Sun Poisoning????

[FinsUp]

Just curious as to how many of you out there have the displeasure of sun poisoning of your trip to STJ? If so, what do you do to minimalize it? I use SPF 50 and wear a rash guard but am wondering if anyone has found a remedy in their travels. Thanks in advance!!

[stjchica]

Looks like minimizing sun exposure at the hottest part of the day, using great sunblock, and avoiding certain medications that predispose you to burn easily are your best best. Rash guard is good too..

[toes in the sand]

My daughter and wife have both had the unpleasant experience of sun poisoning. The second best remedy we found on the island of Antigua. Our room had a lotion/balm that worked wonderfully. Unfortunately it was bottled under the resort name and I was unable to find it anywhere else and it has been years since and the resort has long since been closed.
Best remedy is to limit your sun exposure.

[bevm]

Make sure you have some pure aloe vera on hand, too.

[brenda]

No special remedy once you get it. Just take extra precautions so you don't! I am prone to it on my shoulders and have had it 3 times. I use 50 sunblock and reapply often. It's not worth it to burn. If I feel like I am starting to get too much sun, I put on my rashguard. Those soothing aloe "ice" gels help too.

[deejayjay]

Prevention is always best. But if that fails, in addition to the topical things, and antiinflammatory such as Advil also helps.

[kklay]

In November of 2009 a friend of mine got sun poisoning - we happened to be at Vie's beach and Miss Vie saw it and suggested aloe - so she cut a large piece from one of her aloe plants and squeezed some of the aloe out to spread over the affected area. That really seemed to help - it changed kind of a strange color (after a while) - almost like it was "pulling" the poison out from the bumps. We also bought some lotion at the Chelsea Drug Store to help with the itching. I have the bottle at home, just can't remember the name. I will update this posting with the name when I go home after work. I do believe there are lots of aloe plants on the island, so that would be my first option to try.

Hope this helps!

[Jumbiegirl]

I get it every single time. The only thing that seems to lessen it for me is less direct sunlight time. No cream helps at all and nothing seems to prevent it.

[Barb Y]

One year I had such a terrible burn that developed VERY itchy hives, I was lucky enough to have been visiting Miss Vie's and she went into her garden with a large knife and cut a huge piece of aloe. She rubbed it all over my arms and gave me the remaining piece to continue to apply. It really helped so much! She was a true angel!

[djmom]

Sun poisoning being a very broad term...I used to think I was getting sun poisining every time I went to St. John.

Lo and behold I start making an association between my sunscreen and the bumps...it turns out that just about any lotion (even hypoallergenic) gave me the bumps after just a few days. Switched to spray (like the Target brand or Coppertone Sport spray) and the problem has not come back in 3 visits.

I am talking about the spray that is in an aerosol type can and is not "spray lotion".

Hope this helps someone else!

[Barb Y]

Great info! I did believe that the itchy bumps were possibly linked to the lotion that I had used. I am a Coppertone girl all the way now and thank God haven't run into that problem since. The Aloe was extremely soothing either way.

[tropicdawg]

I agree with djmom; the right sunscreen can change everything. I started using Kinesys SPF 30 spray about five years ago. I have never had the rash or bumps I previously associated with sun poisoning since. I have also never gotten a burn. The best stuff ever but it's not cheap. There are many mail order sources (Amazon, REI, Swimsport, etc) but they all charge around $18 for 4 oz spray. I buy a bottle of the scented for myself (mango) and unscented for my husband every 10 day trip to St. John and we use about 2/3rds each. It is worth every penny!

[Pia]

Do you mean a bad sunburn or sun poisoning - symptoms of sun poisoning also tend to include nausea, fever, headache, and dizziness and may also be accompanied by fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance. I had *true* sun poisoning when I first moved to the USA back in 1985 - not fun To help avoid sun poisoning drink lots of water and spend time in the shade frequently - don't just lay in full sun all day and for the burn part of it pure aloe from the plant will help - it stinks but does help and plenty of free aloe around the island.

Pia

[Chickadee]

One of my kids used to get small bumps (not itchy, not pustules) every time we applied sun screen, only where it was applied, and got sun burn despite repeated applications. After a little bit of research, I found that there is an ingredient in some sunscreens that, when exposed to sunlight, may cause an allergic reaction in some people. Here is what I found and I keep a copy as a note on my phone for quick reference when shopping for sunscreen. Since paying attention to ingredients, the problem has not occurred. It is my understanding that some of these ingredients are not banned any way. I hope this helps some.

Sunscreen Photosensitivity
Photoallergic eruption

Sunscreens containing bergamot oil, sandalwood oil, benzophenones, PABA, cinnamates, salicylates, anthranilates, PSBA, mexenone, and oxybenzone can all cause photosensitivity reactions. Titanium dioxide is the least likely sunscreen to cause photosensitivity disorders.

Also likely suspects:
4-tert-butyl-4- methoxy-dibenzoylmethane (Parsol 1789)
2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate (Parsol MCX)
isoamyl-p-methoxycinnamate (Neoheliopan)
2-hydroxy-methoxmethylbenzophenone (mexenone)

[FinsUp]

Thank You to Everyone for all of your wonderful input. Pia- I think you are correct..I am using the term "sun poisoning" inaccurately. I don't experience nausea, fever or headache. What I experience is more what Chickadee is describing which is a photosensitivity or allergic reaction. I don't have any problems here in the summer time, just in STJ with the intensity of the sun. I am going to try the sunscreen tropicdawg recommended and prevention!! Thanks again all-you have definitely helped!!