# Does a Sunburn Ever Blister? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2002, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086 "2002-11-22T03:34:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/1 "2002-11-22T03:34:47Z")
Just wondering: A sunburn turns the skin red, and sooner or later, it peels. But, can a sunburn blister? I’ve seen people burned red as a lobster, but never a blister. And, if a sunburn doesn’t, why not? -Jinx ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/2 "2002-11-22T03:38:41Z")
Yeah, I’ve done it. Enough solar radiation to get a second-degree burn on my shoulders. Scared the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/3 "2002-11-22T03:43:58Z")
Happens pretty regularly here in Australia (National Motto: skin cancer capital of the world) ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/4 "2002-11-22T03:56:14Z")
**Drachillix** got a bad burn this summer at Cambria that blistered and peeled and was generally an ugly 2nd degree burn. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/5 "2002-11-22T04:14:14Z")
Another vote for “yessiree”. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/6 "2002-11-22T04:14:35Z")
Yeah, I’ve experienced it before. It only takes once. Sunscreen is bliss. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/7 "2002-11-22T04:27:33Z")
Sunburn, blisters, sun poisoning… Yup, all true. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/8 "2002-11-22T04:55:22Z")
Done it myself, had blistering so bad across my shoulders that I had to wear a strapless bra for a week while that healed up. Since that time I’ve used (and reapplied faithfully) sunscreen and limited my exposure so well that the worst burn I’ve gotten is a bit of redness. ---
**Author:** ![kirk280980](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c77e96/32.png) [@kirk280980](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk280980)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/9 "2002-11-22T05:56:54Z")
This happened to me as a kid, when I sat by the pool for an entire day with the sun blazing down on my back. By the afternoon, my back was lobster red and stung like crazy. Later that evening, my entire back was one huge blister. Please, please make sure you NEVER get yourself in this situation. I honestly cannot find words to describe how painful it was; definitely far worse than being scalded with steam or boiling water. My neighbour, who was a nurse, applied paraffin ointment dressings to my back which helped somewhat, but even then the pain still kept me awake for a solid 48 hours. My back and shoulders are now covered in a mass of tiny freckles which weren’t there before. That really worries me, because I don’t know how much damage has been done to my skin, and whether or not it could potentially turn nasty in years to come. Needless to say, it’s jeans and long-sleeved shirts in summer for me now. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/10 "2002-11-22T06:36:19Z")
[sup]Of course, why not? 😕[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/11 "2002-11-22T07:06:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kirk280980 \* > \*\*This happened to me as a kid, when I sat by the pool for an entire day with the sun blazing down on my back. By the afternoon, my back was lobster red and stung like crazy. Later that evening, my entire back was one huge blister. > > Please, please make sure you NEVER get yourself in this situation. I honestly cannot find words to describe how painful it was; definitely far worse than being scalded with steam or boiling water. My neighbour, who was a nurse, applied paraffin ointment dressings to my back which helped somewhat, but even then the pain still kept me awake for a solid 48 hours. > > My back and shoulders are now covered in a mass of tiny freckles which weren’t there before. That really worries me, because I don’t know how much damage has been done to my skin, and whether or not it could potentially turn nasty in years to come. > > Needless to say, it’s jeans and long-sleeved shirts in summer for me now. \*\* It sounds like kirk did it like I did. Do as kirk says, AVOID screwing up like this. When kirk says one big blister, that means one big blister… not covered with blisters or any other thing. One. big. fluid. filled. blister. I am talking so sunburned, that you wake up the next morning sick. Puking sick. Nearly food poisoning sick. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/12 "2002-11-22T07:33:56Z")
Got them on the tops of my feet one weekend on Waikiki, back in '85. Had to go to the dispensary for debridement, then couldn’t wear shoes for several days. So I missed out on a weekly op on the boat. They could have reamed me, but they were nice and pretended I had wanted to go on leave that week anyway. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/13 "2002-11-22T08:24:35Z")
Happened to my dad…he sat out at the pool for a few hours straight with his legs in the water without sunscreen. 1st and 2nd degree burns on his legs and the tops of his feet, including a golf-ball sized blister (imagine a golf ball; it was THAT SIZE) on top of his foot. I think he was out of work for a week or so, he could barely walk, had to get steroid cream for the blister, it was lanced by an MD, etc. etc. Sunscreen is your friend. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/14 "2002-11-22T08:53:53Z")
Yes, as other posters have mentioned, it is not only possible, but a frequent occurrance. I’ve blistered my shoulders a dozen times in my youth, and my legs and face once. You should also know that you can also get third degree burns from too much sun exposure: charring of the skin. But it won’t happen in one day. That is a very dangerous situation, and cause for serious medical attention. Not that second degree burns aren’t cause for medical attention too. When you are healing, stay out of the sun. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/15 "2002-11-22T09:24:41Z")
You bet it does. I was a red-haired, fair skinned kid with oodles of freckles. My friends all had dark complexions and tanned easily. I burned, blistered and peeled all summer long. I now know better than to expose my skin to the sun. I wear broad brimmed hats, long sleeved shirts and never, never shorts, even when the temperature is 115[sup]o[/sup] in the shade. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/16 "2002-11-22T14:31:16Z")
Just two short years ago I had this happen to me. We were out at the pool and I took too many chances (I’m an idiot sometimes, I acknowledge the fact). I missed a week of work and HR considered putting me on short term disability. My entire back blistered (one large one) and turned red. The doc said there wasn’t a helluva lot to do about it except rub some aloe on the new skin and take painkillers. The drainage alone was horrific. I couldn’t wear a shirt for all that time. And now I have large brown freckles and spots all across my shoulders. I guess they’re scars. Ugh. Never again, now I slather sun lotion on by the gallon. Even between my toes. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/17 "2002-11-22T14:57:54Z")
Can sunburn blister? [You better believe it!](http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article.jhtml?articleID=441549) ---
**Author:** ![Skippman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skippman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skippman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/18 "2002-11-22T15:48:35Z")
Worst sunburns I’ve ever gotten were all in Colorado on various expeditions. And I’ve been to death valley. Let me tell you, exposure has nothing to do with heat. One year, while on a back county expedition on Colorado across BLM land I got burned so bad that both my ears blistered and bled for two days. I had no idea that even though it wasn’t hot there was tons of UV hitting me. Leason learned the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/19 "2002-11-22T16:26:56Z")
I’ve been there. I sobbed myself to sleep covered in cold damp towels and balanced on the bed so that nothing touched anything. It was the most painful thing I’ve ever had to even imagine. Never, ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Janx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Janx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janx)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/20 "2002-11-22T16:40:11Z")
On me and Mrs. Janx’s honey moon, we went to Buzios in Brasil. It was DECEMBER dead of winter in the U.S., Summer solstice here. So excited to be there we went to the beach for a couple of hours. We were also white as clay because it was December, no sunscreen because it was just a quick walk, splash around in the water then back to the hotel. Right. We both BLISTERED with second degree burns to our noses, tops of the ears, shoulders and at the bathing suit lines. Everywhere else I was poison frog red. Fun honey moon huh, no huggy, no kissy, no touchy, no feely for almost the first week!:rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086.md?page=2)