He was rushed to A&E and diagnosed with second-degree burns.
One mum has issued a warning to other parents after her son suffered an extreme sunburn.
Laura Daly explained that her 15-year-old son Rian had applied suncream but entered the sea too soon after application.
She told The Independent, “What I feel happened is that it didn’t dry in quick enough before he was gone back into the water again. I reckon the water kept washing it away. It was a silly mistake that I didn’t make him sit for 5-10 minutes to let it actually dry in.”
When they returned home from the beach on Sunday her son started to feel nauseous. She tried to pick up some cooling treatments at the chemist, but they were all sold out.
The mum had to call her GP on Monday when the burn developed. “He was screaming in the shower. He said I am burning from the inside out, help me.”
She rushed him to A&E where he was diagnosed with second-degree burns on his legs, back, and left side.
Doctors treated his burns with prescription painkillers and a cooling gel but urged the mum to share his story to raise awareness.
“Be sure to let the sun cream dry in for a good 20 minutes. Don’t do what we did, which was to apply it when we got to the beach. Apply it before you leave the house. Hopefully, this will help prevent someone else from doing it too.”
As temperatures reach the high 20s, people are being urged to practice extreme caution when outside in the sun. Applying SPF 50, staying hydrated, wearing sunglasses and a hat are advised.
Some experts recommended avoiding the sun between 10 am to 3 pm because this is when it is the strongest.
The Irish Cancer Society said it is best to use a ‘broad-spectrum’ sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB; – SPF minimum 30.
You must apply suncream to dry skin 30 minutes before you go outside so you give it time to absorb.
“For the average adult, you will need 35mls of sunscreen to cover the whole body. We recommend using a measure of half a teaspoon of sunscreen to cover each arm, the face, neck, and ears. Use a measure of one teaspoon for each leg, the front and the back of the body.”
People should reapply their suncream every two hours and use a water-resistant type if they’re planning on being in the sea or pool.
Exposing your skin to UV rays can cause severe skin damage and may lead to skin cancer. Protecting your skin year-round, but especially during a heatwave, is essential. The Irish Cancer Society stressed that most cases of skin cancer could be avoided with good protection against UV rays.
