Sun Poisoning
With the thinning of the earth’s protective ozone layer it’s inhabitants are becoming more exposed to the direct radiation from the sun, and in particular that at UV wavelengths. Many still seek suntans unaware that the practice has harmful results with no balancing benefits. Too much exposure to the sun can cause various levels of skin damage and deterioration, from sunburn to sun poisoning to premature aging and even malignant melanoma (skin cancer).
Sun poisoning is a nonscientific term that refers to a variety of sun-allergic responses. Light-skinned people, who have less protective skin pigment, are especially susceptible to sun-poisoning, but it can occur in anyone who is exposed to enough sunlight. It often occurs when sun exposure is combined with a variety of drugs, chemicals, cosmetics, and plants.
The classic example of sun poisoning is sunburn. We all know that redheads suffer more from the effects of the sun’s rays than the rest of the population. This is because their skin contains less melanin pigment, which is one of the body’s main defenses against sunburn. Black people rarely suffer from sunburn because the pigment in the upper layers of their skin prevents the penetration of the sunburn rays to the sensitive, deeper layers.
The use of certain common drugs can alter the skin’s normal protective response to the sun in some susceptible people. Such individuals develop a severe rash with blisters from the slightest exposure to sunlight or even fluorescent light. Drugs most commonly implicated in this type of reaction are sulfa containing drugs, tetracycline and its relatives, various tranquilizers, high blood pressure medications, birth control pills, and oral medications used for diabetes and fungus infections such as ringworm.
Direct contact with certain chemicals, followed by sun exposure also can cause sun poisoning. The most common substances that cause these “sun-allergic” responses are found in deodorant bar soaps, detergents, certain suntan lotions, shampoos, “first-aid” creams, and various cosmetics and toiletries. Even chemicals found in a variety of vegetables and fruits can cause sun-sensitive reactions. Gardeners and farmers who spend time in the sun and handle foods such as carrots, celery, parsnips, figs, and limes are especially susceptible. Sun poisoning has also been reported as a result of using herbal shampoos prior to sun exposure.
The symptoms of sun allergy consist of severe itching and a rash. They typically occur a few days after the combination of the chemical substance and the light. This sensitivity can be so pronounced that a minute amount of the offending substance left on the skin, followed by exposure to even fluorescent light, may trigger a reaction.
The treatment for sun poisoning is essentially the same as for any allergic dermatitis, such as poison ivy dermatitis. If your case is mild, use wet compresses or soothing baths followed by calamine lotion to relieve your symptoms. If your itching is more persistent, take an antihistamine. For any severe reaction accompanied by intense itching and blisters that weep and ooze, see your dermatologist. You may need treatment for dehydration and possible infection.
Preventing Sun Poisoning
Preventing sun-sensitive reactions may take a lot of trial and error to determine which drug, chemical, or plant is the culprit. Once you have discovered the causative agent, eliminate it from your routine. If the offender is a drug that is essential for your health (high blood pressure pills or antidiabetic medications for example), you will need to stay out of the sun at all times.
If you are fair-skinned, the best way to avoid a sun-sensitive reaction is to avoid the sun. If this is not possible, then tan slowly and cautiously. To prevent overexposure to the sun, use a good sunscreen. Sunscreens usually contain chemicals that selectively block out or absorb all the harmful “short” ultraviolet rays, permitting some of the longer, tanning rays to get through to the skin. A good, but cosmetically inelegant, sun-blocking preparation is zinc oxide paste. To protect the delicate areas of the lips, use a “lipstick” that contains a sun-blocking agent.
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my 17yr old gets sun poisoning. she uses sun screen and after a breakout we use benedryl its mostly annoying and embarrasing. we are going to fla. is there anything she can take ahead of time that will help minimize or prevent a breakout.
Tell her to go to the tanning bed before she goes on vacation. A few sessions of 5-10 minutes (increasing gradually) will get her skin used to the sun exposure and help prevent sun poisoning. i had the same problem and now that i go to the tanning bed before vacation (and use sunscreen on vacation) i no longer get it.
