Allergy to the sun

Summer is the time for holidays and exposure to the hot sun. Many people go to the seas or to exotic countries to relax and gain strength. However, a vacation can be upset by the manifestation of an allergy to the sun, when its main symptoms are a rash and redness of the skin. What are the causes of this phenomenon and methods of treatment?

Sun allergy symptoms may not appear immediately. In some allergic people, redness of the skin and a rash appear after a few minutes, in others - a few hours. There are cases of manifestations of allergies after a few days. This is called a phototoxic reaction or photodermatosis.

This type of allergy is a response to prolonged exposure to sunlight or the combination of sunlight with medication, applying cream, deodorants, plant pollen, chlorinated pool water.

Allergy to the sun manifests itself in 20% of the people of the Earth. May develop at a young age. There are cases of the disappearance of this allergy after years of growing up. The main symptoms of a sun allergy are:

Peeling of the skin.
Skin irritation anywhere on the body.
Red rash.
Islands of pustular eruptions.
Edema.
Burning.
Redness of the skin.

Causes of Sun Allergies

Site site experts identify many causes of allergy to the sun. Often people themselves are provocateurs of its development. Having a fanatical desire to stay in the sun as long as possible, they do not miss a single ray. However, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation triggers the body's defense mechanisms to produce melanin. This disrupts the function of the kidneys and adrenal glands.

At the same time, it is also unsafe to refuse sunbathing. This is due to the fact that vitamin D deficiency leads to a number of disorders:

Loss of vision.
Loss of appetite and, consequently, weight.
development of deep depression.
Provoking arthritis, rickets, osteoporosis.

Often, an allergy to the sun is manifested not due to exposure to sunlight, but due to the occurrence of concomitant factors that make the body weaker. These factors are:

Persons with impaired functioning of the adrenal glands, liver and kidneys.
Milky white skin.
The presence of a large number of freckles and birthmarks on the skin.
Pregnancy.
Taking anti-inflammatory drugs: fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, quinidine, amiodarone, griseofulvin, etc.

People often use various creams in the summer. Especially popular are sunscreens, which are supposed to help against the harmful effects of sunlight and promote a beautiful tan. However, it is the creams and perfumes used that can cause an allergic reaction under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. If the composition of skin products includes such substances, it is better to refuse from sun exposure:

Fatty acid.
Salicylic and boric acid.
Retinoids.
paraaminobenzoic acid.
Essential oils of natural origin.
Mercury preparations.

In order not to provoke an allergic reaction to the sun, you should also refuse the following:

From food:

All types (probability of allergy).

From drugs:

Diuretics.
Aspirin.
Tranquilizers.
Ibuprofen.
Oral contraceptives.
Antibacterial drugs.
Antibiotics.

There are also diseases that are accompanied by the manifestation of a phototoxic reaction:

Pellagra is a low intake or poor absorption of nicotinic acid, which causes the skin to become sensitive and rough.
Gunther's disease (erythropoietic porphyria) - the image of a "vampire". People with this disease have open wounds and cracks in the skin, thick eyelashes and eyebrows, pale skin, pink tooth enamel and urine.

Sun allergy symptoms

Symptoms of an allergy to the sun vary depending on the causes of their occurrence, the age of the person, and the accompanying factors. Among them are the following symptoms:

Redness, abscesses of skin areas, itching, rash.
Sometimes the manifestation of scales, crusts, bleeding.
Manifestation on the skin of urticaria, vesicles, eczema.
The appearance of rough, small irregularities on the skin of the hands, face, legs, breasts, which itch, hurt, merge into swollen, reddened lesions.
Burn blisters.

Often, symptoms appear 1-1.5 hours after exposure to the sun. However, sometimes symptoms can appear after 15-20 hours and even several days.

Accompanying signs of solar allergies are:

Lowering blood pressure.
Bronchospasm (suffocation).
Loss of consciousness.
Persistent unbearable itching of the skin.

Damage to the skin can occur not only where the sunlight hit, but even in those areas where the skin was covered.

