Surviving the Seacoast Summer: A Guide to Sunburns, “Overcast” Burns, and Heat Rash

Here in Portsmouth, we know how to make the most of our short New England summers. Whether you’re grabbing a patio lunch downtown, spending the day at Hampton Beach, or paddleboarding out in New Castle, it’s tempting to soak up every second of warm weather. But the sudden shifts from mild spring days to high heat and thick humidity can catch your skin off guard.

At Seacoast Dermatology, we see a massive spike in summer-specific skin issues right as the season kicks into high gear. Here is your guide to understanding, preventing, and treating the most common culprits: overcast sunburns, standard sunburns, and heat rashes.

The Sneaky “Overcast” Burn

You check the weather before heading to the beach at Rye, and it’s cloudy and cool. You skip the sunscreen, only to go home that evening with bright red, stinging skin. Sound familiar?

“Overcast burns” are one of the most common summer skin traps. Cloud cover filters out visible sunlight and heat, making you feel completely protected. However, up to 80% of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can penetrate right through the clouds.

Because you don’t feel the heat of the sun on your skin, you don’t receive the natural warning signs to seek shade. Furthermore, UV rays can reflect off the water and sand, hitting your skin twice.

The Fix: Make broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) a non-negotiable part of your morning routine, regardless of what the weather app says. Apply it 15 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours.

Sunburn Relief: What to Do When the Damage is Done

If you missed a spot or stayed out too long, your skin will let you know. A sunburn is a literal radiation burn to the skin. While you can’t undo the DNA damage once it occurs, you can soothe the inflammation and help your skin heal.

Here is how to properly treat a sunburn:

• Cool it down immediately: Take frequent, cool showers or baths. Pat your skin dry gently—do not rub.
• Trap the moisture: While your skin is still slightly damp, apply a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer. Look for ingredients like aloe vera or soy, which actively soothe inflamed skin.
• Skip the “-caines”: Avoid over-the-counter products ending in “-caine” (like benzocaine). These can irritate the skin further or trigger allergic reactions.
• Take an anti-inflammatory: Over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen can significantly reduce swelling, redness, and pain if taken early.
• Hydrate heavily: Sunburns draw fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of the body. Drink plenty of extra water to prevent dehydration.
• Leave blisters alone: If your sunburn blisters, you have a second-degree burn. Do not pop them. Blisters act as a natural, sterile bandage for the healing skin underneath.

Heat Rash (Prickly Heat)

When the notorious New Hampshire humidity rolls in, sweat doesn’t evaporate off the skin efficiently. If your sweat ducts become blocked, the perspiration gets trapped beneath the skin’s surface, resulting in a heat rash (medically known as miliaria).

It typically looks like clusters of tiny, itchy, prickly red bumps. Heat rash most often pops up in skin folds or areas where clothing causes friction—like the neck, chest, back, and under the arms.

How to clear it up:

1. Cool off: The fastest way to cure heat rash is to lower your skin temperature. Get into an air-conditioned space or take a cool shower.
2. Switch your fabrics: Swap synthetic workout gear for loose-fitting, breathable cotton clothing.
3. Avoid heavy ointments: Skip thick creams, petroleum jelly, or heavy sunscreens on the affected areas, as these will only plug your sweat ducts further.

When to See a Dermatologist

Most summer skin woes can be managed at home, but severe reactions require professional medical attention. You should make an appointment to see a doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Severe blistering: Especially if the blisters cover a large portion of your body (like your entire back or both legs).
• Signs of infection: If the rash or sunburn features increasing pain, yellow drainage, pus, or red streaks spreading from the area.
• Systemic symptoms: If your skin condition is accompanied by a high fever, extreme chills, headache, nausea, or confusion, seek urgent medical care.
• A rash that won’t quit: If you have a rash that doesn’t improve with at-home cooling and hydrocortisone after a week, it may be a different condition (like an allergy or fungal infection) that requires a prescription.

Book Your Summer Skin Check

Your skin is your body’s first line of defense against the elements, and it works overtime during the summer. Whether you need a severe sunburn evaluated, a mystery rash diagnosed, or your annual skin cancer screening, we are here to help.

Don’t let skin issues ruin your Seacoast summer. Contact Seacoast Dermatology in Portsmouth today to schedule your appointment and keep your skin healthy all season long.