Duration of a sunburn in a baby

The duration of a sunburn depends on the intensity of the sunburn and therefore varies between two and 10 days. It is important not to expose the skin to sunlight again during recovery, as this not only prolongs the duration, but also causes even greater damage to the skin. The prognosis for first-degree burns is very good.

In almost all cases they heal without scarring and leave only a darker pigmentation, which corresponds to the classic “tanning”. In some cases a desquamation occurs in the course of the procedure, which is also called “peeling”. This results in a kind of rejection of the damaged skin cells. Further long-term consequences are described in the following section.

What can be long-term consequences?

As mentioned above, even weeks later, the uppermost skin layers may flake off, which often results in reduced pigmentation and lighter skin. Another, much worse consequence is skin cancer. The so-called black, malignant skin cancer is particularly feared. Studies have shown that increased exposure to the sun during childhood in particular has an effect on the development of skin cancer. UV radiation is classified as the main risk factor for black skin cancer, which is why adequate sun protection for babies is of great long-term importance.

Sunburn on the baby’s face

Unfortunately, babies very often suffer from sunburn on the face. This is mainly because they are usually very well protected by clothing and only the face is exposed to the sun. Rubbing off applied sunscreen is also a problem, as babies are not aware of the importance of protection. The skin on the face is very sensitive and therefore tends to burn. In addition, babies usually have a very pale skin tone and therefore have little protection of their own.As a precautionary measure a very extensive hat is recommended, since this hardly disturbs the baby and can offer good protection.