I am 46 and have suffered from sun poisoning for years. Little bumps appear 3 days after sun exposure on my arms, legs, torso and feet, but never on my face. I have tried various sunscreens (even Ombrelle for sensitive skin) and nothing helps prevent it. I’ve tried going to a tanning bed before vacations and it did not work for me. The itching was once so severe that my skin turned purple from itching and I ended up on a steroid which cleared it up for the rest of my vacation. So far this was the only thing that worked.
Stay out of the sun!! if u stay away from it u wont have that problem.. If u ned too be in the sun cover upo wear a little extra clothes
I got it so bad on my last vacation that my ankles swelled. I read that an oral cortisone and steriod before and during exposures help as well as mentioned above by gradually exposing yourself to the sun helps. I’m trying all of the above next time.
I get it all the time. The best thing for me was to get in the sun a little at a time. Also I use copertone spf 50 so far no problems this year!
I think I might have gotten sun poisoning but im not sure. I lay in my backyard and tan alot but after a few days I noticed a huge pimple on my lip. Now it could be just that, but my lip began swelling up, it’s not huge and is beginning to bother my teeth and gums. I know, it sounds crazy. It’s burning and feels like sun burn or really bad chapped lips. When I stretch my lip apart it begins to look glassy and kinda see through lookin. I thought my *pimple* had became infected because i popped it, alot, like 5 times in one day, but now I’m really unsure. Anyone wanna help me out?
I got some antibiotic ointment from the stire and some spf 15 chap stick and it has since gone away :]
I’m 15 years old and I have sun poisoning at the moment. And I find the only way to stop the itching is to keep your mind off it. I have took 5 advils, benadryl, pure aloe vera gel as well as cortozone cream. Sun poisoning for me didn’t occur until 3 days after the initial exposure. It has happened numerous times before. I found that Ibuprofen helped at the beginning, along with pure aloe vera gel (fragrance free). I feel for anyone who has the misfortune of getting this highly uncomfortable sickness. I find that air conditioning somewhat irritates it. For me it has always occurred during the first exposure to sun after many months of no exposure at all. From now on I think I will go to a tanning bed before I go and expose myself. Another thing that also irritates it is applying numerous creams all In the same day. The symptoms for me include severe itching, miniature bumps, random chills, welt like blisters. Hope this helped somewhat.
I went on a canoeing trip this weekend and got a sunburn and now my knees are so swollen I can hardly walk. How do I reduce the swelling so I can work?
My daughter went to an outside concert on monday and she is very fair skinned, she has had sun poisioning in the past but this im not sure of the whole one side of the forehead and eye are swollen, strange to me, she looks like the elephant girl. Im concerned. I am sending her to doctor today. oh my daughter is 20, not neglect. I will let you know what happens if anyone ever heard of this please let me know
I have sun poisoning right now on my chest, shoulders, back, and thighs and I find the spray on benedryl and a oatmeal bath helps. It takes the sting away and the itchness. I hope this helps goodluck
i am 65 good shape and love the ocean i was in the sun for 3 days last week. it looks like i have thin veins connnected to each other of my upper legs and fore arms very dry looking but it isnt it looks like a road map.i have a head ache up set up stomach anything i should know or do? thanks
I believe I got sun poisoning a couple years ago believing it was another type of poison. Since that time I have had a under the skin rash of which you can the bumps and at times, pretty often, it itches tremedously from the top of my hands to half way up my forearm. Can you help me with this and is it possible, doesnt seem to go away. Thanks
I’ve noticed that in the last few years I’m very sensetive to the sun. I don’t really have to be exposed long; I become red and begin itching within hours. I fell like I’m a prisoner in my home because of the sun poisoning problem. I’m going to try some of your suggestions that I’ve read on here. I love the outdoors and family cookouts.When should I become concerned about the problem. Should I be concerned with skin cancer? thanks!
was at the beach, in fl, last wed and thurs, then fri and sat i am all broke out with blisters on my chest, inside elbows and now spreading to my face. using aloe lotion but not working real well. help!
