Sun Poisoning Rash

What is Sun Poisoning Rash?

A sun poisoning rash is a term used for the medical condition for excessive sunburn. It does not involve any real poisoning or toxic substances. The excessive sunburn occurs when the surface of the skin is exposed to prolonged ultraviolet radiation of the sun which in turn ends up inflaming the skin. It occurs more during summers in geographic locations which experience extreme sunlight. It occurs due to the allergy from the sun and its radiations. Sun poisoning rash starts like common sunburn, which is why it may get unnoticed in some cases but increases to a great extent. These rashes which occur due to the Sun’s rays may also be termed as Solar dermatitis or Photodermatitis.

What are the symptoms of Sun Poisoning Rash?

Sunburn can affect the skin of a person within as short as 15 minutes or less of exposure of the skin to the sun. However, the rashes, redness, discomfort, and pain due to the Sunburn may start occurring after a while.
However, if you stay under the sun for too long, without any sort of protection for the skin, this Sunburn may also lead to Sun Poisoning. Symptoms of Sun Poisoning Rashes are:

• Small and red bumps on the surface of the skin.
• Blistering along with pus-filled blisters which are painful.
• An excessive headache.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Dizziness.
• Upset stomach.
• High Fever.
• Chills.
• Swelling of the exposed skin portion as well as tenderness.
• Dehydration.
• Severe reeling.
• Itching in the affected area.
• Fainting and confusion.
• Increased pulse and breathing

The treatment of Sun Poisoning Rash should be done as soon as these symptoms start appearing. In the case of improper treatment or no treatment of Sun Poisoning Rash or extreme sunburn, it can increase the chances and risks pertaining to Skin cancer.

What are the causes of Sun Poisoning Rash?

The Sun Poisoning Rash is a hypersensitive response of the skin to prolonged exposure to Ultraviolet radiations present in the Sun’s rays in the form of a skin allergy. The causes of Sun Poisoning Rash may depend on the following factors:

Age and Skin Type: Although there are no major types of skin or age groups which may get affected by Sun Poisoning Rash, however, children and people with sensitive skin or lighter complexions of skin have a higher probability of getting affected by the Sun Poisoning Rash. The lack of a particular type of pigmentation called melanin, more commonly observed in people with lighter complexions, reduces the protection that occurs against harmful radiations of the Sun.

Specific Products: Apart from sun-sensitizing drugs, there exist certain products which are labeled as “photoallergic eruption”, which means that upon using these products one becomes more vulnerable to rashes and blisters caused by extreme sunburn or Sun poisoning. Sun Poisoning Rash may also occur due to the ultraviolet rays which inflame the skin from the Tanning bed.

What is the treatment for Sun Poisoning Rash?

There are various remedies for the treatment of Sun Poisoning Rash which reduces the discomfort, pain, and allergy caused by the medical condition. These are:

• Bathing with cool water, frequently, to lower down the body’s temperature. The stops the occurrence of rash over and over.
• Hydration and consumption of a lot of fluids along with salts to help the body to regain all the salts and water lost.
• Use of cold milk and water, or infused Burrow’s Solution when applied to affected surfaces of the skin soothes the skin and reduces the allergy.
• Aloe Vera pastes, solutions may also be applied to affected areas as it has a tendency to cool down the skin temperature and reduce rashes. Similarly, Calamine Lotion may also be applied.
• Take regular baths in baking soda mixed water to help soothe the impacted skin.
• Taking pain-killers can help to deal with the discomfort from the pain and inflammation due to Sun Poisoning Rash.
• Application of topical anesthetics such as benzocaine provides help to deal with the allergy by reducing pain and itching
• Try to avoid going out in the Sun until completely recovered or wear complete clothing in order to avoid the direct contact of the skin with the Sun radiations again.

Sun Poisoning Home Remedies

Following are some of the best home remedies which will help you in case of sun poisoning rash :

1. Ice Treatment – When you have quite minor or when your sun poisoning rash is in earlier stage then you can do regular ice treatment. This will cool the allergic skin and ultimately it will heal in some time.
2. Cold Compress – Use cold compress technique with equal parts of milk and water on the allergic skin.

What can be the Preventions against Sun Poisoning Rash?

As it is always said Prevention is better than cure, people who have a higher tendency to get affected by Sun Poisoning Rash should make sure to take great care and preventive measures to avoid getting affected by the allergy. The preventive measures shall be:

Sunscreen Application: One can also use high SPF- sunscreen (with SPF of at least 30 days or with “broad spectrum” label) which will block both Ultra Violet A and Ultra Violet B radiations. It should be applied 15-20 minutes prior to exposure to the Sun and should be reapplied after every 2 hours. In case you have been swimming or sweating, then it should be applied immediately.

Covering: Wearing sunglasses, hats which are broad-brimmed, clothing which covers the arms and legs fully and is tightly woven or specially designed as protection against Sun.

Avoiding triggers: Contact with those objects which may trigger the allergy while you are exposed to the Sun should be avoided. These objects acting as triggers may be lime juice, wild parsnip etc.

Sun Poisoning Rash Pictures

Sun Poisoning Rash FAQs

How can you prevent yourself from this disease by limiting the exposure?

The simplest way to prevent extreme sunburn is by avoiding or limiting the exposure to Sun. This can be done by avoiding going outdoors during peak hours of the Sun (mostly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The Sunlight entering indoors through the fenestrations may also cause the extreme sunburn, hence use of curtains and blindfolds should be done.

How does sun-sensitizing medication work?

There exist certain medicines and drugs which have a side effect of creating a super sensitive skin to Sun’s radiations. The medicines increase the effect and impact of the Ultraviolet rays of the Sun on the surface of the skin. The use of cosmetics, fragrance, cream, lotion or sunscreen containing such drugs can lead to Sun Poisoning Rash when exposed to the Sun’s radiations. These drugs may be Hexachlorophene, Thiazide diuretics etc.

Medical References:

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-poisoning#1

http://www.today.com/health/3-things-you-need-know-about-sun-poisoning-t92061

share.upmc.com/2014/06/dangers-sun-poisoning/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/polymorphous-light-eruption/expert-answers/sun-rash/faq-20058163