Sunburn Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Christopher M McStay, MD; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 18, 2010
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Christopher M McStay, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center

Christopher M McStay, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Ershad Elahi, MD  Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

James Li, MD  Former Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Board of Directors, Remote Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

A Antoine Kazzi  MD, Deputy Chief of Staff, American University of Beirut Medical Center; Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

A Antoine Kazzi is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Amy Caron, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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Note the apoptotic sunburn cells in the epidermis. Photograph courtesy of David Shum, MD, Division of Dermatology, University of Western Ontario.
Acute sunburn of face after a soccer match in a 15 year-old female.
Subacute sunburn of shoulder with peeling in a 21-year-old male.
Table. Fitzpatrick Skin Types and Recommended Sunscreen Sun Protection Factor (SPF) Levels[13, 2, 14]
Skin Type Description Skin Color Routine SPF SPF for Outdoor Activity
IAlways burns, never tansWhite1525-30
IIAlways burns, tans minimallyWhite12-1525-30
IIIBurns minimally, tans slowlyWhite8-1015
IVBurns minimally, tans wellOlive6-8 15
VRarely burns, tans profusely/darklyBrown6-815
VIRarely burns, always tansBlack6-815
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