Nothing can save you from sunburns, despite a cloudy day, unprotected sun exposure will lead to sunburns. Sunburns lead to itchy, irritated, red skin. There is a sound familiarity with sunburns among ordinary people. However, there is a severe condition that goes worse than sunburn, it is known as sun poisoning. Repeated sunburn cases increase the risk of developing skin cancer. The symptoms might fade away but their effects and damage last a long time.
Symptoms of Sunburn & Sun Poisoning
Every exposed body part can be easily damaged due to harmful UV rays. Even your eyes can get affected due to damaging UV rays. Inflammation is caused when the skin cannot keep up with extreme UV exposure. Sunburn symptoms regardless of their intensity can be treated and cured at home. Because at the end of the day, the symptoms are milder than that of sun poisoning. The “poison” here refers to the severity of the sunburn.
Sunburn can also happen due to prolonged hours of UV exposure from a tanning bed or sunbathing. The most common symptoms of sunburn include:
- Sensitivity
- Redness
- Heat
- Itchiness
- Pain
Sunburn is most likely to be a case of sun poisoning when there are prolonged hours of unprotected sun exposure. Symptoms of sun poisoning include:
- Skin rashes
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Skin blistering
- Fever and chills
- Confusion
- Fainting or dizziness
- Pain, redness, and severe swelling
- Dehydration
While sunburn can be recognized with redness and bumps on the skin, sun poisoning can be felt on the inside. The symptoms could feel something like a severe allergic reaction or flu. Still, if things are unclear with the symptoms, you must immediately seek medical assistance.
Health Risks of Sunburn & Sun Poisoning
Annually, over 33,000 sunburns are reported that require emergency room visits. Given the numbers, sunburn is quite common. However, some conditions pose greater risks of developing sunburn and sun poisoning. These factors include:
- Higher altitudes, tropical terrains, and some temperate regions.
- Light-colored eyes and fair complexion. Fair-skinned people are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer and sunburn.
- Autoimmune diseases and certain medical conditions like psoriasis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Steroids, antidepressants, diabetes medications, and antibiotics.
How do I prevent Sunburn and Sun poisoning?
Skin cancer is more common than you realize. 1 in every 5 Americans is diagnosed with skin cancer once in their lifetime. Sunburn and sun poisoning pose great risks for skin cancer. However, these tips can help prevent skin cancer, sunburn, and sun poisoning.
- Avoid tanning beds as much as possible.
- Avoid sun exposure from 10 AM to 2 PM.
- Use a shirt, sunglasses, hat, and pants to cover exposed skin.
- Use a waterproof, broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily. The best way to apply sunscreen is by applying it 20 to 30 minutes before stepping outside. Make sure to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
- Steer clear of UV rays’ reflections on snow and water.
- Consume sunburn drink before sunbathing or going outside.
Treatment of Sunburn & Sun Poisoning
As soon as you detect the initial signs of sunburn, you must follow these steps to treat sunburn:
- Get indoors immediately.
- Treat your skin with a cold compress or shower.
- Hydrate your skin with a moisturizer.
- Use medications such as hydrocortisone cream, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen for inflammation.
- Keep a bottle of water handy and stay hydrated.
- Do not touch or pop the skin blisters.
- If there is a rise in body temperature; seek medical assistance immediately.
Conclusion
Sun Poisoning is no different than sunburn. It is almost like a sunburn— only with severe skin blistering, dehydration, and flu-like symptoms. While sunburn can be treated well in time, sun poisoning requires immediate medical attention and care.
