Ah, summer is on the horizon! What could possibly go wrong as we head outdoors and get some much-needed vitamin D after these miserable winter (and spring, allegedly) months.
However, just when we were ready to slap on the oil, people on TikTok are sharing their experiences of being ‘sun poisoned’.
In these videos, creators show various degrees of swelling across their faces and eyes that worsened over time and for some, rendered them unable to actually see straight.
In the videos, users urge their viewers to use SPF and take care on sunny holidays to avoid experiencing this ‘poisoning’.
On one of the videos, a commenter warned: ”I had the exact same thing when I was 20. Skin cancer 10 years later on my cheeks and temple. Still fighting precancerous spots. i’m 55 years old now.”
But Is Sun Poisoning A Real Thing?
In a word: no.
Of course, these serious symptoms are very real and concerning, especially since experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and non-melanoma skin cancer risk by 68%.
However, according to Erum Ilyas, a board-certified dermatologist, it’s not actually poisoning.
She says that these symptoms are the result of ‘deep’ sunburn. While heat stroke and heat exhaustion are due to overwhelmed sweat glands, ‘sun poisoning’ is when the sweat glands have been ‘literally burned’ in addition to the rest of the exposed areas of skin. She adds that the skin loses all thermal regulation when it becomes severely burned.
So no, technically, these symptoms aren’t the result of being poisoned by the sun but instead a very severe form of sunburn.
How To Protect Yourself From Sunburn?
It’s important to protect yourself from sunburn to drastically reduce your risks of skin cancer and keep your skin from burning and even blistering.
- Taking extra care if you have light skin, red hair, freckles, don’t experience intense heat often or have a family history of skin cancer
- Make sure you cover your moles and report any changes in your moles to your GP
- Use a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears,
- Wear trousers or long skirts in close-weave fabrics that don’t allow sunlight through
- Wear sunglasses with wraparound lenses or wide arms with the CE Mark and British Standard Mark 12312-1:2013 E
- Apply 6 to 8 teaspoons of sunscreen for the entire body
- Use at least factor 30 SPF
- Reapply sunscreen throughout the day according to manufacturer’s instructions but if you’re going to be out in the sun for long periods of time, apply it 30 minutes before going out and again just before going out
- Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm