With travel restrictions easing and many people taking vacation days at this time of year, it is quite important to take precautions to avoid overexposure to the sun or risk what is commonly referred to as sun poisoning.
What is sun poisoning, you might wonder?
Well, Matthew Goldman, MD, a family medicine doctor at Cleveland Clinic, who stepped into The Beautiful Lifestyle Online to give us a lesson or two about the condition, explains that sun poisoning is a nonscientific term to describe a severe sunburn that often mimics a flu bug or allergic reaction. Depending on the severity, this condition can cause a range of symptoms that may include a severe rash, blistering or peeling skin, nausea, dehydration, dizziness, confusion, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fainting, and sometimes, it can also cause blisters on the lips.
Delving deeper into the nature of the condition, Dr. Goldman says, “when you have poisoning by the sun, you are not actually poisoned by ultraviolet (UV) rays. What you’re experiencing is intense pain and other reactions from the damage dealt with your skin. If you’re experiencing sickness, nausea, dizziness, or general illness, chances are, this is as a result of being severely dehydrated.”
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What you should do if you experience poisoning by the sun
Dr. Goldman stresses that it is important that if individuals experience any of these symptoms, they should drink plenty of water and electrolytes to keep hydrated and clear-minded. In addition, they need to avoid touching the affected areas whenever possible.
Sun poisoning can last weeks, depending on the severity of the burn, says the good doctor. He points out that scratching or picking at the burn could result in a person getting an infection. He adds that if any bleeding or oozing occurs, individuals should see their doctor immediately as it could be a sign of infection.
What about treatment for sun poisoning?
Treatment for this condition can include cold baths or cold compresses, steroid creams, oral steroids, prescription pain medications, topical antibiotics, and IV fluids for dehydration.
According to Dr. Goldman, there are a lot of possible causes for poisoning by the sun, and in some cases, it has no known cause. He explains that the condition is more likely to occur in some people compared to others, especially if they have fair skin, have a family history of skin cancer, or live near the equator. However, sun poisoning does not affect everyone.
Certain pre-existing conditions, medications, and/or chemical exposure may predispose someone to sun poisoning. These can include lupus, certain antibiotics, topical medications, or contact with certain plants.
Sun poisoning affects different people differently, so doctors tend to focus treatment on a person’s specific symptoms. If individuals present symptoms, it is important for them to visit their doctor so that he or she can examine them and determine the severity of the problem, as well as the best treatment.
SEE ALSO: How to Choose Sunscreen for Oily Skin
Tips to prevent sun poisoning
To prevent sun poisoning, individuals should take the same precautions that help to avoid sunburn.
- Use sunscreen: Use broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Apply this 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours.
- Wear protective clothing, such as long sleeves, sunglasses, gloves, and broad-brim hats. Tightly woven fabrics, and thick and/or dark-colored clothing are also useful for sun protection.
- Avoid peak hours in the summer months: This means staying out of the sun for extended periods of time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Keep infants younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight.
- Avoid tanning beds.
- Be aware of medication side effects.
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