Sunburn
How to cool and soothe sunburn, which after-sun products and painkillers help, how to protect children, and the warning signs that need a doctor.
Heat exhaustion, heatstroke and dehydration in Sharm El Sheikh
How to spot heat exhaustion, heatstroke and dehydration, how to cool someone down, what to buy at the pharmacy, and when to call 123.
Heat exhaustion means your body is struggling to cope with heat. It usually improves within 30 minutes of cooling down and drinking fluids. Heatstroke is more serious: the body can no longer control its temperature, and it is a medical emergency. If someone is confused, collapses or does not improve after 30 minutes, call 123.
What to do now:
- Move the person to a cool, shaded or air-conditioned place, and remove extra clothing.
- If they are awake and not vomiting, give water, a sports drink or oral rehydration salts to sip.
- Spray or sponge the skin with cool water and fan them. Put cold packs, wrapped in a cloth, under the armpits or on the neck.
- Call 123 if they are confused, have a seizure, are hot but not sweating, or lose consciousness. Call too if they are not better after 30 minutes.
Why heat is a risk on holiday
You feel the effects of heat sooner if you are not used to high temperatures. That is why the first days of a holiday need extra care. Long hours on the beach, boat trips and desert excursions add to the risk. So do alcohol and not drinking enough.
You lose fluid through sweat, and faster still with diarrhoea or vomiting. People who are already dehydrated are more vulnerable in hot weather.
Symptoms
Dehydration
- feeling thirsty, tired, dizzy or light-headed
- a headache
- dark yellow, strong-smelling pee, or peeing less often
- a dry mouth, lips and tongue, and sunken eyes
Heat exhaustion
- tiredness, dizziness and headache
- feeling sick or being sick
- heavy sweating, with pale, clammy skin
- cramps in the arms, legs or stomach
- a high temperature
- being very thirsty and feeling irritable
The symptoms are often the same in adults and children.
Heatstroke: an emergency
- a very high temperature, above 40°C
- hot skin that is not sweating, which may look red (this is harder to see on brown or black skin)
- fast breathing and a fast heartbeat
- confusion, restlessness, slurred speech or poor coordination
- a seizure (fit) or loss of consciousness
What helps
For heat exhaustion, the NHS recommends 4 steps:
- Move to a cool place, such as shade or an air-conditioned room.
- Remove unnecessary clothing, such as a jacket or socks.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Water is fine. A sports drink or oral rehydration salts also replace salt lost in sweat. Take small sips if you feel sick.
- Cool the skin. Spray or sponge with cool water and fan. Cold packs wrapped in a cloth can go under the armpits or on the neck.
Stay with the person. They should start to feel better within 30 minutes. If they do not, treat it as heatstroke and call 123.
While you wait for the ambulance
Wrap the person in a cool, wet sheet, or keep sponging them with cold water and fanning them. If they lose consciousness, put them in the recovery position and check their breathing. Start CPR if they show no signs of life.
What not to do
- Do not give fever medicines such as paracetamol or aspirin. They do not help heatstroke and may be harmful.
- Do not give salt tablets.
- Do not give drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not rub alcohol on the skin.
- Do not give anything by mouth if the person is vomiting or unconscious.
What you can buy at the pharmacy
Products that can help:
- Oral rehydration salts, to replace fluid and salts after heavy sweating, diarrhoea or vomiting.
- A digital thermometer, to check for a high temperature.
- Instant cold packs for your first aid kit. Wrap them in a cloth before use.
- High-protection sunscreen, such as Disaar SPF 50+, and after-sun care. See our sun care products and our sunburn guide.
No medicine you can buy treats heatstroke. Fast cooling and emergency care are what matter.
How to prevent heat illness
- Avoid the midday sun. Stay in the shade between 11 am and 3 pm. Plan active trips for cooler hours.
- Drink regularly. Drink more when it is hot, when you are active and if you have diarrhoea. Your pee should be pale yellow.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine. They make it harder for your body to cope with heat.
