How dangerous is a sunburn? Health experts at Lee Memorial Health System say serious sun burns can have long term effects.

According to Dr. Gary Goforth, a primary care physician with Lee Memorial Health System, sun burns that blister can cause skin infections or cellulitis. He says sun damage can also resurface years after the sun burn. “Of course people come in commonly and say my skin looks a lot older, I’m aging faster, and we know that that is because of sun burns. We also see lots and lots of precancerous and skin cancer lesions and of course those happen as a result of sunburn.”

He recommends using sunscreen when you’re out in the sun. The higher the SPF factor, the longer it will stay on. Also, reapply the sunscreen every two to three hours. Dr. Goforth even suggests wearing protective clothing, such as hats, shirts, even sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. “Sun burns caused by the ultra-violate radiation can cause cataracts or retinal damage.”

Even on cloudy days, he says, make sure you are protected. “The UV still comes through the clouds and so even though it’s not hot and looking sunny you can still get the damage from the sun.”

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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