I’m one of the unlucky ones. As I’m sitting here writing this, I currently have a bright red nose and a burnt scalp. Yes.. I get sunburns. Really bad sunburns. But that’s part of a being a redhead, right? Well, according to science, there may be a reason some people get sunburnt while others don’t. Let’s investigate.

Let’s breakdown a sunburn:

A sunburn is the skins reaction to extreme ultra violet (UV) exposure. The redness that your skin shows, the burn, is a response to the skins dilating blood vessels. Once the skin is exposed to the UV light, it will then lose moisture and become easily dehydrated – creating the tightness we all probably know so well.

Most Likely to Sunburn When:

Well first, if you’re in the direct sunlight or at the equator – you will get burnt. And according to VOX, sunburns are most likely to happen between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is at its peak. Vox also notes that even though it might be cloudy out – don’t be fooled. Clouds may block light, but they aren’t great at blocking UV light.

How Your Body Protects Itself:

Luckily, we have this thing called Melanin and it’s great at absorbing UV light and turns it into heat. So if you’re getting a sun overload, that Melanin is there to help.

TIP: I find it helpful when I’ve been in the sun for a long time to take a hot shower to release the UV light turned to heat from my body.

Why I Always Get Burnt and My Friend Doesn’t:

It’s obvious that light-skinned people are more at risk while in the sun. But there’s a reason for this. Darker skin typically has more Melanin in it – protecting itself better from those UV lights.

Moral of the Story:

Wear your sunscreen. Protect your skin. Don’t let a sunburn ruin a nice vacation or a hot weekend!

COMING SOON: Fast tips to cure a sunburn!