- Dress light. Wear loose, light-coloured clothing and a hat.
- Take it easy at first. Avoid hard exercise in the heat, especially in your first days. Rest often.
- Keep your room cool. Close the curtains during the day. The NHS says electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35°C. On hotter days, use air conditioning.
- Never leave a child in a parked car, even with the windows open.
- Check on others, especially children, older relatives and anyone with a long-term illness.
Children, pregnancy and older people
Babies and young children aged 5 and under are more at risk from heat and dehydration. Keep them in the shade and offer drinks often. Keep breastfeeding or formula feeding as usual, and do not make formula weaker. Signs of dehydration in a baby include a sunken soft spot on the head and few or no tears. Watch also for fewer wet nappies and drowsiness. Get medical help quickly if you see these signs. If your child also has diarrhoea, read our guide to traveller’s diarrhoea.
Pregnancy increases the risk from heat. Rest in cool places, drink regularly and avoid the midday sun. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine.
Older people and long-term conditions. People aged 65 and over are more at risk. So are people with heart or breathing problems, diabetes, kidney disease or dementia. Some medicines also raise the risk, including water tablets (diuretics), beta-blockers and some medicines for depression or psychosis. Do not stop a prescribed medicine. Ask your doctor or our pharmacist how to stay safe in the heat.
When to get urgent help
See a doctor urgently if:
- you have heat exhaustion symptoms that you are struggling to treat
- you feel dizzy when you stand up, and it does not go away
- you have dark yellow pee or pee much less than normal, or a baby has fewer wet nappies
- you or your child are breathing fast or have a fast heart rate
- a baby or child is drowsy, has few or no tears, or has a sunken soft spot on the head
Call 123 for an ambulance if someone:
- is still unwell after 30 minutes of cooling and fluids
- has a very high temperature, or hot skin that is not sweating
- is confused, has a seizure or loses consciousness
- is short of breath, or has cold, pale or blotchy skin
Need help in Sharm?
Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian. Message us on WhatsApp or call +20 120 344 2201 for rehydration salts, sunscreen or a thermometer. We have 5 pharmacies across Sharm El Sheikh, and we offer free hotel delivery on orders from $30.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What are the first signs of heatstroke?
Heatstroke often follows heat exhaustion. Warning signs include a very high temperature and hot skin that is not sweating. Others are fast breathing, a fast heartbeat, confusion, poor coordination, a seizure or loss of consciousness. It is a medical emergency. In Egypt, call 123 for an ambulance and start cooling the person while you wait.
What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke?
With heat exhaustion you feel tired, dizzy, sick and very thirsty, and you usually sweat heavily. It normally improves within 30 minutes of cooling down and drinking. Heatstroke is more serious. The body can no longer control its temperature, sweating may stop, and the person may become confused. Heatstroke needs emergency help.
Should I give paracetamol for heatstroke?
No. Fever medicines such as paracetamol or aspirin do not help in heatstroke and may be harmful. Cool the person instead: move them to a cool place, remove extra clothing, wet the skin with cool water and fan them. Call 123 for an ambulance if you suspect heatstroke.
How much water should I drink in Sharm El Sheikh?
There is no single amount for everyone. Drink regularly through the day. Drink more when it is hot, when you are active, or if you have diarrhoea or vomiting. A simple check is the colour of your pee: aim for pale yellow. Dark yellow pee is a sign you need to drink more.
Are oral rehydration salts better than water?
For everyday heat, water is usually enough. Oral rehydration salts help when you sweat a lot, or lose fluid through diarrhoea or vomiting. They replace the salts and sugar your body has lost. Mix them with safe water exactly as the pack says. Ask our pharmacist which one suits you or your child.
Sources and further reading (6)
Last updated 8 October 2026. General information, not a diagnosis: always read the leaflet and ask a pharmacist or doctor.
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