Contents:
- Medical Video: Can You Be Allergic To Sunlight?
- Learn more about sun allergies
- Sun allergic signs and symptoms
- Various types of sun allergies
- Polymorphous light eruption (PMLE)
- Actinic prurigo (derivative PMLE)
- Photoallergic eruption
- Solar urticaria
- What are the risk factors for sun allergies?
- How do doctors diagnose sun allergies?
- Ultraviolet light test
- Testing using photopatch
- Blood tests and skin samples
- Treatment for sun allergies
- How to prevent sun allergies
Medical Video: Can You Be Allergic To Sunlight?
Usually, skin that has red blisters and feels sore when touched is a sign of alias sunburn sunburn. You are prone to sunburn when you move too long in the hot sun. But in a few people, this symptom can appear as a sun allergic reaction. Why, sun allergy? Are they vampires?
Not. The vampire doesn't really exist, but sun allergy is a real medical condition.
Learn more about sun allergies
Sun allergy is a term used to describe photosensitivity, a reddish rash condition on the skin as an overreaction after exposure to sunlight.
Sun allergy is triggered by changes that occur in skin exposed to sunlight. It is not clear why the body develops this reaction. However, allergies generally occur as a reaction to the immune system that mistakenly considers component cells of healthy skin exposed to the sun as foreign matter. This causes the body to attack it and then produce an allergic reaction in the form of a red rash and blisters. In addition to a reddish rash, people who are allergic to sunlight will also experience itching.
Allergic reactions usually occur in part V of the neck (collarbone to the sternum), back of the hand, outer side of the arm, and lower leg.
Sun allergic signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms of sun allergy can vary greatly, depending on the type of allergies. But in general, symptoms of sun allergy cause:
- Reddish skin
- The skin feels itchy or sore
- Blisters, sometimes hard, until bleeding
- Small spots on the skin
The above signs and symptoms usually only affect the part of the skin exposed to sunlight and will develop in minutes up to several hours after the first exposure.
Be alert if your allergic reaction is accompanied by coughing, high fever, facial swelling, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. This includes dangerous anaphylactic reactions that can cause respiratory failure, convulsions, coma, and death.
Various types of sun allergies
Different types of allergies will produce symptoms that may be different. The following is more complete about the various types of sun allergies:
Polymorphous light eruption (PMLE)
Polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) is the most common type of sun allergy. This condition occurs around 10-15 percent of the population of the United States. PMLE is also known as sun poisoning.
Women experience PMLE more often than men. In temperate regions, PMLE is usually common in spring and summer.
Actinic prurigo (derivative PMLE)
This form of PMLE is inherited in people from Indian American backgrounds, including American Indians in the north, south and central America. The symptoms are usually more severe than normal PMLE and often begin earlier, since childhood or adolescence.
Photoallergic eruption
This form of allergy is triggered by sunlight on chemicals that are applied to the skin, such as sunscreen, perfume, cosmetics, antibiotic ointments and certain drugs. Prescription drugs can cause this condition including antibiotics, especially tetracycline and sulfonamides, phenothiazines used to treat mental illness, diuretic drugs for high blood pressure and heart failure, and birth control pills.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has linked several cases of photosensitivity reactions to pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.
Solar urticaria
This type of sun allergy results in a large, itchy red bump on the skin exposed to sunlight. Solar urticaria is a rare condition that most often attacks young women.
What are the risk factors for sun allergies?
There are several factors that increase a person's risk of experiencing an allergic reaction to sunlight, namely:
- Race. Anyone can get sun allergies, but it is usually most common in Caucasian people, namely white people in America, Europe, Pakistan, and others.
- Exposure to certain substances. Some of these allergic symptoms are triggered when your skin is exposed to certain substances and then exposed to sunlight. Generally include perfumes, disinfectants, and some chemicals contained in sunscreens.
- Take certain drugs. Some drugs can make the skin burn faster, including tetracycline antibiotics, sulfa-based drugs, and pain relievers such as ketoprofen.
- Have other skin diseases which can increase the risk of allergies, such as dermatitis.
- Heredity factor. Having a family that is allergic to sunlight can increase your risk of getting this allergy.
How do doctors diagnose sun allergies?
In many cases, doctors can diagnose sun allergy just by seeing symptoms that appear on your skin. But there are a number of tests that are usually done to confirm it, namely:
Ultraviolet light test
This test is also called phototesting and is used to see how your skin reacts to the different wavelengths of UV light using a special type of lamp. By determining which light waves are causing the reaction, which type of allergy you have can be detected.
Testing using photopatch
This test shows whether allergies are caused by applying sensitive substances to the skin before you are exposed to the sun. In this test, a specially designed patch containing common allergens is applied directly to your skin, usually to the back.
A day later, one area received a dose of UV light from a special lamp. If the reaction only occurs in areas exposed to light, it is likely that this occurs because the substance is tested.
Blood tests and skin samples
Your doctor will use this test if you suspect your symptoms are caused by an underlying condition such as lupus and other diseases. With this test, blood and skin samples (biopsy) are taken for further examination in the laboratory.
Treatment for sun allergies
Most cases of sun allergy recover by themselves. Certain lotions and aloe gel can also be used to relieve symptoms. Doctors will usually prescribe painkillers such as ibuprofen. In more severe cases doctors can prescribe systemic or topical steroids to help reduce swelling.
How to prevent sun allergies
- Avoid excessive sun exposure, especially when the sun is at its peak during the day.
- Stop using drugs that make you sensitive to light. Consult with your doctor whether the medication you are taking makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight.
- Apply skin moisturizer.
- Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 which contains protection against UVA and UVB rays.
- Wear long pants and long sleeves complete with hats if you leave the house.
- Use sunglasses with UV protection.
