Face Feels Like Its Burning :(

Apr 8, 2013

Laura G.

I notice that when I spend some time in the sun, my cheeks and nose feel like they're burning. I apply sunscreen every hour and a half to 2 hours max. I'm not getting sunburn, my skin either stays the same color or I get tan little by little. when I'm at the beach I like wearing big hats to help block the sun but I still get that burning sensation after 2-3 days :( oh and I always use a special oil free facial sunscreen with good spf. does this happen to anyone else? what can I do about it? please help :(

Apr 8, 2013

Sarah M.

Put Aloe Vera

Apr 8, 2013

Sarah M.

And yes it's apart of a sunburn

Apr 8, 2013

Alicia H.

Hi Laura,

There is a lot of confusion around how SPF works. If you're pretty fair, it may just be a slight sunburn if you're not applying sunscreen enough. That being said, to determine how often you should be reapplying, keep this in mind: If you are using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, and it usually takes you 15 minutes to get a sunburn, all you have to do is multiply the two numbers together to figure out about how long your sunscreen should last. In this case, it would be 3 hours and 45 minutes.

However, the formula doesn't necessarily hold true when you're dealing with SPF numbers that are higher than 30. Luckily with new FDA laws around sunscreen in place, it should make the overall understanding of it a bit easier (even I get confused some times).

If you're still finding that your skin is burning or irritated, you should 1) look at your skincare regimen to see if any of the products you are using are making your skin photo sensitive (retinol for example) and 2) See your GP or an allergist. You could be allergic to a particular type of sunscreen (many people have allergies to chemical sunscreens) and/or the sun itself (yep - it can actually happen).

Hope that helps!

Apr 8, 2013

Mackenzie G.

Well since that's so scientific I'd take her advice ^ lol