Sunburn and sun poisoning are two common skin conditions caused by excessive exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Although both conditions are similar in many ways, there are some key differences that set them apart. Sunburn is a mild to moderate skin reaction characterized by redness, tenderness, and sometimes blistering. Sun poisoning, on the other hand, is a more severe form of sunburn that can cause fever, chills, and dehydration, among other symptoms. Let’s take an overview of these two conditions, their causes, symptoms, and treatment options by experts to help you better understand and prevent them.
“As the season is changing and summer is upon us so are the risks of heat related problems like heat stroke and all. Though, us Indians are lucky in the manner that our skin has protective melanin that prevents the severe harmful effects of UV exposure still it is prudent to be aware of them so that we can take preventive and curative action in case of such an occurrence,” says Dr Anupama Bisaria , Dermatologist.
We have all been in a situation where we felt uncomfortable by the sun and its wrath. “For some, it’s the peeling, for the rest, it’s the burns; the sun isn’t exactly our best friend when it comes to skincare. However, in order to treat a condition with care, it’s imperative to know what exactly caused a particular issue,” opines Dr Gagan Bhatia, founder, Uniqaya, a premium skincare brand.
Is it a sunburn? Or is it sun poisoning?
It’s not a cakewalk to tell the difference between the two. “Sunburn is regarded as the redness of one’s skin which goes away in a few days, and sun poisoning is a much more serious problem of irritation which shows up as hives or blisters. Some people refer to these hives as a “sun rash,” a rash on a sunburn,” adds Dr Bhatia.
How does a person gets sunburnt?
“Mild sunburn is common in us Indians too in the form of persistent redness and burning in the areas of Sun exposure especially after beach or high altitude vacation,” adds Dr Bisaria.
A sunburn occurs when you expose your skin to the sun for a considerable amount of time, which ultimately results in redness and irritation. Dr Bhatia explains some symptoms of sunburn that include:
- Redness of the skin
- Swelling
- Itchiness
- Tenderness
- Warm/hot
How to take care of sun burn?
Such redness and burning can be easily taken care of by preventing further UV exposure, ample amount of sunscreen, soothing a healing moisturizer and in some severe cases mild steroids application is all that is needed. Apply a sunscreen. The doctors all around the world can’t emphasise enough upon the importance of a sunscreen, and that’s due to the fact that it’s the only element in your skincare routine that can help you keep your skin youthful, young and radiant.
How does a person get sun poisoning?
“When there occurs a severe case of sunburn which results in hives or blisters alongside symptoms such as headache, nausea, chills, fever, dizziness, lethargy, it is called sun poisoning. This happens due to extreme immune response of the body towards undue sun exposure,” states Dr Bisaria.
Apart from the kind of symptoms that one shows in a sunburn, sun poisoning can also manifest in ways such as:
- Hives or rash
- Blisters
- Dehydration
- Headache or dizziness
- Fever or chills
- Nausea
How to take care of sun poisoning?
This should be taken seriously and ideally medical care should be taken. Some patients may require I.V. hydration. If that is not possible then the patient should be put indoors and oral rehydration should be done. Topically calamine lotion should be applied as initial therapy and patients may need oral or topical steroids. Long term skin care is essential in these patients to prevent scarring and post burn hyperpigmentation.
So be wise and take proactive steps while you anticipate high UV exposure.
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