Does a sunburn cause swelling?

*Mommy2Remington* · #1 August 9th, 2010, 03:57 PM

We went to the beach over the weekend in San Diego. My legs got FRIED!!!!! I put sun screen on EVERYWHERE but my legs...never occurred to me that they would get sun burnt. Anyways, yesterday on our 6 hour drive home back to AZ- I noticed my feet started to swell. We had been stopping along they way about every hour to go potty so I figured it would PREVENT swelling but it didn't.
Now, the tops of my feet are a little sun burnt too-- can that be the cause of the swelling or do you think its something else?? I feel fine- no headaches or anything...just feet that feel funny.

#2 August 9th, 2010, 04:02 PM

Sunburns can cause all kinds of reactions .... I sometimes swell in spots if its really badly. They also cause sever dehydration for days... not sure if that would have something to do with it.

mudd1118 · #3 August 9th, 2010, 05:26 PM

My brother actually just called me about the same thing. He got burned in North Carolina and then drove back to Indiana. He started having swelling soon after.

I'd say it's a reaction from the sunburn.

martilynne · #4 August 9th, 2010, 05:44 PM

yes it can. I hope you are feeling better soon, sunburn sucks!

Adrienne214 · #5 August 9th, 2010, 06:59 PM

I've swelled up from a sunburn before. Pregnancy makes you more sensitive to the sun so you probably burned worse than you normally would. Hope it feels better soon, drink up!

*Mommy2Remington* · #6 August 9th, 2010, 08:52 PM

Thanks Ladies~
I've been elevating my feet for a few hours on a off (had to cook hubby dinner) The swelling went down till I got up to cook dinner. It came back but Im laying here with my feet up as I type and I can see my bones again. The swelling isn't "edema type" swelling-- it doesn't stay indented when I poke it. I just turns white when I poke it cause they are so red! haha So I know its not water retention swelling so I've been drinking lots of water to keep hydrated. My legs are pretty burnt. I've never ever had sunburnt legs or feet before so I can't compare to those times but this is a first for swollen feet too.
I REALLLLLLY hope its just from the sunburn. I'll let you all know how it is by tomorrow evening. Thanks again for the comments.