I have sun poisoning right now on my face, my forhead is swollen & I have a terrible itchy rash all over my face. this was caused from the sunbeds!!!
So if you suffer from sun poisoning do not use the sunbeds ive never suffered from this before untill now!
the lady who had a daughter who was in the sun at a concert. said her daughters face swelled and eye swelled shut. my son had that one time and it was from being out in the sun to long. it will go away> but looks bad ..dont worry!!
In the past few years i’ve been bothered by the tiny bumps on the arms that itch really bad they are on the top of my arm from wrist to elbow. I cant seem to find the cause though it happens that evening after being exposed to the sun. No where else is effected other than sun burn ..im fair skinned and shaved head and my head gets these same symtoms when i dont wear a hatwhile in the sun
I am black and I have been getting this since I was 25 years old. When I was on my honeymoon now 10 years ago I had to lay in bed for a day because walking hurt, let alone clothes! Now my six year old is getting it too and We live in Las Vegas! Lots of hats and Long sleeve white shirts. That is what helps me. Not graduated exposure, not SPF 50 (or 75). Covering up always works!
I have a bad caes of sun poison my lips it goes from my lips to my nose, it iches and is very embaressing i dont even want to leave my house what can i do ot get rid of it faster can you help
i had this once on my head and arms and everything i used made the itching 10 times worse. was so severe i had to take valium to stop the pain
I have the ultimate in sacrifices here. It brings me to tears for the most part. I ride motorcycles! The past three years, this very soon into the year now, I break out on my chest and upper arms with the rash. Bumps and redness! It looks terrible and now I can hardly get out and ride. I have found that the Benydryl Gel helps the itching. What I am looking for is something that can stop this reaction to the sun. Riding is something that truly enjoy and now I am standing to lose it. BTW- Three days of riding in four weeks and this is what is going on.
I was canoeing with my family one day; it was about 96 degrees and sunny. All I had on were short shorts & a tank top; underneath was my bikini. & I had on no sun screen or anything. I was canoeing for at least 5 hours. I had got horrible sun poisoning. I had it on my right leg; my shoulders; & my neck. It’s starting to slowly go away; but is it going to leave scars?
I am 46 years old. I have always laid out in the summer a bit each year, since I was in high school. I never use sunscreen, because I just get a little tan and do not lay out again unless it looks like it’s fading. I am freckled, but I tan because I am also ruddy complected. We have an inground pool. This year I am only working 3 days a week and so I have been laying out about 3 times a week for about 2-4 hours each time. Last night I noticed tiny, tiny red speckles all over a small section of the back of my legs in the ankle region. It is a little prickly feeling, not very itchy and I don’t feel any unusual symptoms. I have never had this before, but remembered a woman I use to work with describing her sun poisoning and it does not look anything like a sunburn. It seems to fit her description, so I looked it up here. Does this sound like it really is sun poisoning? With my job, I am outside about 1 1/2 - 2 hours playing with children in sprinklers and at a swingset. I looked up photos on line and it looks just like it, so is it?
