United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hey everyone!

I've been out in the sun a bit recently, and a couple of times I got a bit sunburned. I've noticed that my bpi shoulder A)burns faster than my good shoulder and B) is less tan when the sunburn wears off, even if it was burned worse. I'm thinking that maybe it has something to do with the way I carry myself. Does anybody else have this problem? Please let me know!

Thanks,
Lindsey

Yes Lindsey

We had a thread on this a while back and it appears as if all of us get more sunburn on the bpi side.

I never tan so I can't help you there.

If I get burned on the bpi arm it is so red but I can't feel it and since I sunburn so easy I thought that was great when I was young. Never once thought it was because I had no feeling...

Be careful and use sunblock. I burn on the right side of my face the same way.

Kath

yeh lynsey, that happens to me! i went to spain there and all over my body i was able to go from a SPF15(1st few days) right down to a SPF6 but on my erbs arm i have to stick at SPF30, which is basically a sunblock! I dont get burned in scotland, cos we dont have sun so thats not to bad but i does happen to me, maybe its somethin to do with a difference in resistance or skin on that arm!?

Hi Lindsey, I have an obp injury - limited use of my short left arm. During childhood the physical therapists had my parents pin the arm in such a way so that it would become permanently bent at the elbow (to help with carrying things). I get sunburned pretty badly on the bp injured arm, but I thought that it became sunburned because I can't rotate the arm - the same side always faces the sun. I am outside a lot because I like to ride my bicycle, so to prevent sunburn of the left arm I wear an ace bandage over the arm when I ride. Now that you mention it the right arm doesn't burn, it tans. Even with keeping the left arm covered most of the time, it still burns a bit and then tans a little bit too.