I fell asleep in the sun for two hours – people say I have irreversible skin damage – don't make my mistake
SUMMER has arrived, bringing with it longer days, warmer weather, and the irresistible allure of basking in the sun.
But as we embrace the sunny season, it's more important than ever to prioritise protecting our skin with SPF.
The sun may feel glorious, but it can cause serious damage if we're not careful.
Helen Flanagan, known to her TikTok followers as @ haleigh_flanigan, recently went viral after sharing a video of her painfully sunburnt face.
Just two days after posting, the clip amassed 7.7 million views.
In the video, Helen candidly addresses the camera, her face an unmistakable shade of red. "Say a prayer for this sunburn," she begins.
"Because I fell asleep today in the sun for two hours and the UV was at a solid 10. And at this point, I'm afraid I have sun poisoning."
Wearing suncream is essential for protecting your skin from the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.
While the sun offers warmth and light, its rays can cause significant damage to your skin if left unprotected.
Wearing suncream is crucial for protecting your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
It prevents painful sunburn, which can damage skin cells and lead to redness, swelling, peeling, and even sun poisoning, with symptoms such as blistering, fever, and dehydration.
Suncream also reduces the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma - the most dangerous form - by acting as a protective barrier against harmful UV rays.
How to reverse sun-damaged skin
Additionally, it slows premature ageing caused by sun exposure, helping to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots, while maintaining your skin's youthful appearance.
Helen's relatable experience struck a chord with her TikTok followers, as many rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One wrote: 'You need to go to the hospital.'
A second added: 'As a nurse, please go to the hospital.'
While someone else warned: 'That is a life changing sunburn. Schedule/keep up with regular skin checks.'
And another commented: 'Oh mannnnnnnn the long term effects of this ain't gonna be a good girl.'
We previously revealed how a woman's dream holiday quickly turned into a nightmare after severe sunburn caused her face to swell so much that even her mum didn't recognise her.
Ashlei Bianchi, 23, was enjoying a sunny getaway in the Dominican Republic when disaster struck just two days into her trip.
After spending the afternoon lounging by the pool with her family in Punta Cana, she began to notice unusual swelling on her face and forehead by the evening.
Although she had applied suncream, Ashlei initially brushed it off as a mild reaction to the sun.
The importance of sun cream in your skincare routine
Dermatologist and skincare enthusiast Andrea Suarez - known as Dr Dray - revealed why you should wear suncream.
The one thing you can do that will make the biggest difference - and this matters for all ages - is protecting your skin from the sun, Andrea stressed.
"The vast majority of external aging is due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation," she continued, not because you're "not using some jazzy serum or layering 90 different things on your face everyday".
"If you're not doing in your 20s, get on that now."
But she said the use of sun cream alone doesn't go far enough. Andrea urged that you also wear sun-protective clothing like broad-brimmed hats and long sleeves, on top of not staying out too long in the sun.
Doing this over your lifetime - and all year, not just during the summer or on sunny days - "will reduce the visible signs of photoageing", Andrea said.
Those are wrinkles, muddled pigmentation and sagging skin.
2
Hoping to soothe her skin, the New York native applied aloe vera gel and carried on with her holiday.
However, by the end of the four-day trip, the swelling had worsened dramatically.
Her face became so puffy that her own mum, Michelle Bianchi, 52, didn't recognise her during a FaceTime call.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
42 minutes ago
- The Sun
Supermarket issues urgent warning to shoppers not to eat popular sandwich filling which could contain PLASTIC
ALDI has issued an urgent warning to shoppers not to eat a popular sandwich filling as it could contain plastic. Shoppers at the bargain supermarket have been told that the food item is "unsafe to eat". The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued a notice this afternoon that BM Foods Ltd is recalling its Chicken Cooked Meat Trimmings. Officials say the product should not be eaten as it could contain pieces of plastic and a risk of choking. The FSA said that notices would be put up in Aldi stores where the items are sold telling customers to return them. In the notice, the agency said the product contains "possible presence of pieces of plastic in the products which presents a choking hazard and makes them unsafe to eat. It added: "Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling these products. "These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products." They advise not to consume the product and to instead return it to your nearest Aldi store for a full refund. In response to the item being recalled, Aldi said: "As a precautionary measure, our supplier is recalling selected packs of Chicken Cooked Meat Trimmings because they may contain plastic. "Customers are asked to return this product to their nearest store, where a full refund will be given." The FSA issues Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about any problems associated with food. In some case a 'Food Alert for Action' can be issued which details a specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers. It's not the only product to be recalled by Aldi recently either. The retail giants were forced to pull their Cuisine Baby Potatoes with Herbs and Butter this week as it could endanger allergy sufferers. And a popular sweet treat has also been urgently recalled from supermarket shelves this month after a labelling