Hey, I am only 12 and I was out in the sun about 3 days ago. I have dark hair and eyes but very fair skin. I have been in the sun since, but i only now realize that I have a big bump (swelling) in between my eyes and the middle of my forehead. I asked my ubcle about it today and he told me that he had it bad once before and that it droppped into his nose and gave him a sinice infection. I have never heard of this or found anyone with the same problem in my readings. Someone named JEN posted something similar to it about her doaughter on this recently. Im sure your probobly not going to be on this website anytime soon, but if you are or anyone else with similar symptons can you tell me about your results and what helped? PLEEEAAASSSE HELP!!!!!THANKS
I have suffered sun-poisoning off and on since I was eight. The symptoms were white hives on white background, and very intense itching. One of my siblings and one of my parents suffer, as well. I was just hit with a different type four days ago: red rash on pink background, mild itch. For years now, I cover myself up from head to toe, and wear a broad-brimmed hat. This last rash happened because I spent 20 minutes outside at 5:30 pm, watering plants, without the usual fabric. The incidence of the sun-poisoning has also gone down as the stronger sunscreens have come out. I now use 100 SPF cream that has been on the market since March. Stuff is awesome! My incidence of sunburn is much lower now, too. What helps me survive the itch? cool wet washclothes, topical antihistamine, diphenhydramine by mouth, oatmeal baths. Everyone who suffers from sun-poisoning needs to evaluate whether he/she has unexplained “mystery” symptoms. The one sibling, one parent and I all suffer from different auto-immune diseases. Sun-poisoning is just one symptom of Lupus. However, my lupus tests have always been negative. When 12 years old, my parents decided to use a sun-lamp for me. Disastrous. I really can’t recommend tanning beds for this.
I SHAVE MY HEAD. i get blisters that ooz realy bad. last year was the first time i got it. during graduation too.after a few days of oozing my scalp got crispy like potato chips. no lie. and kept on oozing. the shin started cracking and my head actualy looked like the grand canyon. it was so imbarising. BLA BLA BLA. its about to happen again im sure of it.IF ANYONE HAS HAD THIS AND COULD SEND ME SOME SUGGESTIONS PLEASE. 856-870-5339 NICK OR farleynicholas99@yahoo.com PLEASE HELP ME OUT.
I have a severe sunburn right now that is turning into sun poisoning also. My neighbor gave me some stuff to use that is working great to relieve the pain and itching. It is called ocean potion. It has aloe vera and lidocaine. try it it really works
i am 15 years old, and since about the beggining of june , any time i have been out in the sun , my top part of my tighs have been getting little red bumps/reddish blothces on them, it only happens on my thighs and any time you touch it , it is hot, i have been on birth control for the last 3 months ,( july being my 3rd and hopefully last ) , i have been on it because my hair was falling out alot, and some other girl problems. it goes away after im out of the sun , but its not itchy i dont know it has been caused because of the birth control , because i have never seemed to have this problem b4 , any ideas , or thoughts ?
and im wondering if any one would know if i stoped using birth control , if ,aybe it would stop happening ?
when i was 12 yrs old i got sun poison on my stomach!!!
While pregnant w/ my 2nd daughter at the age of 23 at a water park I noticed and felt red itchy blistering w/in 20 min of sun exposure on my bare back shoulder area. Now at 30 I can be driving in my car and usually its on my legs w/ in 15 to 20 min drive and wearing jeans or slacks right in the area of sun exposure I begin to feel the burning and itching, and never fails to be bumpy blistery hot and extremely red skin right in the area of sun exposure, (mind you w/ clothe on) why? can this be skin cancer? is there anything I can do to prevent this? other than avoiding being in the outdoors? I take no medication or any prenatal, no high blood pressure. Please help.
I had sun poisoning awhile ago on my face. I think that I got it when I washed my face with soap after I came out of the sun. Anyhow, my whole face swelled up. You could hardly see my eyes. Then after the blisters calmed down, my skin peeled off and my face was the same colour it was before I burnt it. I think I aged my skin ten years that day!
I had sun poison on my face after moving from Illinois to Georgia and being a sun worshipper. I put Melaleuca Gel on my face after nothing else working. It’s tea tree oil for those who aren’t familiar with the melaleuca trees. Anyway, I woke up around 3 am and checked my face and there was a signicant improvement in the healing and inflamation. I use it for insect bites and they don’t swell or itch and get hot, which is what happens when I. Get bitten by mosquitos. Just wanted to share. Thx
I got sun poising realy bad last summer. I got it so bad i still have the marks from it.It is soooooo bad they had to take me to the hospital!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THE SUN!!!!! REMEMBER SUNPOISING!!!
