Brit, 27, shares urgent warning never to sunbathe wearing jewellery after he was left bedbound for five days
Ben Parsons was on holiday with his family in the South of France when he fell asleep on a beach for six hours, having only applied a single layer of factor 30 sun cream.
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The 27-year-old says he woke up several times throughout the mammoth nap but didn't realise how strong the sun was because the wind was keeping him cool.
It was only when he left the beach to return to his family's villa that he realised he was "in trouble" - his whole body was covered in a painful, bright red burn.
But the worst of the burns were from where the gold necklace he was wearing had "reflected the sun like a laser beam"- causing pus-filled blisters to erupt from his chin down to the base of his neck.
Ben was left bedbound for five days due to the severity of the burns, which were so painful he says it felt like his skin was ripping or stretching every time he moved.
He says the ordeal "ruined" his holiday as he was unable to go outside and enjoy the sunshine.
The sales executive is now warning sunseekers to regularly apply SPF and take their jewellery off when sunbathing.
Ben, from Weybridge, Surrey, said: "I was lying down and the necklace was on my chest pointing up at my neck.
"It was like the necklace had reflected and magnified the sun into a laser beam and it's been sizzling there.
"Once I got up from the beach I was in pain and that was when I realised I'd definitely [been] burnt.
"But then once I got back to my house, which was another hour from the beach, that's when I realised that I was in a bit of trouble.
"It got progressively worse for the next two days to the point where I was bedbound.
"I couldn't move without being in pain because I was so burned that every time I moved it felt as if my skin was ripping or stretching.
"I didn't leave my bed for the next four or five days because I was in such excruciating pain.
"I didn't end up going back to the beach for the rest of the holiday and I had to stay laying down in bed.
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"It definitely ruined my holiday because I didn't get to see sunlight again for the next week and a half and then even getting up for dinner and lunches was painful.
"Even having my eyelids open hurt."
Luckily a family member on holiday with them was a nurse so got a cream to treat the burns, and wrapped bandages around his neck to protect his scorched skin.
Now, Ben is encouraging other people to apply SPF and take their jewellery off when sunbathing in order to avoid the same fate.
Ben said: "I would definitely say always be extra careful when wearing jewellery because whether it's real gold or not, it can potentially reflect off onto you.
"I definitely recommend taking all jewellery off so this sort of thing doesn't happen.
How much sun cream do you really need?
THE NHS says adults should apply six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen over the entire body at each application.
Given you should reapply every two hours, that is a lot of sun cream.
Dr Kentley, MRA ambassador, tells Sun Health: 'Cover your first two fingers from bottom to top in sun cream and that should be enough for your face and neck each day.
'For the rest of the body, it should be around 30ml, which is the size of a shot glass.
'But that is a lot! It would mean going through about a bottle a day.'
It's just a measurement to keep in mind – just remember you should probably be applying a lot more than you think.
"Also apply sun cream regularly so you don't end up ruining your holiday and all of the money you spent to get there."
While you may be at higher risk of sunburn while basking in the sun on holiday, you can also scorch your skin in the UK - on cloudy days too.
And there's no safe or healthy way to get a tan.
A tan does not protect your skin from the sun's harmful effects, despite myths about a "base tan".
To best protect yourself from sunburn - which can lead to skin cancer - make sure to:
Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
Use at least factor 30 sunscreen
Reapply after swimming or sweating
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