Article update – 08.21.2025 – Written by Jonn Frimen: what it is, how it feels, and how to handle it

What is “sun poisoning,” really?

“Sun poisoning” isn’t actual poison. It’s slang for a severe sunburn that goes beyond simple redness and makes you feel downright sick—think flu-ish, wiped out, maybe even dizzy. Some folks also use it to describe a true sun allergy (like polymorphous light eruption), but most of the time people mean a heavy-duty burn from UV exposure.

Sun poisoning symptoms

There’s no such thing as a “good” sunburn—every burn is skin damage from ultraviolet rays (tanning beds count, too). With light skin, you’ll see hot, red skin; with darker skin, the area may look darker than usual and feel tender. A more intense burn (what people call sun poisoning) can bring:

• Blistering or peeling skin
• A nasty, widespread rash
• Severe pain and swelling
• Eyes that feel gritty or painful
• Lip blisters
• Headache, fever, chills
• Nausea, dizziness (often from dehydration)

The burn can sneak up on you: pain and color changes tend to ramp up after a few hours and peak around the 24-hour mark. Peeling and itching can hang around for days to weeks.

Heat rash vs. sun poisoning

Heat rash happens when sweat gets trapped in your pores—itchy, bumpy, and super common in humid states. Sun poisoning is a deep sunburn from UV rays; it may also cause a hot, painful rash, but the cause (and treatment) is different.

Sunstroke (heat stroke) vs. sun poisoning

Heat stroke is a medical emergency caused by overheating (running outside in July humidity, sitting in a hot car, or no A/C during a heat wave). Sun poisoning is skin damage from UV. You can have both, but they’re not the same thing—know your heat stroke symptoms: confusion, fainting, very high body temp, no sweating. Call 911.

Treating sun poisoning

First move: get out of the sun—shade, indoors, anywhere cool.

• Take a cool (not icy) shower or bath; or use cool compresses
• Hydrate hard (water or oral rehydration solutions) to fight fluid loss
• Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain (follow the label)
• Smooth on aloe gel or a plain, fragrance-free moisturizer
• For small, super-itchy areas, a thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone can help a day or two
• Do not pop blisters; cover with a clean, non-stick dressing if they break
• When you must go outside, fully cover the burn with loose, long sleeves and pants

Skip home “hacks” that can backfire (butter, petroleum on fresh burns, benzocaine sprays). If you’ve got big blisters, fever that won’t quit, confusion, vomiting, signs of infection (pus, spreading redness), or eye involvement—get medical care now.

How to prevent sun poisoning

• Chase UV protection year-round: broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 50 (or SPF 30+ minimum), reapply every 2 hours and after swimming/sweating
• Wear sun gear: UPF shirt, wide-brim hat, UV-blocking shades
• Mind the clock: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. is prime-burn time in most U.S. states
• Clouds don’t save you; wind can hide warning heat—still use sunburn prevention basics
• Certain meds/skin products can make you extra sensitive—ask your clinician or pharmacist

Severe Sun Poisoning: what to do, how to heal, and how not to get roasted again

When a “bad burn” crosses into sun poisoning

If a severe sunburn comes with blisters, swelling, fever/chills, pounding headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, or you feel faint and dried out, that’s classic sun poisoning symptoms—time to see a clinician or hit urgent care. You’re not “poisoned,” but your skin and fluids took a major UV hit, and proper sun poisoning treatment matters.

What a clinic may use to treat you

• IV fluids if dehydration’s got you woozy
• Steroid creams (sometimes short courses of pills) to calm intense skin inflammation
• Prescription pain meds if OTC stuff isn’t touching it
• Topical antibiotics for broken blisters or early infection so those sunburn blisters don’t go sideways
• Eye drops if your eyes are irritated and gritty
  If you’ve got red flags like persistent vomiting, confusion, or fainting, get evaluated ASAP—those can overlap with heat stroke symptoms, especially after a Texas-in-July kind of day.

Will sun poisoning leave scars?

