25 June 2024 , 10:26
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A woman has warned fellow followers about the dangers of sun poisoning after developing an extremely swollen face during a holiday in Gran Canaria.
Sharing her vacation disaster on TikTok, user @llioeriin dreamed of returning home with a healthy tan, but suffered the serious effects of UV radiation instead. In a video captioned 'Watch me get sun poisoning', the woman posted a compilation of photos and short clips documenting her serious reaction to the sun, which started with her forehead swelling.
At the start of the video, she shared an image of her face from the side, highlighting the early stages of sun poisoning - but it wasn’t until the next morning when things really took a turn. "Woke up the next morning with a swollen eye," she told her followers, as she shared footage of her face with one eye closed.
Following this, she revealed that the swelling on her right eye was so bad that she "couldn't open" it and explained that it was "still getting worse". Later on, the blonde beauty woke up from a nap with an increasingly swollen and red face, and said: "Went for a nap and woke up to both of my eyes swollen."
She quipped that her new face was "cute" and that she had "never looked better", before revealing: "Both of my eyes were shut and I couldn’t see anything." Things were still getting worse as her unrecognisable face continued to swell, and the TikToker warned viewers about the risks of sun poisoning, as she wrote: "Remember to wear suncream".
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The following day, the woman’s face started peeling at the airport. After finally getting herself to A&E looking like a "chipmunk", the woman’s face finally showed signs of recovery. She later revealed that it took "about a week" for the swelling and redness to subside, but she was worried that she’d “never be able to see again”.
The viral video has amassed a staggering 27 million views so far, with more than 2.9 million likes and 25.4K shares. People expressed their reactions to the alarming video in the comments section, with one person writing: "How are people calm during this? I’d think I’m dying and go straight to the hospital lol."
Another added: "I got this in Gran Canaria. I've never seen anyone else get it! I looked like an avatar." "The first time I got sun poisoning I thought I was legitimately dying," penned a third.
What is sun poisoning?
Sun poisoning doesn’t really mean you have been poisoned, explains WebMD. It is actually a term used to describe a severe case of sunburn, and occurs when a burn from ultraviolet (UV) radiation inflames the skin.
This can happen when you have been exposed to the sun for too long, by not wearing sunscreen, or forgetting to take extra precautions if you’re at an increased risk for sunburn. Also known as polymorphic light eruption, sun poisoning can differ based on your sensitivity to the sun.
For example, you are more likely to sunburn if you have light skin and fair hair. However, unlike mild sunburn, sun poisoning usually requires medical treatment to prevent complications.
Sun poisoning can cause a range of symptoms depending on the severity, including:
Skin redness and blistering
Pain and tingling
Swelling
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Headache
Fever and chills
Nausea
Dizziness
Dehydration
Lightheadedness.
Confusion
Shortness of breath.
Fainting.
Cancer Research UK warns: "Getting sunburn just once every two years can triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer, compared to never being burnt." People are advised to spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, the hottest times during the day, and wear suitable clothing and sunglasses whilst in the sun.
When buying sunscreen, the label should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB and at least 4-star UVA protection. Make sure the sunscreen is not past its expiry date and do not spend any longer in the sun than you would without sunscreen.
You should also contact your GP or call 111 if your skin is blistered and swollen, you've got a temperature or your baby or young child has sunburn.