Sun Poisoning: When the Sun Becomes Too Much

Written by: Keya Gambhir

Imagine you’re spending the day at the beach with your friends. You’re swimming, playing games, and having so much fun that you forget to put on sunscreen. A few hours later, your skin is bright red, painful, and hot. You might even feel dizzy or sick. What happened?

You may have gotten a severe sunburn, sometimes called sun poisoning.

What Is Sun Poisoning?

Despite its name, sun poisoning does not mean that you have been poisoned. It is a term people often use to describe a very serious sunburn. A sunburn happens when your skin gets too much ultraviolet, or UV, light from the sun.

A regular sunburn can make your skin red, painful, and hot. A more serious burn can cause much stronger symptoms and make you feel sick.

How Do You Know If You Have It?

Sun poisoning can cause more than just red skin. You might notice:

• Blisters or peeling skin

• A painful rash

• Severe pain

• Swelling

• Headaches

• Fever or chills

• Nausea

• Dizziness

Some of these symptoms can happen because your body loses fluids. Severe sunburn can pull fluid away from the rest of your body, which can lead to dehydration.

You might not notice how serious your sunburn is right away. The pain and redness can become worse several hours after being outside and may reach their worst point around a day later.

What Should You Do?

If you notice a sunburn, the first thing you should do is get out of the sun. Find some shade or go inside.

A cool shower or bath can help your skin feel better. You can also place a cool, damp cloth on your skin. Drinking plenty of fluids can help prevent dehydration, and aloe vera or moisturizer may help soothe your skin.

If you have blisters, a fever, chills, severe pain, dizziness, confusion, or signs of dehydration, tell a parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. Severe sunburn may need medical attention.

And whatever you do, don’t pop your blisters! They help protect the damaged skin underneath while it heals.

How Can You Prevent Sun Poisoning?

The good news is that sun poisoning is usually preventable. You don’t have to stay all summer indoors. You just need to protect your skin.

Start with sunscreen. Choose one with an SPF of at least 30 and the words “broad-spectrum” on the bottle. Broad-spectrum sunscreen protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Put it on before going outside and remember to reapply, especially after swimming or sweating.

You can also protect yourself by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and clothing that covers your arms and legs. Try to spend time in the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest. Water, sand, and snow can also reflect sunlight and increase your exposure.

Remember: sun protection is for everyone. People with any skin color can get sunburned, so everyone should take steps to protect their skin.

So next time you head outside, grab your sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat before you go. Having fun in the sun is great, but protecting your skin makes it even better!