1st degree sunburn or worse

I recently got a sunburn where the skin went red but did not blister. The skin did not peel hugely and turned to tan but one patch went hard and dry. I have read on yahoo answers that if skin goes hard like this after sunburn it indicates that the burn was worse than first degree but elsewhere I read that the way to tell if it's 1st degree or second is if it blisters or not and I def had no blisters. Can anyone help and tell me why I had the hard skin patch?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It looks like first degree burn. The best treatment of sunburn is to avoid exposure to sun. Usually the sun burn will heal to normal in few weeks time. Apply cold compress to relieve the pain and analgesic medication can also be taken. Soothing lotion, Lidocaine or Benzocaine ointments also prove helpful for the pain. Always consult a physician before undertaking any form of treatment.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.