Sunburn vs sun intoxication: similarities and differences

Exposure to UV light causes both sunburn and solar poisoning, but the sun poison is less common and more severe than a regular sunburn. The sun poisoning can be more difficult to treat and recover.

The sunburns are more common

A typical sunburn is common, especially during the hot weather. About 29% of American adults and 65% of adolescents from 9th to the 12th year have been burned at least once in the past year.

The sun poisoning, on the other hand, is not as common. Estimates suggest that each year, around 33,000 people visit emergencies for sunburn symptoms.

The sun poison requires medical care

Sunburn can usually be treated at home without any particular care. If you experience symptoms of sun intoxication, it is recommended to contact a health care provider. These symptoms include:

• Fever, chills or nausea
• Serious or painful blisters
• Rash
• Signs of dehydration, like extreme thirst, pee less than normal, dry mouth and dizziness

The sun poisoning generally takes longer to heal

A slight sunburn often starts to feel better in three to five days, but the more serious your burn, the more it will take your skin to heal. A severe sunburn, like the genre you might get with poisoning in the sun, can take up to two weeks to heal.

The sun poisoning can also cause skin infections. If you have severe blisters or a lot of skin coat, your skin can be exposed to bacteria that can cause an infection. The infection is not common, but if that happens to you, it will take you more time to recover completely.

Sunburn and sun poisoning have a lot in common. They can both be treated and prevented by many of the same strategies. They also increase your risk of future skin problems.

Both can damage your skin

A single sunburn increases your risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can be fatal. Obtaining a sunburn that causes blisters when you are a child or a teenager increases the risk of melanoma, just like repeated sunburns throughout your life, as soft or serious.

Sunburn and poisoning of the sun also contribute to photoaging or changes related to UV to your skin. This includes wrinkles, texture changes and discoloration or dark spots, commonly known as sunspots. He can take years for the photovagxes to appear on the skin after exposure to UV radiation.

Some over -the -counter treatments can relieve symptoms for both

It is important to see a health professional for sun intoxication so that they can assess your condition and recommend the appropriate treatment. Some of the recommended treatments can be the same as for a slight sunburn. These include:

• Take fresh baths or showers or apply fresh compresses to your skin.
• Keep your skin hydrated with a soft lotion containing aloe vera, colloidal oats or calamine.
• Take over -the -counter pain relievers (OTC) like Advil (Ibuprofen) or Bayer (aspirin) to relieve pain and swelling.
• Stay hydrated.
• Take care of blisters in the right way. Do not burst them and do not empty them. Instead, keep them clean, dry and covered with light panding, if you prefer.

If you have sun poisoning, your supplier can also prescribe pain relievers, steroids to reduce swelling and inflammation and intravenous (IV) fluids to rehydrate you quickly.

You can prevent them with the same strategies

Prevention of sunburn and sun poisoning does not require different sets of strategies – by preventing one, you can prevent the other. To protect your skin from any type of UV exposure, follow these best practices:

• Avoid direct sunlight, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Look for shaded areas outside during the strongest hours of the sun.
• Wear clothes with an ultraviolet protective factor (UPF), including hats and sunglasses.
• Apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) at least 30 each day, even on cloudy days.
• When you spend long periods outside, consider using SPF 50 or more.
• Make sure your sunscreen is labeled as “wide spectrum”, as it means that it will protect you from the two types of sun rays (UVA and UVB).
• Reappear a sunscreen at least every two hours, after swaming or sweating.
• Avoid tanning beds, which increase your risk for each type of skin cancer.
• Pay particular attention to your skin in certain environments that amplify UV rays, such as snow, water, sand and high altitudes.

Most people experience sun poisoning after developing a serious sunburn, causing symptoms of both conditions.

Even if sunburn and sun intoxication cause the two red, warm and painful skin areas, it is generally easy to distinguish the two conditions. Sunburn affect only the skin, while the sun poison causes more widespread symptoms, such as fever, chills and confusion.

You can have a poisoning in the sun without visible sunburn. Some experts consider sun poisoning as an allergic disease or reaction caused by exposure to UV, such as the eruption of polymorphic light (PMLE).

People with PMLE experience an inflammatory reaction to the sun, which causes a rash and, in some cases, fever or headache. This often happens when someone exposes their skin to the sun after several months inside, like going out in short sleeves the first beautiful day of spring or going to a warm and sunny place in the middle of winter.

If you have symptoms of sun intoxication, such as a sunburn or chills, it is important to see a primary health care provider as soon as possible.

If you have a sunburn, you probably don’t need to see a health care provider. Even light to moderate sunburns can be infected, especially if you have blisters or if you have greatly blown away when your skin heals. Contact a health care provider if you have signs of skin infection, such as red streaks or discharges suining an opening in your skin.

A sunburn is a skin reaction to exposure to UVs, generally by spending time outside the sun without protection of UVs. It causes red, warm and painful skin and sometimes swelling and blisters. The sun poisoning is an extreme form of sunburn which causes the same symptoms of the skin, as well as fever, chills, nausea, dehydration and dizziness.

Sunbbles and sun poisoning increase your risk of skin damage and skin cancer, so prevention strategies are essential.