By Steven Smith
A grandmother who got an infection and shingles that left her so puffy she was unrecognisable has warned others. Retiree Jean Hill, 67, brought out her garden deckchair to sit reading in the sun at her home in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, for a short while on May 1 – when temperatures hit the high 20s. The grandmother-of-two then lay on her sunbed for a quick rest, and fell asleep for “10 or 15 minutes”, during which time her sunglasses fell off her face. She woke up and continued her day, but when she arose the next morning, her eye was swollen shut and blistered with white spots. Jean was in agonising pain and couldn’t open one eye and doctors revealed, despite wearing factor 30 sun cream, she had developed sun poisoning. Worse still, it had weakened her immune system to the point that she had developed shingles – a painful and itchy rash caused by an infection, which can also cause temperatures and nausea. Despite being prescribed medications, nearly two months on Jean says her face is still sore and painful. Jean, a retired cleaner, said: “It was coming up to the first Bank Holiday in May and the sun came out, so I got out my sun lounger. I’m not much of a sunbather – but I fell asleep for a short time. “But the next day I woke up and couldn’t open my eye and I was in so much pain. I was bright red, swollen and blistered and my face felt like it was on fire. “When I went to the hospital I was told the sun poisoning had caused shingles – I couldn’t believe it. I was given antiviral tablets, creams and eye drops – but six weeks on, I’m still swollen and in pain. I had only been sitting outside for 10 or 15 minutes – people don’t realise the danger of sunbathing.” Jean woke up the next morning in a panic as she looked in the mirror. Her husband, Timothy Hill, 67, a retired handyman, told her she had turned ‘bright red’ – and she went to A&E. She said: “My face was so disfigured I could barely recognise myself. There were little white spots under my skin and it was burning.” She was told she needed to see a specialist, which she did, and a doctor looked at her swollen right eye with a machine. She was told she had developed shingles, an itchy viral rash caused by an infection. Her doctor believed her sun exposure had led to some kind of sun poisoning, which had weakened her immune system and developed into shingles, Jean said. She was given antiviral tablets to treat the shingles along with other treatments and was told to return in two weeks. When she did, she was given another supply plus antibiotics, as she was still suffering from the effects. She said: “I didn’t go out for weeks and I had to wear sunglasses or close the curtains because my eyes were sensitive to the light. I’m still on medication now – I’ve still got blisters under my brows, and my forehead is inflamed. “I have nerve tablets for the pain and eye drops and night cream to soothe it. But it’s still really painful, I feel like banging my head against the wall. The corner of my eye is the worst.” Jean’s doctors have reassured her that the condition will eventually heal. But she wants to warn people to be aware of how much damage the sun can do, even if only exposed for a short time. Jeans reckons the issue began when her glasses fell off her face as she napped and her eyes were exposed to high UV – even though her eyes were shut. She said: “There are people who go out not wearing sunglasses or a hat and lie on the beach with no sun cream on. I was careful and this happened to me – they don’t realise the danger. “I never dreamt anything like this could or would happen. I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.” – spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm – never burn – cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses – take extra care with children – use at least factor 30 sunscreen