Sun Poisoning: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment Options

In medical terms, sun poisoning and sunburn are the same, referred to as photodermatitis or your skin's allergic reaction to overexposure to the sun. Colloquially, though, the symptoms of sun poisoning are considered more severe than a sunburn.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a sunburn include redness, burning, itching and peeling. In addition to these symptoms, sun poisoning can often include blisters, nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid breathing and dizziness and could require medical treatment if too severe--in other words, a severe sunburn.

Treatments

• If symptoms are mild, treat skin as you would normal sunburn by staying hydrated, applying cold compresses and aloe. Take aspirin to reduce swelling. Avoid using any product containing fragrance or exfoliants as this could further irritate skin. Noxema, a product that can be bought at any grocery or drug store, is helpful in cooling down skin when applied directly to sun burnt areas.

  If the symptoms are those of sun poisoning, increase efforts to cool and hydrate skin as soon as possible. Drink plenty of fluids and bathe in cool water.

  If at any point you begin to suffer from extreme pain, vomiting or extremely high fever, see a doctor, as more serious cases may require an oral steroid to reduce inflammation or IV fluids to restore hydration.