Got Bad Sunburn On Face. Noticed Yellow Liquid Discharged. How To Treat This?

Posted on Mon, 11 Mar 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 Answered on

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi - I got a fairly bad sunburn on my face yesterday and today there was some yellow liquid discharged. Some of it had also crusted into a solid. What is this yellow liquid/should I be concerned?

Answered by Dr. Kalpana Pathak (32 minutes later)

Hi,
Thanks for writing to us.
Sunburn occurs due to ultraviolet rays of sun. It presents itself as red skin, swelling, itching, pain, blisters and oozing skin. This yellow liquid discharge is nothing but serous discharge that has dried to form crust. Do not be concerned, the discharge just implies that you had a severe sun burn.
To treat the same avoid sun exposure. Do cold compresses. Apply a topical steroid antibiotic cream ( like flutibact) for few days. If there is pain take a pain killer ( ibuprofen) and if there is itching you may take tablet cetirizine. If the concerned areas are dry apply a bland moisturiser like cetaphil.

Hope that answers your query. Should there be any doubt, feel free to write back.
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar