By U. Rochester-URMC Unfortunately, the answer is yes. What is a life-changing sunburn? A “life-changing sunburn” is a phrase used to describe a severe sunburn, particularly one that causes blistering, because the damage it causes can have lifelong effects. A sunburn occurs when ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun damages the DNA inside skin cells. “When the body repairs that damage, mistakes can sometimes occur,” explains Adrienne Victor, o…