What is sun poisoning?

Sun poisoning causes sunburn on the skin, which can lead to pain, fever, nausea, dehydration, and confusion .

Sun poisoning is a serious sunburn that occurs when the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays damage skin cells, causing inflammation that leads to symptoms such as redness, blistering, and chills. cold, fever, nausea, pain, rash, peeling skin, rapid pulse and breathing, fatigue, loss of consciousness, dehydration.

People with light skin are more likely to get sun poisoning than people with darker skin because they have less melanin. Melanin is a brown pigment that the body produces to block harmful UV rays and protect the skin.

Sun poisoning occurs when exposure to UV rays exceeds the ability of melanin to protect the skin. Symptoms usually develop within a few hours and peak about 6-48 hours after sun exposure.

If you experience this condition, the first thing to do is find shade or stay indoors until symptoms subside. Some self-care measures that can alleviate symptoms of sun poisoning are as follows:

1. Cool the skin: Take a cool bath or apply a cool, wet towel to the affected skin area.
2. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers can relieve mild to moderate pain.
3. Drink plenty of water: Sun poisoning causes the body to suck fluid from the rest to hydrate the skin. Drinking plenty of water helps replenish lost fluids, which can prevent dehydration.
4. Do not squeeze or scratch blisters that form on sunburned skin, increasing the risk of skin infection due to bacterial penetration.
5. Moisturize: Hydrate your skin with an aloe vera-based moisturizer or gel.
6. Wear loose clothing to avoid skin irritation and worsening of symptoms.

Symptoms may last a few days to a few weeks . If the condition becomes severe, the person may need hospital treatment with methods such as intravenous fluids to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes, oral steroids to reduce inflammation, and prescription pain relievers. .

Sun poisoning is most common in tropical climates and times when people spend more time in the sun. Anyone can experience this condition if they spend too much time in the sun without covering up and applying appropriate sunscreen. However, people with existing skin diseases such as lupus, eczema. are more susceptible to sun poisoning.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays poses a risk of sun poisoning. (Photo: Anh Ngoc).

Proactively protecting your skin from UV rays is the best way to avoid or prevent sun poisoning. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher on all exposed skin at least 20 minutes before going outdoors. Reapply the cream every two hours and every time you sweat a lot or after swimming.

Limit going out, especially during peak sunlight hours from 10:00 to 16:00. Wear protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses.

People often confuse heat rash and sun poisoning because both occur in hot, humid conditions and have similar skin manifestations. However, sun poisoning can affect the whole body, not just areas that sweat easily like heat rash, and can be more serious if left untreated.

Patients should see a doctor as soon as possible if they have confusion, fainting, fever and chills, headache, nausea or vomiting, severe blistering of the skin, or sunburn of 15% or more of the body.