not normally there.

Also, it feels like there's sort of an air pocket between the skin on my nose and... whatever's under the skin on my nose.

Oh and my eyelids were really swollen the morning after I got the sunburn. Not sure if that has anything to do with the sunburn but it kinda freaked out my teacher/guide/whatever.

So should I go to a doctor? Is there anything they can do at this point to make the long-term stuff from this maybe not be as bad?

 

[2cflyr]

solarcaine.

 

[robdamanii]

Pics of said shenanigans?

 

[MWPDX]

Pics of said shenanigans?

lol no.
You're welcome.
Trust me.

 

[MWPDX]

solarcaine.

I've got some stuff sorta like that. It definitely helps with the pain/peeling but I'm more worried about like permanent disfigurement or whatever.

 

[kykr13]

Yes, you should hire a professional to stab you in the liver.

Sun screen needs to be re-applied during the day. Lip stuff too (probably not koad).

 

[S2H]

And make sure you eat your peeling skin. Om nom nom.

 

[Opus51569]

Sounds like a 2nd degree burn. Keep the skin moist and cool/cold. It sounds like you've blistered and you're going to peel, but at least you can minimize the molting. If the burn around your eyes effects your vision, I think I'd see a doctor just to be safe.

FFR, take a cold shower immediately after a sunburn. Get the water as cold as you can take, and just stand under it. It will pull out the heat and help in the long run.

 

[KenS]

I'm not a doctor but I am prone to sunburn because I am fair-skinned. (I can get a sunburn waiting for the light to change to cross the street.)

The "air pocket" you feel is probably a blister which is associated with a second-degree burn.

The dry irritated skin is probably still a first-degree burn. I have had good luck using gels with lidocaine plus aloe vera on first degree burns. Check the contents and make sure that the product doesn't contain much alcohol. Banana Boat had a lidocaine+aloe gel that contained a fair amount of alcohol and it hurt the bejebus when applied to a sunburn.

 

[majura]

If none of the over-the-counter solutions seem to be really working or you're just plain old not convinced then I'd say one trip to the professional is worth it - even if it turns out to be nothing - just for piece of mind.

 

[majura]

Oh, get better soon too.

Or just get one of these:

 

[robdamanii]

And make sure you eat your peeling skin. Om nom nom.

He's a lizard?

 

[MWPDX]

 

[MWPDX]

Finally broke through to normal skin in a few places this morning. This is exciting.

 

[chrisyews]

If you are fair skinned and have had bad sunburns in the past let me welcome to the Future Skin Cancer Club. I speak as a veteran member. There is a good chance basal cell skin cancer is in your future or you could lose the skin cancer lottery and develope a melanoma. Or get lucky and never have a problem. Best advice see a Dermatoligist when you have any skin changes as you get older. Do some reading and take it serious. I've had at least 10 skin cancer surgeries the last was Mohr's surgery on 2 old surgery scars that left me with a 8.5" scar on my chest. My cousin died of a melanoma when she was 38. Hope you have better results then we did.

 

[MikeBiker]

Take morphine for the pain and alcohol for the pleasure.

 

[MB1]

If you are fair skinned and have had bad sunburns in the past let me welcome to the Future Skin Cancer Club. I speak as a veteran member. ....

Club member here.

Get thee to the dermatologist once a year from now on.