At least once a summer I see patients with a sunburn to their feet . Last week I saw a 20 something year old woman who presented with top of foot pain and “bubbles”. As soon as I looked at her I knew it was sunburn.
She was surprised and said “Doc, I didn’t know I could get a sunburn on my feet!”
Most people don't think about putting sunscreen on their feet when applying it to the rest of their body, but it's important to! If the sun can reach it, cover it with sunscreen.
This young woman told me she went tubing on the Delaware river and was lounging in the tube most of the day with her bare feet hanging over the edge of the tube. What she failed to realize is the sun is even stronger when you are in the water ! She said she never felt too hot, and it was only after coming home and showering did she notice the “Bubbles”
Luckily, she called and we saw her right away. She will heal well with a simple antibiotic ointment and good wound care for a few weeks. But as the old adage goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”
