A short nap in the sun left me in pain for weeks
Jean Hill, 67, had only planned to sit in her garden for a short read in the sunshine when temperatures soared into the high 20s back in May. But after dozing off for what she believes was "just 10 or 15 minutes," she woke up to what would turn out to be weeks of pain and discomfort.
Despite wearing factor 30 sunscreen, the retired cleaner from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, says her face turned bright red overnight, her eye swelled shut, and she could barely recognise herself in the mirror the next morning.
"It was coming up to the first May Bank Holiday and the sun came out, so I thought I'd get some fresh air," she says. "I fell asleep for a short time, but the next day I woke up and couldn't open my eye – I was in so much pain."
Jean's husband, 67-year-old Timothy, was shocked to find her face bright red and badly swollen. "My face was so disfigured I could barely recognise myself," Jean remembers. "There were little white spots under my skin and it was burning."
Panicked, she headed to A&E, where doctors told her she needed to see a specialist. Jean was told she'd developed severe sunburn, also known as sun poisoning, which weakened her immune system enough to trigger shingles, an infection that causes blistering, a painful rash and flu-like symptoms.
Specialists examined Jean's right eye and confirmed she had developed the viral infection. While shingles itself isn't caused directly by the sun, doctors explained the severe sun damage had likely weakened her immune defences and triggered the infection.
"I was given antiviral tablets, creams and eye drops, but six weeks on, I was still swollen and in pain," Jean says. "I didn't go out for weeks. I had to wear sunglasses or keep the curtains closed because the light hurt my eyes so much."
Her treatment included nerve pain medication, antibiotics and moisturising creams to help soothe the blisters.
Despite this, she says the pain has been relentless. "It's still really painful. The corner of my eye is the worst – I feel like banging my head against the wall."
Doctors have reassured Jean that her symptoms will eventually heal, though recovery can take months.
She believes the trouble began when her sunglasses slipped off her face as she napped, leaving her closed eyelids exposed to UV rays.
"There are people who go out without sunglasses or a hat, lying on the beach with no sun cream," she says. "I was careful, and this still happened to me; they don't realise the danger."
Older adults and young children are especially vulnerable to sunburn because their skin is thinner and more sensitive to UV rays. Children's skin burns more easily, and as we age, our skin naturally becomes thinner and loses some of its protective barrier.
Jean hopes sharing her experience will encourage others to take sun safety seriously, especially as the UK is due for a hotter-than-average summer.
"I never dreamt anything like this could or would happen," she says. "I don't want it to happen to anyone else."
Sunburn usually causes red, hot or sore skin that feels tender. Severe sunburn can lead to swelling, blisters or peeling after a few days. You might also feel unwell with headaches or nausea.
If you have severe blistering, dizziness or dehydration, or if you're worried, it's best to get medical advice.
According to the NHS, symptoms usually develop in stages:
A tingling, painful feeling in an area of skin (often on one side of the body)
A headache or feeling generally unwell
A burning or itching sensation before the rash appears
A red rash that develops into fluid-filled blisters
The rash most often appears on the chest and tummy, but it can also affect the face, eyes or genitals.
While shingles isn't usually life-threatening, it can be very painful and sometimes leads to complications like long-lasting nerve pain or eye problems, especially if not treated promptly.
Additional reporting by SWNS
Read more about sunburn:
How to treat sunburn at home – and when to see a doctor (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
The best sunscreen of 2025 – and the two to avoid (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
I'm Australian and I think Britain's approach to sun safety is absolutely unbelievable (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
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