Doctors talk about the state of immunity, which regulates the appearance of solar allergies. So, in healthy and strong people, such symptoms do not appear. However, people at risk include:

Babies.
Children after recovery from illness.
Elderly faces.
Patients with chronic diseases.

sun allergy treatment

The main treatment for sun allergies is to determine the cause. If the sun's rays are the cause, then you should protect yourself from their effects. If the causes are drugs, creams and other factors, then it is necessary to deal with their elimination. Getting rid of the cause that provokes an allergy to the sun contributes to recovery.

However, you should take medications that will help in eliminating the symptoms of an allergic reaction:

Antihistamines, which relieve signs of allergies. Zodak, Claritin, Tsetrin, Suprastin, Tavegil are effective. They can be taken for a long time, do not cause addiction, drowsiness and do not affect the nervous system.

Creams and ointments based on corticosteroids, methyluracil, zinc and lanolin against sun allergies are prescribed by a doctor for a short period of time. This is done because addiction occurs, pathological processes appear on the skin (erythema, acne, vasodilation), and the skin also atrophies.

Cleansing the body, which allows you to quickly remove toxins. For this, activated carbon, Enterosgel and Polyphepan are used. You can also drink more than 2.5 liters of water per day.

Taking vitamins. If the cause of allergy to the sun was a low protective reaction of the body, then vitamins B, E and C, antioxidants are prescribed. Also included here is nicotinic acid, which reduces the negative effects of sunlight.

First aid for sun allergies

The manifestation of an allergy to the sun requires first aid. You should call for emergency help, especially if the person is losing consciousness or close to it, while doing the following:

Give plenty of water to replenish fluids.
Cover the skin with a cloth, but it should not be too tight, so as not to cause additional irritation.
When the temperature rises above 38 degrees, the body should be cooled. This can be done by taking antipyretics: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, etc. You can also apply cold compresses to the lower leg, forehead and groin area.
If vomiting occurs against the background of high temperature, the patient should be turned on its side.

First aid will not relieve a person of allergic symptoms, but will reduce their level before the arrival of doctors.

Alternative treatment for allergies to the sun

If it is not possible to see a doctor or if the severity of symptoms needs to be reduced urgently, you can resort to alternative treatment for allergies to the sun. Here are the recommendations:

To soften and relieve inflammation from the skin, apply cucumber, potato or cabbage juice.
Apply cold compresses from tincture of celandine or calendula.
Make an herbal bath of chamomile flowers, medicinal valerian root, St. John's wort, tripartite herb, large celandine and medicinal sage.
Take the following infusions inside:

Fool's infusion.
Infusion of nettle deaf.
Infusion of calamus rhizomes.
Celery Root Juice.

Folk remedies help soothe allergy symptoms. If they do not go away completely, then it is better to consult a doctor for treatment.

Prevention of solar allergies

A common cause of sun allergies is non-compliance with prevention. People try to spend as much time as possible in the sun, before that they have not prepared their body.

You should start with short sunbathing, preferably during a period when the sun is still warm. During this period, the sun's rays are not aggressive, so prolonged exposure to the sun will not be harmful.

During the hot period, you should stay in the sun for 15 to 20 minutes, and then hide in the shade. It should be remembered that the rays are reflected from water and sand. It is necessary to cover your shoulders from the sun, as they burn out the fastest. Head coverings should be worn to avoid sunstroke.

Before going out into the sun, you should stop taking medications, applying deodorants and aromatic oils, perfumes. You can use only special creams with a sunscreen effect.

If a person is allergic to the sun, then you should cover all parts of your body with a light natural fabric as much as possible. This will help to be outdoors, but avoid sun exposure to the skin.

Forecast

Sad enough is the news for a person that he should be careful with sunbathing and stay in the sun for a short time. The summer period pleases with its sun and outdoor activities, and here precautionary measures are necessary. However, if you take into account all the recommendations, then the rest will not be spoiled, and the prognosis in eliminating allergies will be favorable.

If you get used to some actions, it will soon be easier to cope with all the prohibitions. A person in rare cases is forced to avoid sunny days. Often it is just a matter of covering the skin areas from direct exposure to the sun. And even an allergy sufferer can go outside and sunbathe in the shade.

It is best to consult a doctor who will prescribe medications as first aid for allergies. This will help prevent negative impacts and not disturb your health so that the question of life expectancy does not arise.