Sun Poisoning

I am a medium toned redhead.  For the past5-6 years, whenever i'm in a bathing suit in the sun, I develop an ITCHY red rash, mostly on the tops of my thighs, which I believe is sun poisoning.  I use a good sunscreen but it doesn't seem to make a difference.  I'm going to Cancun soon.  Is there anything I can take to lesson the sun poisoning?  Lord knows, I don't want to spend the whole vacation away from the sun!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Nancy:

Some folks develop an allergy to the long waves of ultraviolet light not blocked by conventional sunscreens.  Try using one which contains Parsol 1789 and says it is for UVA.  Physical sunscreens containing titanium dioxide may lso help.  Finally, taking an antihistamine like chlortrimeton 4 mg or diphenhydramine 25 (both OTC before going out also helps some people.  (Careful about drowsiness, though--no driving on the beach or operating heavy machinery . . . )

best.

Dr. R

[Courtney Conte]

I went out in the sun this weekend.And my face got burned and now my forhead and under my eyes it swollen.!!Can you tell me what I have or what I should do. Is this sun poisoning?

[Jimbo franklin]

I was in the sun this week and my head got sun brunt and now my forehead is swollen,is this normal? How long will it take to go away.

[don roar]

I think i have sun posioning, I have a rash on my left shoulder and chest, Is there any thing i can do for the iching and swelling?

[jen]

I was diagnosed with sun poisoning on my neck/chest/shoulders.  Am taking Prednisone (corticosteriod)for 8 days.  3 days down, so far not much improvement.  Itches like a son-of-a-*&^%$.  

My advice is see a doctor if you suspect you have sun poisoning.  Oh, and stay out of the sun.

[[e-mail]]

someone please help me. i am  dark skinned 27 yr old german/scotish/dane. i never had any type of sun burn or sun poisoning ever in my life. just this path month however i moved from n.y to florida. and now i have some type of rash all over my arms and back of neck from the sun. it itches and hurts it was red at first now its turning whiteish color, whenever i go in the sun it flares up again and gets worse, itried anthistamine , creams , etc, nothingis working. its been about 4 weeks and its not getting better. someone please help me.......   email   ***@****

[Danielle Bradford]

I recently went to the doctor, and she told me I have sun
  posioning, my question is, is sun posioning a rash or can it
  almost look like sores or bites?? I have been going tanning
  for about a year and a half and never happened until now,
  it's also in my scalp of my head. I'm scheduled to see a
  dermatolgist nexy week, so I just wanted to know what sun
  posioning really looks like???????

[statler]

I'm thinking I might have possible sun poisoning. What does sun poisoning look like? I was at the beach and used that spray on 45 screen, but my skin is red and itchy, almost like a rash. Is this sun poisoning?

[precious17]

A related discussion, pins and needles was started.