# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Nightingale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/21 "2002-11-22T16:50:02Z")
It happened to me when I was in high school on a band field trip. We spent a whole day at a water park in Myrtle Beach, SC, and I didn’t reapply my sunscreen often enough. My shoulders and back blistered, and I threw up a couple of times during the long bus ride back to Alabama. I, too, have freckles on my shoulders now, and I, too, have learned to be a bit more careful! ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/22 "2002-11-22T16:58:32Z")
Back in JROTC, I had to stand in formation in the hot San Diego sun for several hours during a general inspection, wearing my polyester uniform. My shins blistered **right through the pants!!** Polyester is apparently somewhat transparent to UV ☹ ---
**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, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/23 "2002-11-22T18:28:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skippman \* > \*\*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. \*\* I’ve lived my entire life at an altitude of just about a mile. I know I’ve always been getting more UV and don’t really worry about it. That much less atmosphere above you has all sorts of effects, one of which (as you learned the hard way) is much less screening of UV. I was in Rocky Mountain National Park in July once without enough sunscreen (I put some on earlier but didn’t reapply) and got a slight burn at 12,000-13,000 feet with air temperatures maybe hitting the 60s. As I said, I’m kinda cavalier about it when I’m just going around, but when I’m going to be out and at elevation I always wear sunscreen–summer, winter, it doesn’t matter. Winter on the slopes can be even worse than the summer. Moral of the story: When at altitude, wear sunscreen. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/24 "2002-11-22T20:01:29Z")
You’re damn right they can bllister. When I was in college I had a job as a flagman on a road crew one summer. Possibly the most boring job in the world. You stand at the end of the construction zone and hold up the big slow/stop sign to control traffic. Anyway…my first day out, I just didn’t think things through and went out in a short sleeved shirt with no hat, no sunscreen and no water jug. That night I was thirsty and burnt. Over a period of a couple of hours my upper arms developed tiny blisters all over which gradually migrated together to form two huge blisters. My mom (a nurse) lanced them and put gauze on my arms. The next day I felt sicker than a dog. In fact, that was possibly the worst summer I’ve ever had for burns, even though I started dressing more carefully. On my birthday some friends took me to see Return of the Jedi, and I could barely sit down in the seat. My whole body was burned and it hurt to touch anything. Plus my muscles stiffened and for a couple of days I could barely move. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/25 "2002-11-22T20:10:22Z")
OOWWWWWWWWWWW goddamn that hurts!!! I passed out on the beach for about four hours lying face up at surfside on my senior trip many years ago. We had been up for several days partying and about 2 in afternoon on the last day there, out lke a light, man I was fucked up…ouch just don’t touch me…ow-ow-ow ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/26 "2002-11-22T20:19:38Z")
Not only can the sun blister you, it can lead to other long term effects _besides_ cancer. I have had burns so bad from the sun that they were bordering on third degree (not quite charred but damned close). I have been so over exposed to the sun that even minimal exposure to UV radiation makes me extremely sick, to the point of passing out and putting my body in to shock. I’ve been hospitalized on several occassions simply for being in the sun too long without proper coverage or protection. At high altitudes (like when I lived in Colorado) this was about 15 minutes worth of time. All from over-exposure, and burns on top of burns on top of burns. Now I get to wear jeans and long shirts even in the dead of summer. Sucks to be me. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/27 "2002-11-22T20:43:00Z")
Been there, done that also. Playing in/out of a boat on a sunny 90F day = MASSIVE STUPIDITY. My arms/shoulders/face/scalp were blistered. But unlike those above, I was not one large blister, but rather a mass of small blisters. Did you know you can play “connect the blister” when loopy from the pain? I also am a mass of freckles as a result and I experienced hair loss where the scalp burned particularly badly. I (again like the others above) have become a sunscreen lover-we’re talking baby type waterproof sunscreen. I wear floppy hats while on the boat also. ---
**Author:** ![DanCorleone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DanCorleone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanCorleone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/28 "2002-11-22T22:00:27Z")
I’ve burned myself to the point of blisetring more times than I care to mention. What can I say, I’m an idiot. I have the mass of freckles on my back that others have mentioned. [slight hijack] Is there any way to get rid of them? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/29 "2002-11-23T00:45:13Z")
So the General Answer is yes. Does there remain a question? ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/30 "2002-11-23T00:47:46Z")
I would have to vote this as the most thoroughly unamamous response I have ever seen on the board. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/31 "2002-11-23T01:27:40Z")
Heh. Have you checked the Thanksgiving thread? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/32 "2002-11-23T03:33:36Z")
yes and yes ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/33 "2002-11-23T04:02:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\*Heh. Have you checked the Thanksgiving thread? 😉 \*\* I must have missed that one. Is it worth searching for? ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/34 "2002-11-23T05:04:46Z")
not really, someone wanted to know when we had thanksgiving dinner…everybody said thursday ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/35 "2002-11-23T05:06:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by t-keela \* > \*\*not really, someone wanted to know when we had thanksgiving dinner…everybody said thursday \*\* But, did they specify the time?😉 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/36 "2002-11-23T06:09:27Z")
I think that kinda revolves around the cowboy’s game…😃 ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2002, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/37 "2002-11-23T15:51:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by t-keela \* > \*\*I think that kinda revolves around the cowboy’s game…😃 \*\* Mostly valid only in “tejas” ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/38 "2002-11-24T02:25:36Z")
Why’s that? Isn’t it still just Dallas & Detroit that hosts games on T-Day? So, if you’re gonna watch an NFL game, it’s whoever these guys are playing…? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/39 "2002-11-24T06:36:08Z")
[When Do Americans Eat Thanksgiving Dinner?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=145522) The (Canadian) OP was specifically requesting a particular day of the week. The unanimous answer: Thursday And just to continue the unanimity here, I too have suffered a blistered back from sunburn. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2002, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086/40 "2002-11-24T07:51:57Z")
Same as the stories above… as a kid spending all day at the pool. My back got so sunburned it turned into one big yellow puss filled blister. I couldn’t wear any kind of shirt for over a week because it would get soaked. I also sunburned my ears which each had big sloppy wet blisters on them as well. I couldn’t sleep on by back or sides, and if I rolled over in my sleep I would wake up crying in pain. I too have freckles all over my shoulders now. E3 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-sunburn-ever-blister/138086.md?page=1)