Most burns are first-degree (top layer only) and don’t scar. Some second-degree burns hit deeper layers and can scar. True third-degree burns from the sun are rare but can happen; those are the ones most likely to scar and sometimes need procedures like skin grafts.

Better healing at home (for milder burns)

• Keep it clean and don’t pop blisters—cover with a non-stick dressing and a thin layer of plain petroleum jelly if your clinician okays it
• Skip peeling the skin “because it’s satisfying”—you’ll slow healing and hike infection risk
• Cool showers, cool compresses, steady fluids, and fragrance-free moisturizer (aloe is fine if you tolerate it)

How to prevent sun poisoning next time

• Wear sunscreen—broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) SPF 50 sunscreen is a solid everyday pick; SPF 30 is the floor. Get it on 15–30 minutes before you head out, reapply every 2 hours, and sooner after swimming or sweating (check the “water-resistant 80 minutes” label).
• Limit peak exposure—10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is roast-o’clock from Florida to the Jersey Shore. Shade is your friend.
• Cover up—UPF shirts, a wide-brim hat, and UV-blocking shades make life easier than chasing reapplications on the beach.
• Ditch tanning beds—same UV rays, same damage; “base tans” do not protect you.
• Med check—some antibiotics, acne meds, diuretics, heart meds, antidepressants, and even certain fragrances make you photosensitive. Ask your doc or pharmacist before lake days in July.
• Know your risk—fair skin, family history of skin cancer, high elevation or equatorial travel, and conditions like lupus push risk higher, so tighten up your UV protection routine.

Can darker skin get sun poisoning?

Yes. Melanin helps but isn’t a force field. People with any skin tone can burn and develop sun poisoning symptoms. Broad-spectrum sunscreen, hats, and shade work just as well on dark skin as on light skin, and the same prevention rules apply across the board.

Other “Sun Poisoning” Situations (aka sun allergy stuff you can actually run into)

Quick reality check. When folks in the U.S. say “sun poisoning,” they’re not always talking about a savage severe sunburn. Sometimes they mean a sun allergy—your immune system flips out after UV exposure and you break out in a photosensitivity rash. Two common culprits: polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) and solar urticaria.

Polymorphous Light Eruption (PMLE)

PMLE is basically your skin saying, “hey, that spring sunshine in Colorado came in hot.” It shows up in roughly 15% of people worldwide and often flares in April–June or when you fly from, say, Ohio to a blinding Florida beach week. The working theory: UV light tweaks a skin chemical, and your immune system overreacts.

What it looks/feels like

• Hours after sun time: small red bumps, bigger red patches; blisters are less common
• Itchy as heck; sometimes mild fever, headache, or nausea
• Usually settles on its own within a few days; many people get less reactive over time

What helps

• First line is UV protection—shade, UPF clothing, and broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 50 (yes, still useful even if you burn easily)
• Docs often recommend antihistamines or short courses of other meds if you’re super itchy
• If you know you flare hard on sunny trips, your clinician might pregame with a brief corticosteroid plan so your vacation isn’t a rash-fest

Related note: Actinic prurigo is a PMLE-like condition that tends to run in families and is seen more in Native American communities; it can start in spring and linger for months.

Solar Urticaria (instant hives from light)

This one’s fast. Within minutes of stepping into midday sun in Arizona, you get raised, red, burning hives. They can vanish as quickly as they came or hang around a few hours—rarely more than a day.

When it’s widespread

• You might also feel crummy: headache, nausea, vomiting, even shortness of breath
• A dermatologist can test what triggers you—often UVA vs UVB or even visible light sensitivity

What helps

• Antihistamines are the go-to; your doc may add other meds if flares are frequent
• Sunscreen blocks UVA/UVB, but it won’t stop visible light; you’ll need shade, UPF layers, wide-brim hats, and sometimes protective films on car windows
• Keep a strict sun plan on high-index days (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), especially at altitude or near water/sand where reflection amps exposure

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