Hell hath no fury like a sunburnt gal in a sports bra.

According to my painfully pink, sore, soon-to-be “tan” lines, I am still wearing a bikini. The catch? I haven’t been to the beach in well over 48 hours. As a shore native, I had enough common sense to apply some sunblock before I settled down on the sand… but modern UV blocking lotion and my Mediterranean roots were no match for my accidental 2-hour nap on a beach mat.

Most of us have had sunburn before. For those who have not experienced the crimson glow (like my Vietnamese best friend who coincidentally only gets the best tan in the world every time we go to the beach), consider yourself LUCKY. Remember: the short-term effect of sunburn is the pain, but it’s the long term effects that ultimately will do you in (re: skin cancer). Do yourself a favor– invest in some sunblock!

I read some tips on e-how and firstaid.com:

1. Get out of the sun. Staying in the sun after the burn is present will make it worse.
2. Look for blisters. Blistering means the skin is completely damaged and complications are likely. If the area with blisters is bigger than one entire arm or the whole abdomen, seek medical attention by calling 911 or visiting the emergency department.
3. Take a cool shower or bath to soothe the pain.
4. Apply aloe or another cooling agent. Whatever you use – DO NOT APPLY BUTTER OR OIL TO ANY BURN!
5. Over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used for the pain of a sunburn. If stronger pain relief is needed, contact a physician or go to the emergency department.

I also asked for some advice in the Tweesphere:

Thanks guys!: @JustinAugust I have invested in some Lubiderm Intensive Care already, thank you. @LexieLerro, I love the cold bath idea. Be sure to follow @PWstyle on Twitter.com!

In other news, I personally don’t recommend exercising until your sunburn has turned at least 1/2 tan. Why? Well, I ran up a flight of stairs and I couldn’t tell which “burn” was which. The process of stretching was ridiculous, and I think the stinging sensation up and down my legs prevented me from warming up properly. Regardless, I ran 2 miles at the banks in one of my faster times yesterday…. because, well, Hell hath no fury like a sunburnt chick in a sports bra.