to the lady whos daughters face swelled up,the same thing happens to my daughter i know it looks really bad but it will go down,just make sure she keeps out the sun as much as poss and appley sun cream more offten. x
nothin helps
I have been a victim of sun poisoning for 25 years. Three days after sun exposure, tiny waterfilled pimples pop up on exposed skin, but never on my face thankfully. It does lessen with repeated exposure over the summer. About 10 years ago I ended up in an ER in Florida because the skin on my legs turned purple from scratching because the itching was soooo severe! Now when I travel down south I get a prescription for Pregnozone(?) which is an oral steroid from my Doctor before I leave so I can enjoy my vacation and be completely sun poison free. It’s the ONLY thing that works for me!
HELP ME,
i GET SUN POSIONING WHEATHER IM IN A TANNING BED, OR OUT IN THE SUN, AND I NEED TO HAVE A TAN,
WHAT CAN I DO, I CAN GET AN THE STAND UP FOR 5MIN’S AND I HAVE THE BUMPS AS SOON AS IM OUT, IVE TRIED SUNSCREEN IN UNDER TANNING LOTION, DOSENT WORK
i have sun poisioning and the first time i got it i burnt myself on a sun bed and i could not move for a week, i find that this has started my condition and now every time i go in the sun i come up with a rash, i blame the sun bed so my advice is dont use them!
I have sun poisoning on my lower lip ONLY!!!! Symptoms are swollen, painful, white pus filled blisters that dry out if I don’t keep drinking water to keep them moist. What can I do to cure this?????
I’m going to try wearing my ski goggles next time I’m on the river paddling my little boat cause I have these symptoms often, mostly forehead and cheeks get red and swollen rather quickly. Unless I can solve this, my time in the sun is very limited.
My left eye and nose is sollwon idk how it happen mybe to much sun idk but its been like this for 2 days now how can it go away some ice maybe
I just got back from Mex. and have sun poisoning on legs and arms and swelling as well. I always seem to get the swelling in my face each year but this is the first time with sun poisoning. While in Mex. someone suggested I try Vichy, mexory which is a moisturing creme that is for sensitive skin and has uv block in it to prevent sunburn.
I don’t know if the sunblock I used caused the sun poisoning or not, but I will definitely try the mexory. Just go to the website and you can order it. It is very hard to keep out of the sun when vacationing in the caribbean even though I try to stay in the shade as much as possible and coverup.
I got sun burned about 6 weeks ago at the beach on my neck,it itched me so bad I could hardly stand it the only thing that helped,was clean it with witch hazel and then apply diaper rash medecine on it,it cleared right up but now six weeks later there is a patch coming back where i was burned so bad is that possible after six weeks im worried,can someone ease my mind.
I have never posted to a blog like this before, but after reading several comments recommending that people suffering from sun poisoning should use tanning beds, I feel compelled. Ultraviolet light from the sun and from tanning beds is a known cancer causing agent. While the cancers may not show up for some years, the more you are exposed to UV light, the more likely you are to get skin cancer, as well as premature aging, wrinkling and age spots. Tanning beds are particularly dangerous, especially for young people. Please follow the advice of Jilly above and cover up and avoid sun exposure whenever possible, and use sun screens when this is not possible. Children and teenagers should never be encouraged to use tanning beds– lets help them to learn to love the skin they are in, or use spray tan if they absolutely have to!
I love the sun but have always experienced sun poisoning on my chest, arms, and tops of feet. I started doing research and found that I’m allergic to paba that is found in most sunscreens. Ive been using scent and PABA free sunscreen for the passed 2 years and have not had any problems with the sun since
I get Sun poisoning every time I go to the beach for the first time, at first thought maybe it was that,I use oil to tan with but not for sure now, just got back from a weekend trip and am really bad this time. I have always been able to tan easily.I have tried tanning for a few hours and I soak myself with 30 spf before I go down and try to apply it every 2 hours still got sun poisoning!