The image of the sunburn has horrified thousands. Photo / File
The image of the sunburn has horrified thousands. Photo / File
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
A British woman who had been holidaying in Cuba has posted a photo to Facebook showing the shocking reality of sunburn, leaving commenters stunned.
The photo shows her bright pink back covered in raised sores, including two large balloon-shaped blisters.
Maisie Squires, from the northern city of Leeds - a city not normally known for its sunshine hours - posted the image with the caption: "So mind how swollen and disgusting my back looks but this is what my sunburn turned into this morning just before a 9-hour flight back home to England. So shocked! A&E it is!!!! (WEAR SUNCREAM)"
"I was snorkelling for one hour and my back was showing but I didn't realise my back was burning and I did wear suncream.
"I've blistered like that because the sun was very hot in Cuba on Tuesday and I have very fair skin"
The post quickly attracted thousands of comments, many from armchair medical experts diagnosing the degree of the burn and some making reference to the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
In another photo, Squires showed how noticeable the blisters were under her clothes, showing a large bulge protruding from under her t-shirt.
No sitting back on the flight then. Photo / Maisie Squires
One commenter noted that she shouldn't be flying in that condition: " I work for an airline. If we know you are like this, there's NO WAY you'll get on a plane. Let alone a 9 hour flight. You need to go to the ER!"
Some expressed a desire to pop the blisters, while others said that they doubted the woman had only spent an hour in the sun.
New Zealand's skin cancer rates are among the highest in the world.
The total number of new melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) cases contributes around 80 percent of all new cancers each year.
Sunsmart NZ recommends that Kiwis always be aware of the sun and remember to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap:
Slip - into shade where possible.
Slip - on some sun protective clothing, i.e. a shirt with a collar and long sleeves and trousers or long-legged shorts.
Slop - on broad-spectrum sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Apply 20 minutes before you go outside.
Slap - on a hat that protects your face, head, neck and ears.
