Sunburn in Sharm El Sheikh: what to do and what to buy

Most sunburn can be treated at home, and it usually gets better within 7 days. Cool the skin and soothe it with after-sun or an unperfumed moisturiser. Drink water and keep out of the sun until it heals. Get medical help quickly if you feel dizzy, sick or confused, or if a baby or young child is burnt.

Sunburn symptoms

Sunburn often appears within a few hours of too much sun. Burnt skin may:

• feel hot, sore, tender or itchy
• look red or pink on white skin (on brown or black skin, the colour change can be hard to see)
• swell or form small blisters if the burn is severe
• flake and peel a few days later

A bad burn can also cause headache, fever, nausea and tiredness. Your eyes can burn too, and may feel painful or gritty.

The NHS advises extra care for people who only get intense sun occasionally, for example on holiday. The same applies in hot countries where the sun is particularly intense. Water reflects UV rays, and the cooling effect of the sea can hide the fact that you are burning. Wet skin also burns more easily than dry skin.

What helps sunburn

Cool the skin. Take a cool shower or bath, or lay a clean towel soaked in cool water on the burn. Mayo Clinic suggests about 10 minutes, several times a day. Take care that a baby or young child does not get too cold.

Soothe and moisturise. Use an after-sun cream, gel or spray, or an unperfumed moisturiser. Aloe vera gel or lotion and calamine lotion can feel soothing, especially if you keep them in the fridge. Avoid products that contain alcohol. Keep moisturising while the skin peels.

Drink more water. Water helps you cool down and prevents dehydration. Avoid alcohol while your skin recovers.

Ease the pain. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. Follow the leaflet. Ibuprofen is not suitable for everyone, for example people with asthma, a stomach ulcer, or heart, liver or kidney problems. Ask our pharmacist if you are not sure.

Protect the skin while it heals. Wear loose clothing over the burn. Keep it out of direct sun until it has fully healed.

What not to do

• Do not put ice or ice packs on sunburnt skin.
• Do not use petroleum jelly on the burn.
• Do not pop blisters. If a blister breaks, clean it gently with mild soap and water and cover it with a non-stick dressing.
• Do not scratch or pick at peeling skin.
• Do not wear tight clothes over the burn.
• Avoid creams with local anaesthetics ending in “-caine”, such as benzocaine. They can irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction.

What you can buy at the pharmacy

Products that can help:

• After-sun gels, lotions and sprays, including aloe vera products, to cool and soothe the skin.
• Panthenol creams and lotions, such as Hepta Panthenol, to moisturise dry, sun-exposed skin.
• Moisturisers, such as CeraVe moisturising cream, to use while the skin heals and peels.
• Painkillers, such as paracetamol (Adol) or ibuprofen.
• Antihistamine tablets, such as Claritine (loratadine). An antihistamine may help with itching as the skin heals. Ask our pharmacist first.
• High-protection sunscreen, such as Disaar SPF 50+, for the rest of your holiday.

Our natural oils, such as Lotus aloe vera oil, are cosmetic products. They are not a sunburn treatment. Wait until your skin has healed before you use them. Aloe vera oil is not the same as aloe vera gel.

See our sun care range, or message us and our pharmacist will help you choose.

How to prevent sunburn in Sharm El Sheikh

• Use shade in the middle of the day. The sun’s rays are strongest between about 10 am and 4 pm.
• Choose a good sunscreen. Use SPF 30 or higher with good UVA protection. Choose water-resistant sunscreen for swimming and snorkelling.
• Use enough. Most people use too little. Adults need around 6 to 8 teaspoons to cover the whole body.
• Apply early and reapply. Apply 30 minutes before you go out, and again just before you go out. Reapply every 2 hours, and straight after swimming, towel drying or sweating.
• Cover up. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-protective sunglasses and a long-sleeved top. A top also protects your back while you snorkel.
• Be careful with alcohol. Drinking alcohol during outdoor activities is a risk factor for sunburn.
• Check your medicines and cosmetics. Some antibiotics, anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, and cholesterol medicines can make skin more sensitive to sun. So can cosmetics with alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).

There is no safe way to get a tan, and a tan does not protect your skin. Sunburn also increases your risk of skin cancer.

Children, pregnancy and older people

Babies and children. Keep babies under 6 months out of direct strong sunlight. Children’s skin is more sensitive than adult skin, so use shade, clothing, hats and sunscreen. If a baby or young child gets sunburnt, get urgent medical advice. Ask our pharmacist before giving any medicine, and use children’s products only as the leaflet says.

Pregnancy. Ask a pharmacist or doctor before taking any medicine. The NHS advises avoiding ibuprofen in pregnancy unless a doctor or pharmacist recommends it. Paracetamol is usually the preferred painkiller.

Older people and long-term conditions. Older people, and people with conditions such as diabetes or heart problems, are more at risk from heat illness. Severe sunburn can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Read our guide to heatstroke and dehydration. If you take regular medicines, ask our pharmacist before you add a painkiller or antihistamine.

When to get urgent help

Need help in Sharm?

Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian, and can help you choose after-sun care and pain relief. Message us on WhatsApp or call +20 120 344 2201. We have 5 pharmacies across Sharm El Sheikh, and we offer free hotel delivery on orders from $30. Registered medicines are sold at the official prices set in Egypt.