error. Your product recall rights Chief consumer reporter James Flanders reveals all you need to know. Product recalls are an important means of protecting consumers from dangerous goods. As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action. But it's often left up to supermarkets to notify customers when products could put them at risk. If you are concerned about the safety of a product you own, always check the manufacturer's website to see if a safety notice has been issued. When it comes to appliances, rather than just food items, the onus is usually on you - the customer - to register the appliance with the manufacturer as if you don't there is no way of contacting you to tell you about a fault. If you become aware that an item you own has been recalled or has any safety noticed issued against it, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by the manufacturer. They should usually provide you with more information and a contact number on its safety notice. In some cases, the manufacturer might ask you to return the item for a full refund or arrange for the faulty product to be collected. You should not be charged for any recall work - such as a repair, replacement or collection of the recalled item.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Three out of five anorexia patients at top eating disorders clinic tell docs they've been using weight-loss jabs like Ozempic or Mounjaro - including children as young as SIXTEEN
Sixty per cent of patients at a leading clinic seeking help for eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are using weight-loss jabs. A growing number of patients with the potentially life-threatening conditions have admitted to doctors during therapy sessions that they are taking Wegovy, Mounjaro or Ozempic to control their weight, says rehab specialist The UKAT Group. Doctors at its Banbury Lodge clinic in Banbury, Oxfordshire, say 28 out of the 48 patients they have treated for eating disorders this year – nearly two-thirds – were using the powerful drugs, which can reduce bodyweight by up to 20 per cent. Some patients were as young as 16, the doctors add. Experts at the clinic say the problem has significantly worsened in six months. Last year, no patient was using the jabs. The revelation raises fresh concerns about how easy it is to get hold of the drugs, and the lack of effective safeguards. They are only licensed for use on the NHS by people who are obese and have weight-related health problems – but there is a huge private market for the treatments and a spiralling black market. Dimitri Theofili, eating disorder therapist at Banbury Lodge, said: 'What we're seeing is really concerning. Clients as young as 16 are revealing during therapy that they are misusing weight-loss injections to fuel their unhealthy relationship with food. 'This is all about psychological control – the need to control what they're putting into their body. Society's acceptance of weight- loss jabs to tackle weight loss rather than their main intended purpose – to help control type 2 diabetes or to tackle clinical obesity – has fuelled this notion that if you're not using a weight- loss jab to lose weight, then you're falling behind.' Campaigners said last night that urgent action needs to be taken to restrict use of the jabs to protect vulnerable people. Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at the UK's eating disorder charity Beat, said the statistics are 'very concerning'. 'These medications are extremely dangerous for people with eating disorders because they can worsen harmful eating behaviours and thoughts for people who are unwell, or contribute to an eating disorder developing in those who are at risk,' he said. 'It should be mandatory for thorough mental health assessments to be carried out alongside physical health checks, and for regular check-ins if someone is prescribed weight-loss drugs, including once the course of treatment is over.' Some 500,000 people in Britain are thought to be taking Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, most via private prescriptions. Concerns have been raised about the lack of safeguards around such prescriptions. Little is known about the safety of the jabs for people of normal weight – let alone those with eating disorders who may already be severely underweight. If you're worried about your own or someone else's health you can contact Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or at
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Overweight Brits to get awarded shop vouchers for upping step count and eating healthily
OVERWEIGHT Brits will get shop vouchers to help shed the pounds. An NHS plan will see users awarded points for upping their step count and eating healthily. 2 They can then be traded for vouchers, with discounts at supermarkets and coffee shops. Details are still being finalised but it is expected users will link health data on their smartphones to the NHS app. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'We're bringing together tech, business, the NHS, and citizens to get Britain moving and helping drive down waiting lists. 'During a cost-of-living crisis, we're not going to make food more expensive or ban treats — we're not the fun police. 'Our approach is more nudge than nanny.' The new measures are part of Labour's 10 Year Health Plan set to be unveiled on Thursday. Supermarkets will be forced to promote healthy products such as fruit and vegetables instead of chocolate and crisps. Sir Brendan Foster, long-distance Olympian and founder of the Great North Run, will also help in a new campaign to get people exercising. Sir Brendan Foster, long-distance Olympian and founder of the Great North Run, will also help in a new campaign to get people exercising. The Government says reducing daily intake by just 50 calories could lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity. Treating obesity-related conditions costs the NHS £11.4billion a year. Mr Streeting added: 'If we don't tackle the rising tide of costs and demand on the NHS, then we won't have an NHS much longer.' 2
